The Handley Page H.P.51 was a monoplane conversion of the unsuccessful biplane bomber-transport H.P.43, built as a twin-engined answer to Air Ministry specification C.26/31, which asked for a machine to carry 24 soldiers and their gear over about 920 miles. Drawing on experience with the single-spar wing of its H.P.47, Handley Page joined the H.P.43's fabric-covered, tube-framed fuselage, lengthened by 31 inches, to a high-wing cantilever monoplane wing of 90 ft span and two 750 hp Armstrong Siddeley Tiger IV radial engines. It was completed at Cricklewood and first flew from Radlett on 8 May 1935. Its results were so encouraging that the company pressed ahead with the production H.P.54 Harrow, and the H.P.51 was later given the Harrow tail and Pegasus engines. After tests at Martlesham Heath it served with the Royal Aircraft Establishment until early 1940, and parts of its cockpit survive in the Royal Air Force Museum.
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Source Handley Page H.P.51 (Wikipedia)
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Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Source Handley Page H.P.51 (Wikipedia)Lead, builderQuote, Lead, builder
Handley Page, having had useful experience of constructing single-spar monoplane wings for their unsuccessful H.P.47 general-purpose bomber, realised that they could marry the fuselage of their failed contender for C.16/28, the H.P.43, to a monoplane wing.
Sources
1. Handley Page H.P.51 (Wikipedia)
Development, first flight
The aircraft was completed at Cricklewood, dismantled and taken to the newer Handley Page site at Radlett for its first flight on 8 May 1935, piloted by Major J.L.B.H.
Operational history
In January 1937 it went on to RAF Martlesham Heath for performance testing, then joined the RAE which it served until early 1940.
Lead, builder
Handley Page, having had useful experience of constructing single-spar monoplane wings for their unsuccessful H.P.47 general-purpose bomber, realised that they could marry the fuselage of their failed contender for C.16/28, the H.P.43, to a monoplane wing.
In Group: Bombers, Lead, type of vehicle
The Handley Page H.P.51 was a monoplane conversion of the earlier, unsuccessful biplane bomber-transport aircraft, the Handley Page H.P.43.
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