Hawker Hedgehog

infobox Aircraft
name = Hedgehog
type = Naval reconnaissance
logo =
manufacturer = Hawker Aircraft



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designer =
first flight = 1924
introduction =
retired =
status = Prototype
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produced =
number built = 1
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The Hawker Hedgehog was a three seat reconnaissance biplane, to be used for naval scouting produced to meet Air Ministry Specification 37/22.

It was designed in 1923, and had its first flight the next year, piloted by FP Raynham.The crew consisted of the pilot, an observer and an air gunner. Construction was typical of the period; a wooden structure covered with fabric. The powerplant was a nine cylinder Bristol Jupiter IV radial engine driving a two-bladed wooden propeller.

While testing was successful, on completion of the flight tests, the project was cancelled. This was due to the Hedgehog's performance not being sufficiently better than the existing aircraft used for Naval reconnaissance, the Avro Bison and Blackburn Blackburn. Consequently only one prototype was built. The armament of the aircraft was one fixed forward firing Vickers gun and one Lewis gun on a Scarff ring in the rear cockpit. The aircraft was fitted with floats that contained wheels to enable use as an amphibian. Also the wings could be folded, so that the width was reduced to 16 ft 7½ in (4.87 m) for storage.

pecifications

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Hawker Aircraft since 1920 Mason 1991, pp.113-115.]
crew=Three
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 30 ft 8¾ in
length alt=9.36 m
span main=40 ft ¼ in
span alt=12.20 m
height main=12 ft 6 in
height alt=3.81 m
area main= 480.7 sq ft
area alt= 44.66 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,995 lb
empty weight alt= 1,358 kg
loaded weight main= 4,791 lb
loaded weight alt= 2,173 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 4,800 lb [ Overload]
max takeoff weight alt= 2,182 kg
more general=
engine (prop)=Bristol Jupiter IV
type of prop=9-cylinder radial engine driving a two-bladed wooden propeller
number of props=1
power main= 398 hp
power alt=300 kW
power original=
max speed main= 120.5 mph
max speed alt= 194 km/h, 105 knots
max speed more= at sea level
cruise speed main= 89 mph
cruise speed alt= 143 km/h, 77 knots
stall speed main= 45 mph
stall speed alt= 72 km/h, 39 knots
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 13,500 ft
ceiling alt= 4,115 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
*Climb:23 minutes 59 seconds to 10,000 ft (3,044 m)
*Endurance: 2.5 hours
guns=

**One 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun
**One 0.303 in Lewis gun on a Scarff ring
avionics=

ee also

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References

* Mason, Francis K. "Hawker Aircraft since 1920" London:Putnam, 1991. ISBN 0 85177 839 9.

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=442 British Aircraft Directory]