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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0670.PDF
FLIGHT May 13/A, 1948 Transports for Peace and War . . . Britain relatively quickly and at a much lower price than later marks of Hermes, which differ fundamentally from the military version. Australian orders would result not only in dollar-saving but would come as a welcome fillip to the prestige of British commercial aircraft in world markets. Two versions of the Hermes I have been studied—the IA freighter/passenger transport, with military-type Hercules 101 power plants, and the IB. The latter Mark is similar to the "A" in all respects, except that it is fitted with Hercules 733 engines and rear-swept manifold-type ex- hausts, resulting in improved take-off, longer engine life and a lower noise level. Data relative to this new variant are given in a table on p. 525. The freight payloads quoted are those obtainable when the aircraft is equipped to be readily convertible for passenger carrying. In the event of its being operated purely as a freighter, the basic equipped weight can be reduced and the freight loads corre- spondingly increased, by reducing the crew from five to four and removing certain items of equipment. The Hermes II, although at one time foreseen as a pos- sible production model, exists only as a research aircraft, to expedite the testing of pressurizing, air conditioning and sound-proofing equipment intended for the Hermes IV and to provide data on the flying characteristics of that type. Basically, the airframe is similar to that of the Hermes IV, the fuselage being 15ft longer than that of the Hastings and Hermes I. However, the Hermes II, with its tail- wheel undercarriage, has the increased fuselage length dis- tributed equally fore and aft of the wings, whereas the Hermes IV, having a nosewheel undercarriage, has an additional 6oin (plus i8in for the radar scanner) forward of the wings and rooin aft. Moreover, the power plants, interior layout, doors and windows differ from those of the Hermes IV and the passenger and crew entries move outwards and upwards, whereas those of the Mk IV open inwards and slide along the inside of the fuselage. The cabin windows of the Mk IV will be square with rounded corners; those of the Mk II are round. Third of the main Hermes variants, the Mark III has been abandoned. This would have had the larger fuselage of the Hermes II, but was to be powered with Bristol Theseus airscrew turbines. Characteristic data for the Hermes IV, now in pro- duction at Cricklewood, are: length, 96ft ioin; all-up weight, 82,000 lb ; maximum speed, 357 m.p.h. at 25,000ft ; power units, Bristol Hercules 763. Twenty-five examples are being built for use on the Empire routes of B.O.A.C. and the first should be on test well before this year's A Lesson in Electrics ... (Left) An R.A.F. sergeant instructor gives N.C.O. students, taking the " Hastings Course," some wrinkles on the electrical system of the new transport. They will return to their stations fully briefed concerning their responsibilities. ... Another in Aerodynamics ... (Above) The (wo views of a Hastings in flight bespeak the care exercised by the Handley Page design staff in eliminating drag. The few excrescences visible are necessary evils, called for by the Service. ... and Lastly One in Production (Below) Among the finest and fastest aircraft of their class in the world, Handley Page Hastings military transports are coming through the vast hangar at Radlett in impressive numbers. Major assemblies art delivered by road from Cricklewood.
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