Handley Page Hermes

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Handley Page HP.81 Hermes
the similar-looking HP Hastings
Type Airliner
Manufacturer Handley Page
Maiden flight 2 December 1945
Introduced 6 August 1950
Primary user BOAC
Number built 29

The Handley Page HP 81 Hermes was a civilian airliner of similar outward appearance to the military Handley Page Hastings. Unlike the tailwheel Hastings, the Hermes had a nose wheel undercarriage. It was intended to introduce the Hermes before the Hastings, but production was delayed after the prototype HP 68 Hermes I crashed on its maiden flight December 2, 1945. The next variant was the HP 74 Hermes II, which was a prototype with a lengthened fuselage. The production model HP 81 Hermes IV was fitted with 2,100 hp (1,570 kW) Bristol Hercules 763 engines, had a tricycle undercarriage instead of a tail-wheel and could carry up to 82 passengers. 25 of these were built, and they were used by BOAC on routes in West and South Africa.

When Hermes IV were fitted with later Hercules 773 engines, they were called Hermes IVA. Two Hermes V were built with the 2,220 hp Bristol Theseus turboprop engine. In general the Hermes went out of use in the 1960s. The fuselage of a Hermes is preserved at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.

Contents

[edit] Production

  • H.P.68 Hermes I: 1 aircraft.
  • H.P.74 Hermes II: 1 aircraft.
  • H.P.81 Hermes IV: 25
  • H.P.82 Hermes V: 2

All the aircraft were built at Radlett Aerodrome, Hertfordshire, England.

[edit] Operators

[edit] Specification (Hermes IV)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 7
  • Capacity: 40 - 82 passengers
  • Length: 96 ft 10 in ()
  • Wingspan: 113 ft 0 in ()
  • Height: 30 ft 0 in ()
  • Wing area: 1,408.0 sq ft ()
  • Empty weight: 55,350 lb ()
  • Max takeoff weight: 86,000 lb ()
  • Powerplant: 4× Bristol Hercules 763, 2,100 hp () each

Performance

[edit] See also

Related development

Handley Page Hastings

 

Designation sequence

H.P.56, 57 - H.P.59 - H.P.61 - HP.62 - H.P.63 - H.P.67 - H.P.68 - H.P.70, 71 - HP.75 - HP.80 - HP.81 - HP.82 - HP.88 -

 

 

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[edit] External links

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