British Multi-Engined Support Aircraft of WW2

100 Pages·2013·0.59 MB·English

by  Mike Hooks

SPECIAL
AVIATION ARCHIVE
British multi-engined
support aircraft of WW2
With cutaways and rarely seen images 5
9
.
7
£
www.aeroplanemonthly.com

INTRODUCTION 3
THIS EDITION OF Aeroplane Collectors’ Archive Alf Long and Maurice Rowe who began their Production could involve hundreds of hours and Clark
illustrates British-built aircraft which have photographic work with First World War vintage would often spend a week in a factory sketching
provided support to the main operational types equipment, learning to make up chemicals, dry prints detail drawings of aircraft parts, with reference to the
covered in previous Bomber and Fighter editions. on rotary glazing drums and operate a large camera engineering drawings, sometimes emerging with a
The title proved diffi cult because of the variety of on rails. Becoming a photographer for Temple Press complete drawing, others needing weeks of
types covered and in this respect we must point out was a do-it-yourself operation and if a large number additional work to bring everything together.
that the Beaufort is included here although it was an of images were required slides had to be reloaded, so Although occasionally criticised for unorthodox
operational aircraft but was omitted from the an overnight assignment required a wardrobe in the perspectives sometimes seen in his work, Clark often
Bombers volume. Since there are quite a few support bedroom ensuring the door was tightly closed! used it to accentuate a key part and so maybe his
aircraft it was necessary to split them between two Photographers these days don’t know how lucky they work, in some cases with minor faults, should be
editions and the second edition will cover single- are with digital equipment – but is the quality as viewed as aviation art. Older readers will remember
engine types ranging from Tiger Moths to Magisters, good? Chris Wren’s Oddentifi cations in The Aeroplane Spotter
Henleys, Lysanders etc. which certainly accentuated the aircraft’s shape to
Where possible we provide cutaway drawings by CUTAWAY ARTWORK bring out a point!
Aeroplane, Flight and other artists, but in some cases Detailed examination of the cutaway drawings Some of the illustrations here have been produced
we have only been able to obtain other style included in these pages reveals the amount of work by other artists including Roy Cross, John Weal, Frank
cutaways such as those for the Manchester, Botha involved. James Clark began producing cutaways in Munger and Mike Badrocke, and we are grateful to
and Beaufort included here. the mid 1930s for Aeroplane and continued for 30 Flight Global for the use of some of the cutaways from
years, his rival with Flight was Max Millar. At fi rst the Flight International archive which have enabled
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ARTISTS these drawings were small and relatively us to produce a more complete section of aircraft.
As before, we bring you some material from uncomplicated but as aircraft and engine design Mike Hooks
Aeroplane by the former staff including Charles Sims, developed the cutaways became even more detailed. Editor
The oldest Anson surviving in the UK is N4877,
preserved with the Imperial War Museum
Collection at Duxford. Here, it is seen at Little
Rissington’s At Home on August 29,1964
Aeroplane Collectors’ Archive
RAF Support Aircraft
Editor Mike Hooks
Production Manager Rebecca Gibbs • Scanning assistant Michael Hutchings • Design and image restoration Paul Sanderson
Published by Kelsey Publishing Group, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG. Telephone [phone] Fax [phone] www.kelsey.co.uk
Printed by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd., Willenhall, West Midlands.
© 2013 all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with prior permission in writing from the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements.
