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Aviation History
1939
1939 - 1928.PDF
^r^ FLIGHT, June 22, 1939. The Hamlet light commercial monoplane (left) could have one, two or three engines. It is seen here with two Siddeley Lynxes. Right — The first of eight H.P. 42s supplied to Imperial Airways, who ordered the machines " off the drawing board." The " 42 " will go down in aviation history as a really outstanding aeroplane. examined theoretically and on the drawing-board the merits of the large aero plane. He came to the con clusion that there were con siderable advantages in size, compared with the relatively tiny aircraft in existence at that time, but even after the outbreak of war it was difficult to convince the authorities that a large aeroplane could have military advantages not possessed by small machines. It must be remembered that bombing, when practised at all, was of a crude nature ; it consisted of dropping a few hand grenades overboard in the hope that they would hit something. Of the carrying of large bombs no one had any experience. However, Mr. Handley Page succeeded in persuading Admiral Sir Murray Sueter, head of the R.N.A.S. at the Admiralty, that the large aeroplane was worth developing ("H.P" was ever a convincing talker!) and in December, 1914, the firm was given instruc tion to proceed with design. A whole year was spent in concentrated hard work (remember, there was no previous experience upon which to draw), and on December 18, 1915, the first Handley Page twin-engined biplane and the largest aeroplane ever built in this country up till then, made its first flight. On the right is the Hanley torpedo machine, showing the extensive application of Handley Page slots. Below, on the left, is the un orthodox general-purpose monoplane (Bristol Pegasus) produced a few years ago. The original Harrow (bottom right) was a torpedo machine, and should not be confused with the big twin-engined bomber now used by the R.A.F. It was transported from the Cricklewood works to Hen- don aerodrome at dead of night, and to get it into the aerodrome many feet of fencing had to be removed. Contrary to general belief, the first Handley Page twin- engined biplane was not the O/400. That type designation did not come until afterwards. The first was known as the O/ioo, and the type continued under that designation until the end of 1917, when a slightly modified type be came known as the O/400. A great many were built and used in raids from Dunkirk. A story was told of one of the very first of the Handley Page twin-engined biplanes : The British pilot was on his way to deliver it to a British aerodrome in France, but lost his way somewhat and landed on what turned out to be, to his great surprise, a German aerodrome. It is said that a few days later the Germans dropped a note on a British aerodrome expressing thanks for the safe delivery of the new aeroplane.
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