Hawker Harrier

{{Short description|Experimental biplane torpedo bomber aircraft built by Hawker Aircraft}}  {{For|the "Harrier jump jet" vertical take-off fighter|Hawker Siddeley Harrier}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}} {{Use British English|date=November 2017}} {{Infobox aircraft |name = Harrier |image = Hawker Harrier (1927).jpg |image_caption = Hawker Harrier prototype at A &AEE |aircraft_type = Torpedo bomber | national_origin= United Kingdom |manufacturer = Hawker Aircraft Limited |designer = Sydney Camm |first_flight = February 1927 |status =  |primary_user =  |more_users =  |produced =  |number_built = 1 |developed_from =  |variants =  }}

The '''Hawker Harrier''' was a British experimental biplane torpedo bomber aircraft built by Hawker Aircraft to a specification issued in the 1920s for the Royal Air Force.

==Development== In 1925, the British Air Ministry laid down specifications for a high altitude bomber to replace the Hawker Horsley and for a coastal torpedo bomber (Specifications 23/25 and 24/25). As these specifications were similar, the Air Ministry announced that a single competition would be held to study aircraft submitted for both specifications.<ref name ="mason p193">{{Harvnb|Mason|1994|p=193}}</ref>

Sydney Camm of Hawker Aircraft designed the Harrier to meet the requirements of Specification 23/25, with the prototype (''J8325'') first flying in February 1927, the first of the competitors for the two specifications to fly.<ref name ="mason p193"/> The Harrier was a two-seat biplane with single-bay wings powered by a geared Bristol Jupiter VIII radial engine. It was armed with one .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and one .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun carrying a maximum of {{convert|1000|lb|kg|abbr=on}} of bombs.<ref name="Lewis bomber p162">{{Harvnb|Lewis|1980|p=162}}</ref>

The prototype Harrier was tested at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A & AEE) at Martlesham Heath in November 1927, where, while it met the requirements of Specification 23/25 and had satisfactory handling, the geared engine meant that it was underpowered,<ref name="Lewis bomber p162"/> and it had an inferior bombload to the Hawker Horsley, the aircraft it was meant to replace.<ref name ="mason p193"/> It was therefore modified to carry a torpedo. On testing the modified aircraft, however, it was found to still be underpowered, being incapable of taking off with a torpedo, gunner and full fuel load.<ref name ="mason p193"/> It was therefore not considered further, the competition ultimately being won by the Vickers Vildebeest.<ref name ="mason p200">{{Harvnb|Mason|1994|p=200}}</ref>

The prototype was used by Bristol as an engine testbed, flying with the {{convert|870|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Bristol Hydra and the {{convert|495|hp|abbr=on}} Bristol Orion engines.<ref name ="mason p193"/>

==Specifications (Harrier, as bomber)== {{Aircraft specs |ref=Mason, The British Bomber since 1914 <ref name ="mason p193"/> |prime units?=imp  |genhide=

|crew=two |capacity= |length m= |length ft=29 |length in=7 |span m= |span ft=46 |span in=3 |height m= |height ft=13 |height in=4 |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=496.8 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=3278 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=5656 |fuel capacity={{convert|191|impgal|USgal L|abbr=on}}<ref name="hawkp148">{{Harvnb|Mason|1991|p=148}}</ref> |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Bristol Jupiter VIII |eng1 type=nine-cylinder geared radial engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=583 |eng1 shp= |eng1 kn= |eng1 lbf= |power original= |thrust original= |eng1 kn-ab= |eng1 lbf-ab= |more power=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph=135 |max speed kts= |max speed note=at {{convert|6500|ft|m|abbr=on}} |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |range km= |range miles= |range nmi= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=20000 |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |time to altitude=18 min 30 s |more performance=  |guns= 1 × forward firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers gun and 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun on Scarff ring in rear cockpit |bombs= <ref name="hawkp148"/> **4× {{convert|250|lb|kg|abbr=on}} GP bombs ''or'' **8× {{convert|112|lb|kg|abbr=on}} bombs ''or'' **1× Type VIII {{convert|2844|lb|kg|abbr=on}} torpedo |avionics= }}

==See also== {{aircontent |related= |similar aircraft= * Blackburn Beagle * Vickers Vildebeest |sequence= |lists = |see also= }}

==References== ===Notes=== {{reflist}}

===Bibliography=== *{{cite book |title= The British Bomber since 1914|last= Lewis|first= Peter|edition= Third |year= 1980|publisher=Putnam |location= London|isbn= 0-370-30265-6 }} *{{Cite book |last=Mason |first=Francis K. |title=The British Bomber since 1914 |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books|location=London |year=1994 |isbn= 0-85177-861-5 }} *{{cite book |last=Mason |first=Francis K. |title=Hawker Aircraft since 1920 |year=1991 |edition=Third |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |location=London |isbn=0-85177-839-9 }}

==External links== {{commons category|Hawker Harrier}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930163732/http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=486 Hawker Harrier] – British Aircraft Directory

Category:1920s British bomber aircraft Harrier Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Biplanes Category:Aircraft first flown in 1927 Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Category:Single-engined piston aircraft