The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or Publisher. ISBN 978-1-909786-01-1
British Multi-Engined Support Aircraft of WW2
3 INTRODUCTION
6 PREAMBLE
Elderly types still in service at the outbreak of war
10 DE HAVILLAND DOMINIE
Biplane navigation trainer and communications aircraft
14 BLACKBURN BOTHA
Ineff ective as a torpedo-bomber
21 BRISTOL BEAUFORT
Torpedo-bomber and later trainer 10
30 HANDLEY PAGE HARROW
Designed as a bomber-transport
35 ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH
ALBEMARLE
21
RAF’s fi rst British aircraft with tricycle undercarriage
41 AIRSPEED OXFORD
Shared the training role with the Anson
52 AVRO ANSON
General reconnaissance and trainer
6611 DDEE HHAAVVIILLLLAANNDD DD..HH.. 9955 FFLLAAMMIINNGGOO
Airliner turned military transport
66 VICKERS WARWICK
Reconnaissance and air-sea rescue aircraft
74 DE HAVILLAND D.H.86
Last of the biplane airliners
77 PERCIVAL Q.6
Small VIP transport
8811 DDEE HHAAVVIILLLLAANNDD DD..HH..9911 AALLBBAATTRROOSSSS
A pair of four-engined mailplanes/freighters
84 GENERAL AIRCRAFT HOTSPUR
Small two-seat training glider
86 GENERAL AIRCRAFT HAMILCAR
RAF’s biggest tank-carrying glider
90 AIRSPEED HORSA
Equipment and troop-carrying glider
94 IMPRESSMENTS 30
Some of the civil types which went to war
Contents
41
77
52
81
86
66
90
6
Preamble
TO SET THE scene, here we look back at in the European theatre, three squadrons The last Valentia was retired in July
four of the older multi-engine types which were equipped overseas, No 31 in India 1944 from the Iraq Communications
served the RAF in World War Two in minor and Iraq, No 70 in the Middle East and No Flight, while in the UK K8850 soldiered
roles as they lingered on in obsolesence. 216 in Egypt and the Western Desert. They on with No 1 Signals School at
The 1930s Royal Air Force was operating helped quash the Iraqi rebellion in 1941, Cranwell until November 1941.
several bombers. The oldest was the Vickers and served with the Bomber Transport The Boulton-Paul Overstrand was a
Valentia, a bomber-transport Flight at Lahore from 1935. development of the Sidestrand with more
based on the Victoria, and powerful 580hp Bristol Pegasus engines,
of 82 Valentias built, 54 were the first RAF bomber with an enclosed,
converted from Victorias. The power-operated gun turret mounting a
fuselage was of composite
wood and metal with fabric-
covered metal wings, power
being provided by two 650hp
Bristol Pegasus engines.
As a bomber, the Valentia could
carry up to 2,000lb beneath the
wings. There was a gun position and
a bomb-aimer’s position in the nose
plus a mid-upper position. The pilots
were in an open cockpit and when
used as a troop transport 22 could be
carried. Although none served as bombers
Vickers Valentia K8848
served its five years in the
Middle East, first with No.70
Squadron, then 216, with
which it was written-off
after hitting a dummy
aircraft during landing in
December 1940
7
Lewis gun, with others in dorsal and ventral carry 2,660lb of bombs and was the main B.19/27 and the 14 production aircraft
mountings. The maximum bomb load was production version of 124 built. Engines had 600hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel engines.
1,600lb. It had a sprightly manoeuvrability, were two 575hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIIS . There was a crew of five, bomb load
an enclosed cockpit canopy and an First deliveries appropriately went was 2,660lb and there were Lewis guns
auto-pilot. Overstrand deliveries began to No 99 Squadron, Upper Heyford in nose, midships and tail positions.
to No 101 Squadron, Bicester in January in December 1933 replacing Handley Only one squadron, No 38 at Mildenhall,
1935. Twenty-four plus four Sidestrand Page Hinaidis. Further squadrons were received Hendons in November 1936,
conversions were delivered, but No 101 equipped; Nos 7, 9, 10, 38, 78, 97, 102, replacing Heyfords. The design contrasted
was the only operator although No 144 106, 148, 149 and 166 - the type was strongly with the preceding biplanes, and
used four in 1937 as a flight of No 101. popular with crews – it could be looped! while the prototype, K1695, had open
By the end of 1938, No 101 had In September 1938 there were six cockpits production versions had a canopy
been re-equipped with Blenheims squadrons with Heyfords and the last to for the pilot and navigator plus deflectors
and their surviving aircraft went to give them up was No 166 at Leconfield for the mid-upper and tail gunners.
