Handley Page Hermes IV
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Here is a photo that I acquired some years ago. I am not certain of it's origin, but it was apparently taken aboard G-ALDM, whilst operating a Britavia flight from Aden to Nairobi.
Doesn't look as if the air-conditioning was much good!
Doesn't look as if the air-conditioning was much good!
That's an "upside-down" compass with a mirror (angled towards the captain), that allowed you to read it.
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Went out in Airwork Hermes G-ALDU? in 1953 from Blackbushe to Nairobi, aged 11. Came back in Britavia Hermes G-ALDX in 1956, via Malta, El Adem, Khartoum and Entebbe. An old bone-shaker, rearward-facing seats, quite noisy but good views as we never got very high. Remember could see camels in the desert. Much later I was a Handley Page apprentice, and much, much later in the UK Customs went on board many a Dart Herald. Thanks for stimulating the memories of long ago, TonyTech, and for your generous words about the Hermes.
PS: The Hermes was not the only prop aircraft that BOAC got rid of in quantity. I remember lines of redundant BOAC Argonauts at LHR in the 60s when I worked there. I used to wonder what happened to them. Excuse thread drift: it was at LHR at that time that I first heard stereo individual piped music onboard a Pan Am 707 - it was fabulous!
PS: The Hermes was not the only prop aircraft that BOAC got rid of in quantity. I remember lines of redundant BOAC Argonauts at LHR in the 60s when I worked there. I used to wonder what happened to them. Excuse thread drift: it was at LHR at that time that I first heard stereo individual piped music onboard a Pan Am 707 - it was fabulous!
Mr OS.........
BOAC operated 22 Canadair C4 Argonauts. Two were lost in service. The remainder were sold to a variety of operators including Aden Airways, East African Airways, Royal Rhodesian Air Force, Overseas Aviation and Derby Airways (later British Midland).
BOAC operated 22 Canadair C4 Argonauts. Two were lost in service. The remainder were sold to a variety of operators including Aden Airways, East African Airways, Royal Rhodesian Air Force, Overseas Aviation and Derby Airways (later British Midland).
Manston Jan. 21st 1961
I remember I flew from Manston on Jan.21st 1961 in a Hermes to Germany. (Gutersloh or Wildenrath?)
Vague memories of who would have operated this at the time.
With all the wealth of information so far on this thread, I would welcome any info. about this flight, Operator and destination airfield etc.
It was only my second time flying, first being in an Anson at Cosford in 1957 during Boy Entrant training.
With thanks for any replies.
OPF
Vague memories of who would have operated this at the time.
With all the wealth of information so far on this thread, I would welcome any info. about this flight, Operator and destination airfield etc.
It was only my second time flying, first being in an Anson at Cosford in 1957 during Boy Entrant training.
With thanks for any replies.
OPF
Last edited by Old Photo.Fanatic; 31st Jan 2016 at 22:46.
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OPF. By the start of 1961 the largest Hermes fleet belonged to Silver City Airways and was based at Manston. So it was probably one of their aircraft. If I remember correctly the only other operator of the Hermes in 1961 was Air Safaris.
Above is one of two aircraft MEA leased and had operated by Skyways over three months in summer 1955. Obviously a long enough lease to warrant a (simplistic) repaint and putting on the Lebanese register. It was done while waiting for two Viscounts leased under a longer term arrangement from Hunting-Clan to be prepared.
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According to Jackson:
- to Skyways, Bovingdon, 09.54
- to MEA as OD-ACC, 06.55 (see photo in earlier post)
- restored to Skyways 10.55
- wfu at Stansted 12.58
As it was not deleted from the British civil register until 05.63, one assumes that it suffered a long, lingering demise at Stansted over nearly a five year period.
- to Skyways, Bovingdon, 09.54
- to MEA as OD-ACC, 06.55 (see photo in earlier post)
- restored to Skyways 10.55
- wfu at Stansted 12.58
As it was not deleted from the British civil register until 05.63, one assumes that it suffered a long, lingering demise at Stansted over nearly a five year period.
Last edited by fauteuil volant; 5th Oct 2016 at 07:04. Reason: Wrong letter
I wonder if HP made any money building them and how many they thought that they would sell? I also wonder if any parts of the design were incorporated into the Herald?
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I also wonder if any parts of the design were incorporated into the Herald?
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#77 tubby Govt. funded Interim Civil Lincoln/Civil Halifax on 4th and 5th April, 1944. On 15/12/44 UK Govt ordered 79 Avro Tudor II for the Kangaroo Route Team. HP persevered with various iterations of (to be Hermes IV) and received RAF order for 100 Hastings, 9/45. By 4/46 both Canada and Australia had taken Tudor II production licences. All lapsed with BOAC's 11/4/47 rejection of any Tudor (BSAAC did take Mk.IV...and was destroyed by them). In a flurry, Govt. ordered 25 Hermes IV for BOAC, 19/3/47, then 25 C-4M 21/7/48...and there's the rub. DC-4. Pratt R2000. Dependable Engines (it took awhile for RR to match Merlin to civil operation).
In 1949 BOAC tried very hard to refuse delivery of Hermes IV: heavy, uneconomic: “this tough attitude (surprised &) disappointed” Sir Fred. HP C.H.Barnes, HP A/c, Putnam, 1976, P466. They were very briefly operated, brought back in a flurry after grounding of Comet 1, then unloaded onto troopers and tramps. Even in 1945 Peter Masefield, working for Beaverbrook, demonstrated on his slide rule that no Tudor or Hermes could breakeven in airline operation.
When Ministers funded these Interims they did not expect to sell many - virtues of Constellation and DC-4 were becoming evident. They were funded: a) to give (whatever British Civil Air Transport industry might emerge) something, $-sparing;
and b) to occupy our Heavy firms until they could produce turbine-powered "supremes".
In 1949 BOAC tried very hard to refuse delivery of Hermes IV: heavy, uneconomic: “this tough attitude (surprised &) disappointed” Sir Fred. HP C.H.Barnes, HP A/c, Putnam, 1976, P466. They were very briefly operated, brought back in a flurry after grounding of Comet 1, then unloaded onto troopers and tramps. Even in 1945 Peter Masefield, working for Beaverbrook, demonstrated on his slide rule that no Tudor or Hermes could breakeven in airline operation.
When Ministers funded these Interims they did not expect to sell many - virtues of Constellation and DC-4 were becoming evident. They were funded: a) to give (whatever British Civil Air Transport industry might emerge) something, $-sparing;
and b) to occupy our Heavy firms until they could produce turbine-powered "supremes".
Last edited by tornadoken; 6th Oct 2016 at 08:59.