Hawker Henley

The Hawker Henley was a two-seat target tug operated by the RAF during World War II.

Development

In 1934 Britain’s Air Ministry issued Specification P.4/34 which called for a light bomber that could also be deployed in a close-support role. Fairey, Gloster and Hawker all rushed to fulfill this need, and competition was tight to attain the highest performance possible.

Seeing as the aircraft required only a modest bomb load, and with performance being paramount, the Hawker design team chose to focus their efforts on developing an aircraft similar in size to the Hurricane fighter. The Hurricane itself was then in an advanced design stage, and it was thus beneficial both economically and production-wise if some assemblies could be common to both aircraft. This resulted in the Henley, as it was to become known, sharing identical outer wing panel and tailplane jigs with the Hurricane. Both were also equipped with the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine as it offered the best power/weight ratio as well as a minimal frontal area. The Henley’s cantilever fabric-covered monoplane wing was mid-set, retractable tailwheel type landing gear was selected, and accommodation provided for a pilot and observer/air gunner, which differed from the Hurricane’s single-seat accommodation.

Although construction of a Henley prototype began as early as mid-1935, with all priorities going to Hurricane development it was not until 10 March 1937 that it was first flown, powered by a Merlin ‘F’ engine; shortly after the competing Fairey P.4/34 Subsequently the aircraft was refitted with light alloy stressed-skin wings and a Merlin I engine, and further test flights confirmed the excellence of its overall performance. However, the Air Ministry had by this point decided that it no longer required a light bomber, and the Henley was thus re-designated as a target tug. Henley production was subcontracted to Gloster Aircraft, and 200 were ordered into production. The second prototype was fitted with a propeller-driven winch to haul in the drogue cable after air-to-air firing sorties, in recognition of its new role, and was first flown on 26 May 1938.

Service

Production aircraft, designated Henley Mk.III, entered service with Nos. 1, 5 and 10 Bombing and Gunnery Schools, as well as with the Air Gunnery Schools at Barrow, Millom and Squires Gate. Unfortunately, it was soon discovered that unless the aircraft were restricted to an unrealistically low tow speed of 220 mph (355 km/h), the rate of engine failures was unacceptably high. This resulted in Henley’s being withdrawn from this role, and relegated to towing larger drogue targets with anti-aircraft co-operation units and squads. Predictably, the Henley proved to be even more unsuited to this role, and the number of engine failures increased. Several Henleys were lost after the engine cut-out and the drogue could not be released quickly enough. A solution was never found to this problem, and in mid-1942 the Henley was withdrawn from service, and replaced by Boulton Paul Defiants, as well as purpose-built Miles Martinets (Gunston 1995).

Variants

Henley Mk I : Prototype.
Henley Mk II : Second prototype.
Henley Mk III : Two-seat target tug aircraft for the RAF.

The Hawker Hotspur was a prototype two seater fighter variant of the Henley with a four-gun power-driven turret. This did not reach production, the requirement being met by the Defiant and the Blackburn Roc.

Operators

Royal Air Force

Specifications (Henley Mk III)

General characteristics

Crew: 2

Performance

References

Gunston, B. (1995) Classic World War II Aircraft Cutaways. Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-526-8
Mondey, D. (1982) The Hamyln concise guide to British aircraft of World War II. Hamlyn/Aerospace. ISBN 0-600-34951-9
(1941) Aircraft of the Fighting Powers - Volume II Harborough Publishing.