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Aviation History
1939
1939 - 1934.PDF
]j& JUNE 22, 1939 An early Expansion type, the Harrow Mark I bomber was fitted with Pegasus X engines and Mark II with Pegasus XXs. would cruise at 95-105 m.p.h. The landing speed was as low as 51 m.p.h. All-metal construction was used for the 42s, the cover ing of the wings and the rear portion of the fuselage being fabric, though the front part, embodying the pilot's cabin and passenger saloons, was metal-skinned. Although earlier Handley Page transports weighing much less had been fitted with four main landing wheels, the 42 had only two wheels and a swivelling tail wheel, the main wheels being fitted with 60 x 2iin. tyres. Despite its immense size and the height of the landing wheels, the machine was planned so that passengers could enter or leave the cabin without using steps. Handley Page slots and slotted ailerons were naturally fitted. Preoccupation with orders for military machines has prevented the company building any subse quent transport aircraft, but one has only to look at the Hampden bomber to visualise the firm's ability to produce civil types. Parallel with its civil developments the company pro duced a series of outstandingly interesting military types, chiefly bombers and torpedo-carriers. Tests with the Handley Page slotted wing shortly after the war were so successful that the Air Ministry ordered a torpedo-carrying shipplane known as the Hanley. Arranged as a three-bay biplane, the Hanley was a single- seater with manually worked slots all along the leading edges ot upper and lower wings. The split undercarriage was arranged to give a large ground angle to allow for the stalling angle. A development of the Hanley was arranged as a two-seater and was called the Hendon. This machine was a two-seater, also with a Napier Lion, and weighed 6,900 lb, fully loaded. The speed range was from 45 m.p.h. to no m.p.h. and the service ceiling was 10,000ft. By 1927 a new type of torpedo-carrier, known as the Harrow, had been evolved. This machine, which took advantage of the increased power offered by the Napier Lion XI, was a two-bay machine of clean design. In its Mark II form it had a sharp dihedral angle on its upper wing. The wing structure was of wood, as was the rear portion of the fuselage, though the front part was of steel. The wings were fitted with two varieties of automatic slots, ©CO? 633 Major J. B. CORDES, chief test pilot. Fit. Lt. J.R.TALBOT, second test pilot. THE FLYING TEAM or a large bomb. A designed. 'The Hare one giving lateral stability and control at low speeds and the other, interconnected with the slotted ailerons, functioning as lift slots. As a landplane the Harrow II was capable of a top speed of 126 m.p.h. and a ceiling of 15,300 ft. The next Handley Page to be fitted for torpedo carrying was the Hare, though this machine was intended primarily as a day bomber. It was characterised by the sesquiplane layout of the wings, by the rigid interplane bracing and by the peculiar brac ing of the split undercarriage, permitting the release of a torpedo cross-axle undercarriage was also appeared with a geared Bristol Jupiter engine and with a Siddeley Panther, which was at that time known as the Jaguar Major. The top speed was over 140 m.p.h. and the ceiling more than 14,000 ft. To the M.i /30 specification issued by the Air Ministry Handley Pages designed a somewhat unusual biplane with a Rolls-Royce Buzzard engine. Features were the placing of the fuselage immediately under the top wing and the duplication of the main landing wheels. It is not generally realised that the company built a remarkably interesting little single-seater fighter for the U.S. Navy. This was a neat low-wing cantilever monoplane with a 230 h.p. Bentley rotary engine and had a top speed of 146 m.p.h. near the ground with an initial rate of climb of 1,800 ft./min. Leading-edge slots and slotted '' drooping'' ailerons gave a landing speed of 44 m.p.h. despite the wing loading of 18 lb./sq. ft. Two synchronised machine guns were installed in the top cowl ing. To facilitate stowage on shipboard the rear half of the fuselage could be completely detached by unscrewing half a dozen bolts. This little monoplane was actually the only specialised ON THE BUSINESS SIDE — which does not imply that the other departments are un businesslike ! Group Capt. R. B. MAYCOCK, sales manager. Major R. E. NICOLL, sales staff. Mr. G. C. D. RUSSELL, Mr. W. ROSE, accountant.
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