Hawker Harrier
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| Harrier | |
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Hawker Harrier prototype at A &AEE | |
| Role | Torpedo Bomber |
| Manufacturer | Hawker Aircraft Limited |
| Designer | Sydney Camm |
| First flight | February 1927 |
| Status | Prototype |
| Number built | One |
The Hawker Harrier was an experimental biplane torpedo bomber aircraft built by Hawker Aircraft to a specification issued in the 1920s for the RAF.
Contents
Development
In 1925, the British Air Ministry laid down specifications for a high altitude bomber to replace the Hawker Horsley and for a coastal torpedo bomber (Specifications 23/25 and 24/25). As these specifications were similar, the Air Ministry announced that a single competition would be held to study aircraft submitted for both specifications.[1]
Sydney Camm of Hawker Aircraft designed the Harrier to meet the requirements of Specification 23/25, with the prototype (J8325) first flying in February 1927, the first of the competitors to the two specifications to fly.[1] The Harrier was a two seat biplane with single bay wings powered by a geared Bristol Jupiter VIII radial engine. It was armed with one .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and one .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun carrying a maximum of 1,000 lb (454 kg) of bombs.[2]
The prototype Harrier was tested at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A & AEE) at Martlesham Heath in November 1927, where, while it met the requirements of Specification 23/25 and had satisfactory handling, the geared engine meant that it was underpowered,[2] and it had an inferior bombload to the Hawker Horsley, the aircraft it was meant to replace.[1] It was therefore modified to carry a torpedo. On testing the modified aircraft, however, it was found to still be underpowered, being incapable of taking off with torpedo, gunner and a full fuel load.[1] It was therefore not considered further, the competition ultimately being won by the Vickers Vildebeest.[3]
The prototype was used by Bristol as an engine testbed, flying with the 870 hp (649 kW) Bristol Hydra and the 495 hp (369 kW) Bristol Orion engines.[1]
Specifications (Harrier, as bomber)
Data from Mason, The British Bomber since 1914 [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
- Length: 29 ft 7 in (9.02 m)
- Wingspan: 46 ft 3 in (14.10 m)
- Height: 13 ft 4 in (4.07 m)
- Wing area: 497 ft² (46.2 m²)
- Empty weight: 3,278 lb (1,490 kg)
- Loaded weight: 5,656 lb (2,561 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Jupiter VIII nine cylinder radial engine, 583 hp (435 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 117 kn (135 mph, 217 km/h)
- Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
- Wing loading: 11.4 lb/ft² (55.4 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.103 hp/lb (0.170 kW/kg)
- Climb to 10,000 ft (3050 m): 18 min 30 sec
Armament
- Guns: 1 × forward firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers gun and 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun on Scarff ring in rear cockpit.
- Bombs: either 1 × torpedo or 1,000 lb bombs
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
- Notes
- Bibliography
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External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hawker Harrier. |
