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Britain's Handley Page Harrow bomber1
Handley Page Harrow bomber prototype1:
Handley Page Harrow bomber:
Handley Page Harrow Mk II bomber:
Design
Originally the Handley Page Harrow was designed to be a transport.1 However, under the 1936 RAF Expansion Scheme it was decided to use it as a bomber.1
Prototype
The HP.54 prototype first flew on October 10, 1936.1 This was also the first Harrow Mk I production plane.1
Production
The Harrow Mk II first flew in February 1937.1
- Harrow Mk I: 381
- Harrow Mk II: 621
- Total: 1001
Variants
- HP.54: Prototype.1
- Harrow Mk I: Used for training.1
- Harrow Mk II: More powerful Bristol Pegasus XX engine.1
Usage
Before World War II
Starting in April 1937 and by early 1939 there were five RAF bomber squadrons equipped with the Harrow Mk IIs.1 By September 1939 these had been replaced by Wellingtons.1
New Duty
Starting in 1940 the Harrow began to be used as a transport.1 Was often used between Britain and Gibraltar.1
Operation Mutton
Harrows were used in Operation Mutton where they towed aerial mines (Pandoras) in front of German bombers at night.1 They were guided by ground controllers.1 In 1941 there were six German bombers destroyed by the Pandoras.1
Ambulance
In September 1944 the Harrow was used as an ambulance in Europe.1
Last of Line
By late 1944 there were only twelve Harrows remaining in service.1 Of these, seven were destroyed in Operation Bodenplatte at the Brussels-Evere airfield on New Years Day.1
By May 1945 the last five were removed from the RAF.1
| Handley Page Harrow1 | Handley Page Harrow Mk I1 | Handley Page Harrow Mk II1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Bomber1 Transport1 |
||
| Crew | 4 - 51 | ||
| Passengers | 20 troops1 12 stretchers1 |
||
| Engine (Type) | 2: Bristol Pegasus X1 | 2: Bristol Pegasus XX1 | |
| Cylinders | Radial 91 | ||
| Cooling | |||
| HP | 830 each1 | 925 each1 | |
| Propeller blades | 3 each1 | 3 each1 | |
| Dimensions | |||
| Span | 88' 5"1 26.95 m1 |
||
| Length | 82' 2"1 25.04 m1 |
||
| Height | 19' 5"1 5.92 m1 |
||
| Wing area | |||
| Weight | |||
| Empty | 13,600 lb1 6,169 kg1 |
||
| Loaded | 23,000 lb1 10,433 kg1 |
||
| Performance | |||
| Speed | |||
| Speed @ 10,000' / 3,048 m |
200 mph1 322 kph1 |
||
| Cruising speed | 163 mph1 262 kph1 |
||
| Climb | 710'/minute1 216 m/minute1 |
||
| Climb to 6,500' / 1,981 m |
8.2 minutes1 | ||
| Service ceiling | 22,800'1 6,950 m1 |
||
| Range | 1,260 miles1 2,028 km1 |
||
| Maximum range | 1,840 miles1 2,961 km1 |
||
| Armament | |||
| Nose turret | 1: 0.303" MG1 | ||
| Dorsal cupola | 1: 0.303" MG1 | ||
| Rear turret | 2: 0.303" MG1 | ||
| Bombs | 3,000 lb1 1,361 kg1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
