Handley Page Dart Herald

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Handley Page Dart Herald was a 1950s British turboprop passenger aircraft.

Contents

1 Development
2 Variants
3 Specifications (Dart Herald 200)

3.1 General characteristics
3.2 Performance

4 Military Operators
5 References
6 Related content

Development

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In the early 1950s, Handley Page designed a new short-range passenger aircraft to replace the venerable Douglas DC-3. Named H.P.R.3 Herald, the airplane was powered by four Alvis Leonides Major piston engines of 870 hp (650 kW) each, and its pressurized cabin could seat up to 44 passengers. The first "Herald" prototype G-AODE flew on August 25, 1955. Although Queensland Airlines, Australian National Airways, and Lloyd Aereo Colombianco had initially placed 29 orders, these were later cancelled with only the first prototype completed.

To recover the investment, Handley Page redesigned the airplane to use Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops, they also lengthened the fuselage by 50.8cm (20in). With the first prototype flying in 1958. Designated H.P.R.7 Dart Herald, the new aircraft entered production in 1959. The first order being placed by BEA.

Only 4 series 100 variants were built, with series 200 production, which featured a further 1.07m (40in) fuselage stretch and increased weights, beginning in 1961. The first production model was delivered to Jersey Airlines in January 1962, however by this point all sales momentum had been lost, and only 36 examples of this major production model were built. The Herald 400 'tactical transport' with side loading doors and a strengthened cabin floor was built only for the Royal Malaysian Air Force. A 60 seater series 700, powered by Dart 532's and having increased fuel and weights was cancelled and partially completed airframes were scrapped. The 50th and last Herald (a series 200 for Israel's Arkia) was flown and delivered in August 1968.

The Herald's last ever passenger flight was operated by Air UK in 1985. Many continued on as freighters, but by 1999 only one remained in service, a series 400 with Channel Express, it was retired during that year.

Variants

Series 100 - first production version, 47 passenger capacity
Series 200 - 3 ft 7 in (1.09 m) fuselage extension to increase capacity to 56 passengers
Series 400 - military transport version of Series 200 for Royal Malaysian Air Force

Specifications (Dart Herald 200)

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Capacity: 56 passengers
Length: 23.1 m (75 ft 9 in)
Wingspan: 28.9 m (94 ft 10 in)
Height: 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
Wing area: 82.3 m² (885.5 ft²)
Empty weight: 11,684 kg (25,705 lb)
Maximum gross takeoff weight: 19,504 kg (42,910 lb)
Powerplant: 2x Rolls-Royce Dart Mk.527, 1,570 kW (2,105 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 495 km/h (307 mph)
Cruise speed: 445 km/h (275 mph)
Range: 1,750 km (1,090 miles)

Military Operators

Jordan
Malaysia

References

Kopenhagen, W (ed.), Das groβe Flugzeug-Typenbuch, Transpress, 1987, ISBN 3344001620