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Handley Page Heyford
The Handley Page Heyford was a twin-engine biplane bomber designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Handley Page. It holds the distinction of being the last biplane heavy bomber to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF).
The Heyford was developed in response to Specification B.19/27 for a new heavy night bomber. Much of the design can be attributed to the work of George Volkert, Handley Page's lead designer. Unlike the company's preceding aircraft, the Heyford comprised metal construction instead of wood; it also had an unorthodox arrangement wherein the fuselage was joined to the upper wing rather than the lower one, which gave the aircraft a relatively nose-high orientation while on the ground. Considerable revision of the proposal occurred even after its submission, which was recognised as the Air Ministry's preferred option. A sole prototype, designated Handley Page HP.38, was produced, performing its maiden flight on 12 June 1930 and commencing service trials shortly thereafter.
During November 1933, the first Heyfords entered service, being initially flown by No. 99 Squadron at RAF Upper Heyford; before the end of 1936, Bomber Command had a total of nine operational squadrons equipped with the Heyford. Despite forming a considerable portion of the RAF's bomber fleet during the mid-1930s, the Heyford had a relatively short service life as it was rapidly eclipsed by a new generation of monoplane bombers, such as the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and the Vickers Wellington. The replacement of the type had commenced during 1937 as more capable bombers were introduced during a major rearmament push for the RAF; the Heyford was formally declared obsolete in July 1939, barely two months prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. Despite this, the type continued to be used in secondary roles, being used as glider tugs, experimental aircraft, and trainers, into the 1940s.
By 1928, the Air Staff had concluded that, while one single airframe could be suitably versatile to meet the majority of its needs, a dedicated night-time bomber was required. In response, the Air Ministry issued Specification B.19/27[clarification needed], which sought a heavy bomber for nighttime operations to replace the Vickers Virginia. The requirements listed included the use of a twin-engine arrangement, positive stability, ease of maintenance, good manoeuvrability, avoidance of excessive pilot fatigue, an adequate self-defense capability, sufficient carrying capacity for up to 1,546 lb (700 kg) of bombs, and to traverse a distance of 920 miles at a speed of at least 115 mph (185 km/h). The release of the specification was met with a large number of proposals from various companies across the British aircraft industry. Specifically, designs were submitted by Fairey (the Fairey Hendon) and Vickers (the Type 150 and Type 163 being built) in addition to Handley Page's own proposal.
The responsibility for producing Handley Page's design was given to the company's lead designer G. R. Volkert. According to aviation author C. H. Barnes, while Handley Page was satisfied with the qualities of wooden construction, it was the Air Ministry's insistence that all future production aircraft use metal construction that compelled the firm to change. A new recruit to the company, Raymond Sandifer, played a crucial role in this substitution process, which included steel tubing and aluminium fuel tanks. The design produced by Volkert pursued aerodynamic optimisation to achieve its performance, particularly for the uninterrupted upper wing surface and had deliberately limited the wing span to 75 feet to avoid any need for folding arrangements. According to Barnes, at the time of its submission on 16 November 1927, Handley Page's proposal was quite original.
Further changes to the proposed design were made over the following months, often involving its propulsion in particular. Multiple engines, including the Napier Lion, Rolls-Royce Kestrel inline engines and Bristol Jupiter radial engines, were considered by Handley Page, before it was determined that the Kestrel was superior. Furthermore, while variable-pitch propellers had been considered, they were ultimately excluded in favour of fixed-pitch counterparts due to synchronisation issues. Other changes included an alternative undercarriage configuration that produced less drag, adjusted wing stagger, and revisions to the positioning of the fuselage.
A single prototype, designated Handley Page HP.38, was ordered under contract No.790320/27, which was subsequently amended under contract No.819857/28. The prototype was completed during May 1930; it was powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Kestrel II engines, each capable of producing up to 525 hp (390 kW), that drove a set of two-bladed propellers. On 12 June 1930, this prototype performed its maiden flight from Handley Page's factory at Radlett. Following the completion of contractor testing, the HP.38 was dispatched to Martlesham Heath to undergo service trials; further tests were conducted with No. 10 Squadron. Numerous improvements and changes were suggested by test pilots and reviewing officials alike, including enlarged radiators, thicker skin, and a revised cockpit design.
Handley Page were under pressure to proceed rapidly, partially due to competition from the Vickers Type 150 and the Fairey Long-range Monoplane; the prototypes of both these rivals suffered separate accidents, which gave extra time to refine the HP.38. Revisions around this time largely focused on increasing the workspace for crewmembers and the clearance for groundcrews to arm the aircraft. On 11 April 1932, revisions to the prototype's monocoque fuselage to incorporate all of the recommended improvements were authorised. As a consequence of the talk at the League of Nations of abolishing bombing, military planners opted to delay the awarding of a production contract; at one point, Handley Page was considering laying off numerous staff involved with the HP.38 over this uncertainty. However, the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and a lack of consensus among the Geneva Disarmament Committee led to the Air Ministry issuing instructions to proceed with an initial batch of five aircraft, designated "HP.50 Heyford".
