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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1171.PDF
FLIGHT H.P.52 Hamptkn Production) Forty Years Famous . H.P.47 This boldly designed general-purpose monoplane appeared in 1935. Its scope of military usage was excep- tionally wide, and slots and flaps contributed to its effi- ciency as a bomber, reconnaissance aircraft and torpedo dropper. H.P.51 During 1935 the H.P.43 bomber transport was converted into a monoplane and restyled H.P.51. Two Armstrong Siddeley Tiger VI engines were fitted and the flying weight was 18,000 lb. The monoplane wing, which had leading- edge slots and slotted flaps, measured 90ft in span, whereas the biplane wings of the original "43" spanned 114ft. H.P.52 (Prototype) Designed for fast quantity production, the H.P.52, of 14,700 lb gross weight, first flew during 1936. Its appear- ance in the new-types park at Hendon in that year created the greatest interest. The cantilever wing was sharply tapered, slotted and flapped. 11.P.52 Ilampden (Production) The year 1938 saw the appearance of an improved ver- sion of the H.P.52 (by now known as Hampden, after the Defender of Civil Liberties). This version had Bristol Pegasus XVIII engines and was well established in R.A.F. service when war came. Hampdens attacked all parts of Germany, and in the later stages operated as Coastal Com- mand torpedo-bombers and parachute mine layers. The gross weight of the Hampden was 18,750 lb, and its top speed, 254 m.p.h. at 15,000ft. H.P.53 Hereford This type was simply the Hampden powered with 24- cylinder Napier Dagger " H "-shaped engines instead of Bristol Pegasus radials. Production was undertaken by Short and Harland, Ltd., in their Belfast works, but, un- like the Hampden, the Hereford never became operational. H.P.54 Harrow At the outset of the R.A.F.'s pre-war expansion pro- gramme a contract was placed for Harrow heavy bombers, the first example of which flew late in 1936. Two ver- sions were produced, the Mk. I, with Pegasus X, and the Mk. II, with Pegasus XX engines. A crew of five was carried and power-driven gun turrets were fitted in nose and tail. The span was 88ft 5m, and the flying weight 23,000 lb. When Harrows ceased to function as bombers they were converted into transports and were employed in this role throughout the war. Being the only large aircraft available and able to operate from small fields. Harrows were chosen to evacuate wounded British para- troops from Arnhem. H.P.57 Halifax Seven weeks after the outbreak of war, in 1939, the first Halifax prototype (four R.-R. Merlins) took the air. The first production machine flew in October of the following year, and within five weeks the first Bomber Command Halifax squadron was being formed. Exactly five months after the first production aircraft flew Halifaxes made theit initial operational sorties—against Kiel and Le Havre. In all, more than 6,000 Halifaxes were built and approxi- mately 76,000 sorties were flown. The type was exten- sively operated by Coastal Command and was later de- veloped for transport and glider-towing duties. Halifaxes, too, flew Allied agents deep into enemy territory and dropped arms to partisans. In civilian service modified Halifaxes, known as Haltons, have been operated by B.O.A.C., and Halifax freighters have played an important part in beating the Berlin blockade.
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