Handley Page Hinaidi
| Hinaidi | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role | Heavy night bomber |
| Manufacturer | Handley Page |
| First flight | 26 March 1927 |
| Introduction | 1929 |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 36 |
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The Handley Page Hinaidi was one of two twin-engine bombers built by Handley Page that served with the Royal Air Force between 1925 and 1935. The aircraft was developed from the Handley Page Hyderabad and named after Hinaidi, a RAF station in Iraq.
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[edit] Design and development
In 1923, Handley Page designed and built a new heavy bomber based on its W.8 airliner, the Hyderabad. The Hyderabad was an all-wooden biplane powered by two Napier Lion engines.[1] Forty-five were built, entering service from 1925.[2]
The Hinaidi was an improved version of the Hyderabad built to meet Air Ministry Specification 13/29. The first machine, the HP33 Hinaidi I -in fact an early production Hyderabad, J7745, with another engine and a change of fin and rudder[3]- first flew on 26 March 1927.[4] At least four Hyderabads were converted to Hinaidi Is, while six late-production Hyderabads were completed as Hinaidi Is, retaining the wooden airframe of the Hyderabads.[3] The first true Hinaidi, the HP36 Hinaidi II, went into production after major structural modifications were implemented, the structure being changed from wooden to metal.
A re-engined version with two 480 hp Siddeley Jaguars was proposed, the HP44 Hinaidi III, but not built.[3]
[edit] Operational history
The first 33 aircraft came into service in 1929,[4] and were issued to No. 99, No. 10 and No. 503 squadrons. Total production ended with 36 aircraft, with some being converted to transport aircraft on the North-West Frontier in India. The Clive II transport version operated out of Lahore.
[edit] Variants
- HP.33 Hinaidi I
- Wooden airframe. Three built, one prototype, J7745, as a conversion of a Hyderabad, two from new, with seven Hyderabads converted.
- HP.33 Clive I
- One of the Hinaidi I prototypes, J9126, built using W.10 fuselage as a transport design later converted to become Clive III though not entering service as such. Later as G-ABYX sold to Sir Alan Cobham with his air circus and named "Youth of Australia" and later renamed to "Astra".[5]
- HP.35 Clive II
- Two transport aircraft built, all-metal structure, J9948 and J9949.
- HP.36 Hinaidi II
- All-metal airframe. 34 built, prototype J9478; K1063-K1078; K1909-K1925. Approximately 20+ aircraft were converted into Clive II transport aircraft configuration in the early 1930s.
[edit] Operators
- Royal Air Force
- No. 10 Squadron RAF
- No. 99 Squadron RAF
- No. 502 Squadron RAF
- No. 503 Squadron RAF
- Heavy Transport Flight RAF - Handley Page Clive
[edit] Specifications (Hinaidi Mk II)
Data from Aircraft of the Royal Air Force[6]
General characteristics
- Crew: 4
- Payload: 4,000 lb (1,814 kg) cargo in transport version
- Length: 59 ft 2 in (18.03 m)
- Wingspan: 75 ft (22.86 m)
- Height: 17 ft (5.18 m)
- Wing area: 1,471 ft² (136.7 m²)
- Empty weight: 8,040 lb (3,655 kg)
- Loaded weight: 14,400 lb (6,500 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Bristol Jupiter VIII 9-cylinder radial engine, 440 hp (328 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 107 kn (123 mph, 197 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 65 kn (75 mph, 121 km/h)
- Range: 850 mi (1,370 km)
- Service ceiling: 14,900 ft (4,400 m)
- Rate of climb: 380 ft/min (1.9 m/s)
- Wing loading: 9.79 lb/ft² (47.5 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.061 hp/lb (0.10 kW/kg)
Armament
- Guns: 3 × 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Guns in nose, dorsal and ventral positions
- Bombs: 1,450 lb (657 kg) bomb load
[edit] See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Related lists
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
[edit] Bibliography
- Barnes, C. H. Handley Page Aircraft Since 1907. London: Putnam & Company, Ltd., 1987. ISBN 0-85177-803-8.
- Clayton, Donald C. Handley Page, an Aircraft Album. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd., 1969. ISBN 0-7110-0094-8.
- Jarrett, Philip. "By Day and By Night: Hyderabads and Hinadis". Aeroplane Monthly, August 1993, Vol 21 No 8, Issue No 244. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240. pp. 18–24.
- Mason, Francis K. The British Bomber Since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994. ISBN 0-85177-61-5.
- Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57, 1st edition. London: Putnam, 1957.
- Thetford, Owen. "By Day and By Night: Hyderabads and Hinadis". Aeroplane Monthly, September 1993, Vol 21 No 9, Issue No 245. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240. pp. 18–24
[edit] External links
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