Handley Page H.P.42

The Handley Page H.P.42 and H.P.45 were British four-engined long-range biplane airliners designed to a 1928 Imperial Airways specification by Handley Page of Radlett in Hertfordshire. The H.P.42 was designed for the long-range, Eastern routes, and the very similar H.P.45 was built for the European routes. In Imperial Airways service, the H.P.42 was designated the H.P.42E (E for "Eastern" routes - India and South Africa), while the H.P.45 was called the H.P.42W (W for "Western" i.e. European routes).

The H.P.42 and H.P.45 designations were Handley Page's own identifiers, but this was not commonly known at the time.

The H.P.42/45 were the iconic land-based airliners of Imperial Airways, and along with the company's later flying boats are well remembered. Eight aircraft were built, four of each type; all were named, with names beginning with the letter "H". One was destroyed in an airship hangar fire in 1937, but the remainder survived to be impressed into Royal Air Force service at the outbreak of World War 2. No lives were lost in civilian service (a record thought to be unique for contemporary aircraft), but by 1940 all had been destroyed.

Construction

The H.P.42 was a large unequal-span biplane of all-metal construction except for the fabric coverings of the wings, tail surfaces, and rear fuselage. The wings were braced by Warren girders. The tailplane was also of biplane configuration, with three vertical tail surfaces. The H.P.42 was powered by four Bristol Jupiter XIFs of 490 hp (365 kW) each, while the H.P.45 used four Bristol Jupiter XFBM supercharged engines of 555 hp (414 kW), greater fuel consumption being traded for more power. In both cases, two engines mounted on the upper wing and one on each side on the lower wing.

The crew compartment was completely enclosed, which was a new development, and there were two passenger cabins, fore and aft of the wing. The H.P.42 carried six (later twelve) in the forward compartment and twelve in the aft. There was substantial baggage room. The H.P.45, meanwhile, seated 18 forward and 20 aft, with reduced baggage capacity.

Service

The first flight was on November 14, 1930, by G-AAGX, later to be named Hannibal, with Squadron Leader Thomas Harold England at the controls. The certificate of airworthiness was granted in May 1931, permitting commercial service; the first flight with fare-paying passengers was to Paris, on June 11 of that year.

Individual aircraft histories

Four H.P.42 and another four H.P.45 aircraft were delivered:

H.P.42

The long-distance H.P.42 was intended for the long-distance Africa and India services. They were based in Cairo.

G-AAGX Hannibal

The prototype, Hannibal's first flight was on November 14, 1930. The aircraft was named after Hannibal Barca, the Carthaginian military commander. It was lost over the Gulf of Oman in RAF service on March 1, 1940 with 8 aboard.

G-AAUC Horsa

G-AAUC was originally named Hecate after the Greek goddess; it was soon renamed Horsa, after the legendary conqueror of Britain and brother of Hengest. The aircraft first flew on September 11, 1931. It was impressed into No. 271 Squadron RAF as AS981. The aircraft burned after a forced landing on uneven ground at Moresby Park, near Whitehaven, Cumberland, on August 7, 1940.

G-AAUD Hanno

G-AAUD, production number 42/3, was named after the Carthaginian explorer Hanno the Navigator, who explored the Atlantic coast of Africa in approx. 570 BC. Hanno first flew on July 19, 1931 and was later converted to a H.P.42(W) (Hannibal class). The aircraft was impressed into No. 271 Squadron RAF and was destroyed in a gale at Whitchurch Airport, Bristol when it was blown together with Heracles and damaged beyond repair on March 19, 1940.

G-AAUE Hadrian

G-AAUE, production number 42/2, was named after the Roman emperor Hadrian. Hadrian's first flight was on June 24, 1931. On the outbreak of World War 2, Hadrian was impressed into No. 261 Squadron RAF as AS982, at RAF Odiham. On December 6, 1940, Hadrian was torn loose from its moorings at Doncaster Airport in a gale, cartwheeled, and ended up inverted on a railway track next to the airport. The plane was too badly damaged to be worth repairing.

H.P.45

The H.P.45 carried more passengers but with a reduced range and baggage capacity, and was intended for Imperial Airways' European routes.

G-AAXC Heracles

G-AAXC was named after Heracles, also known as Hercules, who was the son of Zeus and Alcmene in Greek mythology and was noted for his extraordinary strength. Heracles first flew on August 8, 1931 and was impressed into service with the RAF on March 3, 1940. The aircraft was destroyed in a gale on March 19, 1940 at Whitchurch Airport, Bristol, when it was blown together with Hanno and damaged beyond repair.

G-AAXD Horatius

G-AAXD was named after Horatius, a legendary Roman hero. Horatius first flew on November 6, 1931. It was impressed into RAF service in World War 2. Returning from France on a transport mission on November 7, 1939, the aircraft could not find its destination of Exeter due to bad weather and was forced to make an emergency landing at Tiverton Golf Course; during this, it hit two trees and was destroyed.

G-AAXE Hengist

G-AAXE was originally named Hesperides, but was soon renamed after Hengist, brother of Horsa and legendary conqueror of Britain. Hengist first flew on December 8, 1931. It was later converted from a European to an Eastern aircraft. Hengist was caught in an airship hangar fire and burned at Karachi on May 31, 1937, making it the only H.P.42/45 not to survive until World War II.

G-AAXF Helena

G-AAXF was named after Helena, also known as Helen of Troy. It first flew on December 30, 1931. Like Hengist, it was converted to an Eastern aircraft. Helena was impressed into service with No. 271 Squadron RAF in May 1940. After a hard landing the aircraft was grounded later that year; post-accident inspection condemned the airframe due to corrosion, and it was scrapped in 1941, except for the front fuselage section which was used as an office by the Royal Navy for several years.

Specifications (H.P.42)

References

Imperial-Airways.com, Handley Page HP42, retrieved January 22, 2005.

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