Hawker Hind

Picture - Hawker Hind, flying example in Shuttleworth Collection

Role: Light bomber, Trainer
Manufacturer: Hawker Aircraft Limited
Designed by: Sydney Camm
First flight: 12 September 1934
Introduced: 1935
Retired: 1957 (Afghanistan)
Primary users: Royal Air Force Iran New Zealand South Africa
Produced: 1935-1938
Number built: 528
Variants: Hawker Hart Hawker Hector Hawker P.V.4

The British Hawker Hind was a Royal Air Force light bomber of the inter-war years produced by Hawker Aircraft. It was developed from the Hawker Hart day-bomber introduced in 1931.

Design and development

An improved Hawker Hart bomber defined by Specification G.7/34, was purchased by RAF as interim aircraft while more modern monoplane bombers such as the Fairey Battle were still in development. Structural elements were a mixture of steel and duralumin with the wings being fabric covered while the main differences compared to the earlier Hart was a new powerplant, (the Rolls Royce Kestrel V) and the inclusion of refinements from the earlier derivatives such as the cut-down rear cockpit developed for the Demon. The prototype (K2915) was constructed very rapidly due to Hawker's development work for other proposals, and made its first flight on September 12, 1934. A variety of changes were subsequently incorporated ("ram's horn" manifolds, Fairy-Reed metal propeller and engine improvements) with the first production Hind (K4636) flown on 4 September 1935.

Operational history

The Hind went into service in November 1935 and eventually equipped 20 RAF bomber squadrons. A number were also sold to foreign customers including Afghanistan, the Irish Free State, Latvia, Persia (Iran), Portugal, South Africa, Switzerland, and Yugoslavia. By 1937, the Hind was being phased out of frontline service, replaced by the Fairey Battle and Bristol Blenheim, and with many of the Auxiliary Air Force squadrons changing role to fighter or maritime patrol units. At the outbreak of the Second World War 613 Squadron remained retained the Hind in the Army co-operation role before re-equipping the Hawker Hector in November 1939. The Hind found a new career in 1938 as a training aircraft representing the next step up from basic training on Tiger Moths. It continued in use as an intermediate trainer during the Second World War.

Hind trainers were also operated by Canada and New Zealand.

In 1941, Hinds flew combat missions in their original role as light bombers. South African Hinds were employed against Italian forces in Kenya, Yugoslav Hinds were used against the Germans and Italians while Iranian Hinds were used briefly when invading Allied British and Soviet contingents attacked Iran.

Variants

Hind Mk I Two-seat light bomber aircraft for the RAF, powered by a 477-kW (640-hp) Rolls-Royce Kestrel piston engine. Afghan Hind Similar to the Hind Mk I, four aircraft fitted with Roll-Royce Kestrel V engines, plus another four aircraft fitted with Kestrel UDR engines; eight built for Afghanistan. Latvian Hind Two-seat training aircraft, powered by a Bristol Mercury IX radial piston engine; three built for Latvia. Persian Hind Modified version of the Hind Mk I, powered by a Bristol Mercury VIII radial piston engine; 35 built for Persia. Portuguese Hind Similar to the Hind Mk I, two aircraft built as bombers, two aircraft built as trainers; four built for Portugal. Swiss Hind Two-seat unarmed communications aircraft; one built for Switzerland. Yugoslav Hind Modified version of the Hind Mk I, two aircraft fitted with Rolls-Royce Kestrel XVI piston engines, one aircraft fitted with a Gnome-Rhone Mistral engine; three built for Yugoslavia.

Operators

Picture - Hind operators

Afghanistan

Afghan Air Force acquired 28 aircraft in 1938, the final example retiring in 1957.

