Heralds at Woodley

[steveskinner]

How many Heralds were built at Woodley? 50 were built in all and I think 14 were assembled at Woodley, can anyone clarify this? Thank you.

[MReyn24050]

As you most probably know the first two Handley Page Heralds were G-AODE and AODF these were H.P.R.3s fitted with Alvis Leonides Majors. These were built at Woodley. A production batch of 25 aircraft was laid down under the designation H.P.R.4 but none were completed. Following the success of the Vickers Viscount it was decided to change to two Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines. The two H.P.R.3 were converted from four Leonides to two Dart engines.
55 H.P.R.7s were laid down but only 48 completed. C/Nos 252-257 were to have been for VASP but the order was cancelled in 1966.
It is my understanding that the initial production of the H.P.R.7 Herald started at Woodley in 1958/1959 with the Series 100. Following increasing demand a second production line was set up at Cricklewood as there was no room for expansion at Woodley. The fuselage jigs were ready in January 1961. Woodley closed towards the end of 1962. Cricklewood closed in 1966 and the remaining aircraft were built at Radlett.
The Series 100 were certainly built at Woodley, these being C/No 149 G- APWA, C/No 150 G-APWB, C/No 151 G-APWC, C/No 152 G-APWD.
I am sure that the following Series 200s were built also at Woodley C/No 153 G-AWPE, C/No 154 G-APWF, C/No 155 G-APWG and C/No 156 G-APWH. C/No 159 CF-NAC, C/No 160 CF-NAF,C/No 161 CF-MCK,C/No 162 CF-MCM,
Cricklewood built C/Nos 159, 163 – 193 with C/Nos 194-197 being built at Radlett.
I am open to correction regarding which aircraft Cricklewood and Radlett produced.

[om15]

Two good reference books on the subject,

Handley Page Herald by Graham Cowell published by Janes 1980 ISBN 0 7106 0045 3
Handley Page aircraft since 1907 by CH Barnes published by Putnam 1976 ISBN 0 85177 803 8

Full details of production, customers, delivery dates and the eventual fates of each airframe.

Hope this helps,
om15

[Jamie-Southend]

The Graham Cowell book is an excellent read, i also saw one on Fleabay the other day.

It has some great information, and excellent stories including the ferry flights from Malaysia for the Heralds brought by BAF in the very late 70`s.

Talking about Woodley anyone visited the "Prototype" preserved there? ( HPR7 G-APWA )

[Groundloop]

Following the success of the Vickers Viscount it was decided to change to two Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines.

I always thought the reason to change to two Darts was to remain competitive with the Fokker Friendship.

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

"The success of the Viscount and development of small gas-turbine engines made the piston-engined Herald much less attractive than it had been, and the two Australian operators* in particular refused to accept the Herald in this form." (Turbine-Engined Airliners of the World by F.G. Swanborough. Temple Press Books 1962.)

*Queensland Airlines and Australian National Airways

[Groundloop]

"Production was about to proceed when, in May 1957, it was decided to change to turboprop power in light of the success being enjoyed by the Viscount and Fokker Friendship". British Commercial Aircraft by Paul Ellis, Jane's, 1980.

"Development of the Rolls Royce Dart turboprop and competition from the F27 Fokker Friendship forced a redesign of the engine installation to two Dart turboprops." Bournemouth Aviation Museum web-site.

As the F-27 was virtually identical to the Dart Herald the effect of the F-27 on sales of the piston Herald was probably far more significant than the Viscount.

[om15]

The change to turbo prop engines was probably simply due to the developing technology , so both the above observations are correct, the changes to the original configuration from four Alvis Leonides to two Darts resulted in an increase in performance, MTOW, and cabin size.
As this was a major design change to the airframe, there were significant changes to the empennage, amonst other structural re-designs, this resulted in a complex system of secondary controls, with spring, trim and gear tabs, with heavy balence weights, this was subject to prop wash and vibration, resulting in costly maintenance in materials and man hours towards the end of service, had the original design been to use two Darts, then I'm sure that the aeroplane would have enjoyed a longer life and cheaper operating costs.
Regards,
om15