Bombing and Gunnery Schools until which re-equipped with Whitleys. Some Hendons began to be replaced by
being declared obsolete in 1940. remained with Bombing and Gunnery Wellingtons in November 1938 and the
Last of the RAF’s biplane bombers Schools and one survived as a glider- last went to RAF Cranwell for ground
was the Handley Page Heyford, of metal tug until April 1941, the type being instruction. An interesting design, but
construction with fabric covering and a crew declared obsolete in July that year. forthcoming Whitleys and Wellingtons
of four. An unusual feature was attachment The Fairey Hendon was the RAF’s first promised far superior performance
of the fuselage to the upper wing, the all-metal monoplane. Flown in November with speeds of 222mph and 255mph
2,000lb bomb load being stowed within the 1930, five months after the first Heyford, respectively in their final versions, and
•
lower wing centre-section. The Mk III could it was designed to the same Specification bomb loads of up to 4,500lb.
(Left) Originally built as a Victoria V, in which guise it
is seen here in 1933, K2808 was one of 54 converted
to Valentias and was used as a bomber on five 1941
raids. It survived until November 1941
8
The Overstrand was the first aircraft in the world to
have a fully-enclosed power-operated turret, also
built by Boulton Paul. Overstrand J9185 (above),
started life as a Sidestrand and is seen here after the
conversion. It served with No 101 Squadron, and was
written-off at North Coates on September 9, 1935
The second Sidestrand This view of an earlier Sidestrand,
converted to an J9769, illustrates some of the
Overstrand was J9770; differences between the type and the
notable changes other later Overstrand. This aircraft was not
than the turret were the converted to an Overstrand, having
tailwheel which been struck by taxying Tomtit K1452
replaced a skid and an at Andover on November 7, 1932
enclosed cockpit. Seen
here are the large servo
rudder and the Lewis
gun in the gunner’s
cockpit. There was
another Lewis gun in
the ventral position
PREAMBLE 9
The first production Handley
Page Heyford, K3489, showing
the open cockpit and gun
positions and two-bladed
propellers. It was later
modified to a Mk III and given
four-bladed props, and was
struck off charge after a heavy
Heyford K4029 with an enclosed cockpit was the prototype Mk II; the
landing at Farnborough in
modification was not adopted for production aircraft. K4029 later
September 1938
served with No 166 Squadron until struck off charge in August 1939
The prototype Fairey Hendon, K1695, showing the strange double cockpit
arrangement and absence of front turret. Service trials with Nos 9 and 10
Squadrons and various maker’s tests plus A&AEE and RAE trials occupied its eight
years before being struck off charge in January 1939
Hendon K5092
of No 38
Squadron. The
crude double
Crew entry to the canopy
Hendon was by indicates a
ladder up to the dual-control
cockpit; note the version. The
nose turret minus dorsal gunner’s
gun and enclosed protective
cockpit barrier is raised
10
De Havilland Dominie
Delivered to No 24 Squadron, Hendon, K5070 was
the fi rst of six D.H.89s used as communications
aircraft before the name Dominie had been adopted
DE HAVILLAND DOMINIE
ENGINES: Two 200hp D.H. Gipsy Queen
WINGSPAN: 48ft
LENGTH: 34ft 6in
HEIGHT: 10ft 3in
WING AREA: 340sq ft
LOADED WEIGHT: 5,500lb
MAX SPEED: 157mph
WITH THE SUCCESS of the D.H.86 four- The Air Ministry bought one, K5070, as a several were sold to other countries.
engined airliner, de Havilland decided VIP transport for No 24 Squadron, Hendon On the outbreak of war No 24 Squadron
to produce a smaller, twin-engined and fi ve more soon followed. Considered was very busy, and a number of civil
derivative, the D.H.89 Dragon Rapide for Coastal Command for general D.H.89s were impressed, the Air Ministry
and the prototype fl ew on April 17, 1934, reconnaissance under Specifi cation 18/35, had placed orders for the RAF as the
immediately attracting orders from a a single example of a militarised version, Dominie Mk I navigation and radio trainer
number of civil operators as a single-pilot K4772, was built as the D.H.89M, but the and Mk II communications aircraft and
eight-passenger aircraft. contract went to the Avro Anson, although 528 new aircraft were supplied, deliveries