Canada

Royal Canadian Air Force

Iran

Imperial Iranian Air Force

Ireland

Irish Air Corps

Latvia

Latvian Air Force

New Zealand

Royal New Zealand Air Force acquired 78 aircraft of which 63 entered service, primarily as trainers 1940-1943. The other 15 were lost to enemy action in transit.
No. 3 F.T.S. Ohakea RNZAF
No. 6 Squadron RNZAF
No. 20 Squadron RNZAF
No. 21 Squadron RNZAF
No. 22 Squadron RNZAF

Portugal

Portugal Air Force

South Africa

South African Air Force

Switzerland

Swiss Air Force

United Kingdom

Royal Air Force

No. 12 Squadron RAF
No. 15 Squadron RAF
No. 18 Squadron RAF
No. 21 Squadron RAF
No. 24 Squadron RAF
No. 34 Squadron RAF
No. 40 Squadron RAF
No. 44 Squadron RAF
No. 49 Squadron RAF
No. 50 Squadron RAF
No. 52 Squadron RAF
No. 57 Squadron RAF
No. 62 Squadron RAF
No. 63 Squadron RAF
No. 64 Squadron RAF
No. 82 Squadron RAF
No. 83 Squadron RAF
No. 88 Squadron RAF
No. 90 Squadron RAF
No. 98 Squadron RAF

No. 103 Squadron RAF
No. 104 Squadron RAF
No. 106 Squadron RAF
No. 107 Squadron RAF
No. 108 Squadron RAF
No. 110 Squadron RAF
No. 113 Squadron RAF
No. 114 Squadron RAF
No. 139 Squadron RAF
No. 142 Squadron RAF
No. 185 Squadron RAF
No. 211 Squadron RAF
No. 218 Squadron RAF
No. 267 Squadron RAF

No. 500 Squadron RAF
No. 501 Squadron RAF
No. 502 Squadron RAF
No. 503 Squadron RAF
No. 504 Squadron RAF
No. 602 Squadron RAF
No. 603 Squadron RAF
No. 605 Squadron RAF
No. 609 Squadron RAF
No. 610 Squadron RAF
No. 611 Squadron RAF
No. 613 Squadron RAF
No. 614 Squadron RAF
No. 616 Squadron RAF

Yugoslavia

Royal Yugoslav Air Force

Survivors

An airworthy ex-Afghan Hind flies with the Shuttleworth Collection. Others are on display at the RAF Museum in Hendon and the Canada Aviation Museum. Several former Royal New Zealand Air Force Hinds are being restored/reconstructed by the Subritzky family / The Classic Aircraft Collection at Dairy Flat near Auckland, of which at least NZ1517/K6687, and NZ1535/K6721 are under restoration to airworthy condition; substantial parts are also held for NZ1518/K6717, NZ1528/L7184, NZ1544/K6810 and NZ1554/K5465. Another former RNZAF Hind is being restored for static display at MoTaT. The remains of other Hinds were recently located in Afghanistan.

Specifications (Hind)

Data from The British Bomber since 1914

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 29 ft 3 in (8.92 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 3 in (11.36 m)
Height: 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
Wing area: 348 ft² (32.3 m²)
Empty weight: 3,195 lb (1,452 kg)
Loaded weight: lb (kg)
Useful load: lb (kg)
Max takeoff weight: 4,657 lb (2,167 kg)
Powerplant: 1x— Rolls-Royce Kestrel V Water cooled V-12, 640 hp (477 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 161 kn (185 mph, 298 km/h) at 15,500 ft
Stall speed: 39 kn (45 mph, 72 km/h)
Range: 374 nmi (430 mi, 692 km)
Service ceiling: 26,400 ft (8,050 m)
Wing loading: 13.3 lb/ft² (37.1 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.14 hp/lb (0.22 kW/kg)
Climb to 10,000 ft 8 minutes 6 seconds

Armament

1 x— synchronised forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers gun and 1 x— .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun in rear cockpit
Up to 510 lb (231 kg) bombs under wings.

Related development

Hawker Hart
Hawker Audax
Hawker Demon

Comparable aircraft

Fairey Fox
Vickers Vildebeest

Bibliography

Crawford, Alex. Hawker Hart Family. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. ISBN 83-89450-62-3.
Mason, Francis K. The British Bomber Since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994. ISBN 0-85177-861-5.
Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft since 1920. London: Putnam, 1961 (Third revised Edition 1991). ISBN 0-85177-839-9.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia