Thoughts on the Handley Page H.P.47?

Admiral Beez · Feb 21, 2021

The Handley Page H.P.47 first flew in May 1937, as Britain's first single-engined, monoplane torpedo bomber. This was four months after the first flight of Japan's Nakajima B5N Kate and two years after the 1935 first flight of the US' Douglas TBD Devastator.

Does the H.P.47 have any redeeming qualities? Unlike the B5N and TBD this was to be a land based torpedo bomber, but still, given that the Douglas TBD has been out for two years, what was Handley Page thinking? I suppose it would have been a better torpedo platform than the Westland PV.7.

pbehn · Feb 21, 2021

Admiral Beez said:
The Handley Page H.P.47 first flew in May 1937, as Britain's first single-engined, monoplane torpedo bomber. This was four months after the first flight of Japan's Nakajima B5N Kate and two years after the 1935 first flight of the US' Douglas TBD Devastator.

View attachment 613531

Does the H.P.47 have any redeeming qualities? Unlike the B5N and TBD this was to be a land based torpedo bomber, but still, given that the Douglas TBD has been out for two years, what was Handley Page thinking? I suppose it would have been a better torpedo platform than the Westland PV.7.

The only positive I can see is it wouldn't kill more than two people in service.

Admiral Beez · Feb 21, 2021

Whoops, first flight was 1934, not 1937. Maybe that gives Hanley Page some leeway from our disdain. Does that make the H.P.47 the first ever single-engined monoplane torpedo bomber?

Capt. Vick · Feb 21, 2021

If there was a kit of it, I'd buy it

Admiral Beez · Feb 21, 2021

Capt. Vick said:
If there was a kit of it, I'd buy it

The corrugated tail and side panels are something else, see pics below.

Handley Page H.P.47

buffnut453 · Feb 22, 2021

Yeah...it's like the designer was thinking "This baby doesn't have enough drag. Let's build in some more!!!"

fastmongrel · Feb 22, 2021

Looks like a single engine Hampden. It's odd that it just has rectangular sections of corrugated panelling. 1 between the crew positions and another on the tail fin. The rest of the fuselage looks flush metal. I wonder if the corrugated section of the fuselage was meant to be removable.

fastmongrel · Feb 22, 2021

Capt. Vick said:
If there was a kit of it, I'd buy it

Me too but then I like the ugly birds.

pbehn · Feb 22, 2021

Admiral Beez said:
The corrugated tail and side panels are something else, see pics below.

View attachment 613583

View attachment 613584

Handley Page H.P.47

Corrugation was used briefly in the change from wood and dope to metal, something to do with rigidity, the Ju 52 used it.

Admiral Beez · Feb 22, 2021

pbehn said:
Corrugation was used briefly in the change from wood and dope to metal, something to do with rigidity, the Ju 52 used it.

Vickers was certainly an early fan, and went all out on their submission for FAA fighter (good summary of FAA fighter proposals), the Vireo.

Glider · Feb 22, 2021

Admiral Beez said:
Does the H.P.47 have any redeeming qualities? 7.

Simple answer No.

fastmongrel · Feb 22, 2021

Glider said:
Simple answer No.

The gunner has a fantastic field of fire and the pilot has a good all round view. It was a bit faster than the contemporary Swordfish and must have had good short field performance with the big flaps and slots.

Glider · Feb 22, 2021

fastmongrel said:
The gunner has a fantastic field of fire and the pilot has a good all round view. It was a bit faster than the contemporary Swordfish and must have had good short field performance with the big flaps and slots.

Still a No

Admiral Beez · Feb 22, 2021

fastmongrel said:
The gunner has a fantastic field of fire and the pilot has a good all round view.

The little porthole window forward of the gunner must have been for the gunner to view from when not exposed.

The corrugated side looks like it would roll up like an old desk cover.

Koopernic · Feb 22, 2021

Admiral Beez said:
The Handley Page H.P.47 first flew in May 1937, as Britain's first single-engined, monoplane torpedo bomber. This was four months after the first flight of Japan's Nakajima B5N Kate and two years after the 1935 first flight of the US' Douglas TBD Devastator.

View attachment 613531

Does the H.P.47 have any redeeming qualities? Unlike the B5N and TBD this was to be a land based torpedo bomber, but still, given that the Douglas TBD has been out for two years, what was Handley Page thinking? I suppose it would have been a better torpedo platform than the Westland PV.7.

Wiki says it flew in 27 November 1934 without spats or Townsend rings. I wouldn't expect much from a 650hp Taurus.

The main criticism I would have is the 3 legs used to support each wheel but consider that its forerunners were biplanes.

Without retraction there is lots of room for fuel in the wings. Its redeeming feature is a Range: 1,250 mi (2,010 km, 1,090 nmi) on a 650hp engine.

SaparotRob · Feb 22, 2021

fastmongrel said:
Looks like a single engine Hampden. It's odd that it just has rectangular sections of corrugated panelling. 1 between the crew positions and another on the tail fin. The rest of the fuselage looks flush metal. I wonder if the corrugated section of the fuselage was meant to be removable.

I wonder if having a modeler's eye helped you notice that.

GregP · Feb 22, 2021

The Vickers Wellesley was one of the "winners" of the spec the H.P. 47 was built to, and it doesn't look much more "modern" than the H.P. 47.

I've not seen the spec, but maybe it specifies fixed gear. There were no less than nine submissions for this spec, including: The Blackburn B-7, Bristol Type 120, Fairey G.4/31, Handley Page H.P.47, Hawker P.V.4, Parnall G.4/31, Vickers G.4/31, Vickers Wellesley, and the Westland PV-7.

Capt. Vick · Feb 22, 2021

Like that Vickers G.4/31

Glider · Feb 22, 2021

To be honest, I find this a massive embarrassment. All these companies had been designing aircraft for years, yet any notion of basic aerodynamics, use of modern technology, inspiration, anything was just thrown out of the window, ignored and/or forgotten.
Strapping a torpedo to the bottom of a DC2 would have been better than these

XBe02Drvr · Feb 22, 2021

Glider said:
Strapping a torpedo to the bottom of a DC2 would have been better than these

Yeah, but that's a foreign product. Can't have that, now, can we?

Thoughts on the Handley Page H.P.47?

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