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Handley Page Heyford
The Handley Page Heyford was a twin-engine biplane bomber designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Handley Page. It holds the distinction of being the last biplane heavy bomber to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF).
The Heyford was developed in response to Specification B.19/27 for a new heavy night bomber. Much of the design can be attributed to the work of George Volkert, Handley Page's lead designer. Unlike the company's preceding aircraft, the Heyford comprised metal construction instead of wood; it also had an unorthodox arrangement wherein the fuselage was joined to the upper wing rather than the lower one, which gave the aircraft a relatively nose-high orientation while on the ground. Considerable revision of the proposal occurred even after its submission, which was recognised as the Air Ministry's preferred option. A sole prototype, designated Handley Page HP.38, was produced, performing its maiden flight on 12 June 1930 and commencing service trials shortly thereafter.
During November 1933, the first Heyfords entered service, being initially flown by No. 99 Squadron at RAF Upper Heyford; before the end of 1936, Bomber Command had a total of nine operational squadrons equipped with the Heyford. Despite forming a considerable portion of the RAF's bomber fleet during the mid-1930s, the Heyford had a relatively short service life as it was rapidly eclipsed by a new generation of monoplane bombers, such as the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and the Vickers Wellington. The replacement of the type had commenced during 1937 as more capable bombers were introduced during a major rearmament push for the RAF; the Heyford was formally declared obsolete in July 1939, barely two months prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. Despite this, the type continued to be used in secondary roles, being used as glider tugs, experimental aircraft, and trainers, into the 1940s.
By 1928, the Air Staff had concluded that, while one single airframe could be suitably versatile to meet the majority of its needs, a dedicated night-time bomber was required. In response, the Air Ministry issued Specification B.19/27[clarification needed], which sought a heavy bomber for nighttime operations to replace the Vickers Virginia. The requirements listed included the use of a twin-engine arrangement, positive stability, ease of maintenance, good manoeuvrability, avoidance of excessive pilot fatigue, an adequate self-defense capability, sufficient carrying capacity for up to 1,546 lb (700 kg) of bombs, and to traverse a distance of 920 miles at a speed of at least 115 mph (185 km/h). The release of the specification was met with a large number of proposals from various companies across the British aircraft industry. Specifically, designs were submitted by Fairey (the Fairey Hendon) and Vickers (the Type 150 and Type 163 being built) in addition to Handley Page's own proposal.
The responsibility for producing Handley Page's design was given to the company's lead designer G. R. Volkert. According to aviation author C. H. Barnes, while Handley Page was satisfied with the qualities of wooden construction, it was the Air Ministry's insistence that all future production aircraft use metal construction that compelled the firm to change. A new recruit to the company, Raymond Sandifer, played a crucial role in this substitution process, which included steel tubing and aluminium fuel tanks. The design produced by Volkert pursued aerodynamic optimisation to achieve its performance, particularly for the uninterrupted upper wing surface and had deliberately limited the wing span to 75 feet to avoid any need for folding arrangements. According to Barnes, at the time of its submission on 16 November 1927, Handley Page's proposal was quite original.
Further changes to the proposed design were made over the following months, often involving its propulsion in particular. Multiple engines, including the Napier Lion, Rolls-Royce Kestrel inline engines and Bristol Jupiter radial engines, were considered by Handley Page, before it was determined that the Kestrel was superior. Furthermore, while variable-pitch propellers had been considered, they were ultimately excluded in favour of fixed-pitch counterparts due to synchronisation issues. Other changes included an alternative undercarriage configuration that produced less drag, adjusted wing stagger, and revisions to the positioning of the fuselage.
A single prototype, designated Handley Page HP.38, was ordered under contract No.790320/27, which was subsequently amended under contract No.819857/28. The prototype was completed during May 1930; it was powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Kestrel II engines, each capable of producing up to 525 hp (390 kW), that drove a set of two-bladed propellers. On 12 June 1930, this prototype performed its maiden flight from Handley Page's factory at Radlett. Following the completion of contractor testing, the HP.38 was dispatched to Martlesham Heath to undergo service trials; further tests were conducted with No. 10 Squadron. Numerous improvements and changes were suggested by test pilots and reviewing officials alike, including enlarged radiators, thicker skin, and a revised cockpit design.
Handley Page were under pressure to proceed rapidly, partially due to competition from the Vickers Type 150 and the Fairey Long-range Monoplane; the prototypes of both these rivals suffered separate accidents, which gave extra time to refine the HP.38. Revisions around this time largely focused on increasing the workspace for crewmembers and the clearance for groundcrews to arm the aircraft. On 11 April 1932, revisions to the prototype's monocoque fuselage to incorporate all of the recommended improvements were authorised. As a consequence of the talk at the League of Nations of abolishing bombing, military planners opted to delay the awarding of a production contract; at one point, Handley Page was considering laying off numerous staff involved with the HP.38 over this uncertainty. However, the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and a lack of consensus among the Geneva Disarmament Committee led to the Air Ministry issuing instructions to proceed with an initial batch of five aircraft, designated "HP.50 Heyford".