Hanriot HD-1

[nuuumannn]

I'd just like to point out that since 1978, the Hanriot HD-1 that the RAF Museum owns has NOT been loaned/disposed of; it has a completely known history, and, despite rumours, has never been to New Zealand. I have carefully looked through the RAF's records for this example, and it is as I have published in the 'Shortfinals' blog.

Nice blog, but sorry, it's in New Zealand now as the superb photos above attest to. This has been news around the traps for awhile now; the Hanriot was part of a swap for work done to the RAFM's Snipe the RE.8 and Albatros reproductions now at Hendon.

[Mustang51]

A question........ it has been stated that the French built examples of the HD-1 were fitted with either one or two Vickers guns and that they were mounted towards the side of the cockpit and not amidships. The fitting of the second gun was reported to significantly reduce the aircraft's performance. It was stated that the Italian produced machines - by far and away the greatest number manufactured - had their gun/s centrally mounted ahead of the cockpit. The TVAL machine appears - from the pics I have seen posted in the UK - to have its gun centrally mounted. Is the "side" mounting a popular myth or correct and if so, why the central mounting on HD-75? All help greatly accepted and I bow to anyone's knowledge on this one. This for research purposes. Thanks Folks in advance !

[Brett]

French-built Hanriots originally had the Vickers mounted above the port upper longeron.

The Italians did not like the offset gun, which had the gunsight mounted on the cabane struts, so they had it moved to the central position on top of the fuselage. They were the first to use the Hanriot operationally in mid-1917.

The Belgians started using the Hanriot on the front line from August 1917. They also encountered problems with the offset gun, and quickly followed the Italian installation practice.

Profile Publication #109 gives a good summary of this, as do the two Windsock Datafiles (#12 & #92).

[Mustang51]

Brett, Many thanks for that. At least I now have a 'direction' to follow.

[Deleted]

I just wanted to say that I saw this machine on Saturday in the TVAL/OSRCo hangar and fell in love. It's a delightful wee thing that previously held no attraction for me, and I hope to see it fly some time (like the Nieuports, it looks like fun).



Very interesting that airshowconsultants never came back to back up his/her claim that No75 "despite rumours, has never been to New Zealand"! How bizarre.

[ErrolC]

Just throwing in a pointer to some photos taken at the December 2015 Flying Weekend (including Matt Hayes air-to-airs)
rnzaf.proboards.com/post/234007/thread

and also my statics from January 2015
www.flickr.com/photos/errolgc/albums/72157650288231380

[jamo]

Here are a few of my Hanriot photos from the weekend. Unfortunately I ran out of battery and left before it flew in the evening



Chaps swinging the prop got a good workout