Handley Page HP21

Big stability and handling issues, apparently

It is quite a sleek and swept up looking aircraft for its day, and I was wondering why it didn’t become a British service fighter? The old guard didn’t like the idea perhaps?

According to C. Barnes in Handley Page Aircraft (also Putnam) a Lion engined version was tendered for the Navy fighter spec. that was won by the Flycatcher, and a seaplane version of that considered for entry in the 1923 Schneider Trophy. As he Lion pumped out around 450hp and the BR2 around 230hp that’s a big step up, although the airframe was stressed for that kind of hp from the start.

Putnams The British Fighter features the HP.21 and while it goes into detail on various minor modifications there is absolutely no mention of Lion powerplant. There are four photographs, but all with the Bentley engine, and mention that a floatplane version was also designed.

Thanks John, Putnam was the best I could find too. Trouble is there’s 101 ways to cowl a Lion, most companies tended to have a ‘house style’ but HP don’t seemed to have used Lion’s much. So a bit of inspired guesswork along the lines you suggest is in order.

There’s nothing in the Putnams HP and that’s where I would expect to find it. There is a photo of the floats for the S,2 and drawings so you could do a projection of the S.2 with a Lion and twin Lamblins, perhaps using the C of G position and cowl of a contemporary aeroplane such as the Gloster Bamel.

John