The Hawker Hind was a light bomber/trainer of the inter-war years produced by Hawker Aircraft. The Hawker Hind was an improved version of the Hart. It was designed as an interim replacement for the Hart whilst the new generation of bombers was developed.
Developing nation: United Kingdom.
Manufacturer/designer: Hawker Aircraft Ltd./Sir Sydney Camm.
Production line: England, UK.
Type aircraft: light bomber/trainer.
First flight: 12 September 1934 K2915.
Produced: 1935-1938.
Built: 528
Production of the Hind was rapid. The prototype (K2915) flew on 12 September 1934. One year later, on 4 September 1935, the first production aircraft flew (K4636), and during 1936 the type entered squadron service by the Royal Air Force. The Hind differed from the Hart in having a tailwheel in place of the skid, a more developed exhaust system and a cutaway rear cockpit to provide a better field of view for the gunner. The Hind, converted to a trainer variant, remained in service until World War Two.
Operators
- Afghanistan – Afghan Air Force acquired 28 aircraft in 1938, the final example retiring in 1957. Similar to the Hind Mk I, four aircraft fitted with Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engines, plus another four aircraft fitted with Kestrel UDR engines; eight built for Afghanistan.
- Canada – Royal Canadian Air Force.
- Iran – Imperial Iranian Air Force modified version of the Hind Mk I, powered by a Bristol Mercury VIII radial piston engine; 35 built for Persia.
- Ireland – Irish Air Corps.
- Latvia – Latvian Air Force two-seat training aircraft, powered by a Bristol Mercury IX radial piston engine; three built for Latvia.
- New Zealand – Royal New Zealand Air Force acquired 78 aircraft of which 63 entered service, primarily as trainers 1940-1943. The other 15 were lost to enemy action in transit.
- Portugal – Portugal Air Force similar to the Hind Mk I, two aircraft built as bombers, two aircraft built as trainers; four built for Portugal.
- South Africa – South African Air Force.
- Switzerland – Swiss Air Force two-seat unarmed communications aircraft; one built for Switzerland.
- United Kingdom – Royal Air Force Hind Mk.ITwo-seat light bomber aircraft for the RAF, powered by a 477 kW (640 hp) Rolls-Royce Kestrel piston engine.
- Yugoslavia – Royal Yugoslav Air Force modified version of the Hind Mk I, two aircraft fitted with Rolls-Royce Kestrel XVI piston engines, one aircraft fitted with a Gnome-Rhone Mistral engine; three built for Yugoslavia.
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 8.92 m (29 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan: 11.36 m (37 ft 3 in)
- Height: 3.23 m (10 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 32.3 m² (348 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1,452 kg (3,195 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 2,167 kg (4,657 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Kestrel V Water-cooled V-12, 640 hp (477 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 298 km/h (161 kn, 185 mph) at 15,500 ft
- Stall speed: 72 km/h (39 kn, 45 mph)
- Range: 692 km (374 nmi, 430 mi))
- Service ceiling: 8,050 m (26,400 ft)
- Wing loading: 37.1 kg/m² (13.3 lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: 0.22 kW/kg (0.14 hp/lb)
- Climb to 10,000 ft 8 minutes 6 seconds
Armament
- 1 × synchronised forward-firing 7.7 mm ( .303 in) Vickers gun and 1 ×7.7 mm ( .303 in) Lewis gun in rear cockpit
- Up to 231 kg (510 lb) bombs under wings.
All pictures courtesy of Zijde Aviation Photo and Publishing, Rob Vogelaar and Marcel van Leeuwen
