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Hispano Suiza HS-42: Difference between revisions
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They were destined for the flight schools of Leon, San Javier, Badajoz and El Copero. | They were destined for the flight schools of Leon, San Javier, Badajoz and El Copero. | ||
Although the HS.42 was an aircraft that was born at a time of maximum difficulty and deprivation, it played an important role in the training of military pilots for a decade. The HS.42s flew more than 13,000 flight hours at the General Air Academy (A.G.A.) as advanced training aircraft. The first units arrived in 1946. In 1950 there were 95 aircraft in service at various schools. The last units were decommissioned in 1958. | Although the HS.42 was an aircraft that was born at a time of maximum difficulty and deprivation, it played an important role in the training of military pilots for a decade. The HS.42s flew more than 13,000 flight hours at the General Air Academy (A.G.A.) as advanced training aircraft. The first units arrived in 1946. In 1950 there were 95 aircraft in service at various schools. The last units were decommissioned in 1958. In those years, the T-6 Texan and the T-33 were already flying in Spain and Hispano Aviación was working on its new HA-100 Triana. | ||
The | The following versions of the HS.42 were built: | ||
The HS.42 was accused of a dangerous tendency to turn the right wing up when stalling, which was serious in a training aircraft. Solutions were tried, such as boundary layer flaps (like those of the MIG-15), but they were not incorporated into production | * HS.42 A. Initial version, with a 430 hp Piaggio PVII C-16 engine and side-opening canopies. Easily distinguishable by its engine cowling. | ||
* HS.42 B. Standard version, with a 390 hp Cheetah XXV engine and sliding canopies. | |||
* HS.42 C. A single type B aircraft was prepared for folding landing gear. This designation would later be changed to HA-43, a project that would eventually be abandoned | |||
* HS.42 D-1 and D-2. Two batches, both equipped with a 395 hp Cheetah XXVII engine. | |||
* HS.42 D-3. These were 11 aircraft recovered from the type A, which were upgraded with new wings and reinforced landing gear. | |||
* HS.42 D-4. Ten or eleven aircraft from the abandoned HA-43 project, which were modified as HS.42 with fixed landing gear. | |||
The HS.42 was not a derivative of the Fokker D-XXI as has been claimed in some publications. Its only similarity was a set of landing gear (although these were also modified). The design of the HS.42 was the work of Emilio Viejo, Fulgencio Amador and Marcelino Viejo. | |||
The fuselage was a welded steel structure, covered with duralumin and fabric. The wings, made of Canadian Red Wood Pine, Spanish Balsain Pine and Finnish Birch, offered great load resistance. Due to the shortage of engines, the first series of HS-42s were initially equipped with surplus Piaggio P-VIIC.16 engines that survived the Civil War, but later they were equipped with the much more reliable British Cheetah XXV and XXVII engines. | |||
Several experienced test pilots considered it a good aircraft, but the HS.42 was accused of a dangerous tendency to turn the right wing up when stalling, which was serious in a training aircraft. Solutions were tried, such as boundary layer flaps (like those of the MIG-15), but they were not incorporated into production. Of the 29 fatal accidents involving this aircraft dedicated to teaching, it should be noted that 7 aircraft crashed due to collisions in flight or with objects on the ground, 1 was due to failure to release the brakes, and in 8 others it was concluded that the primary cause was engine failure. In any case, several cases of stalling that ended in a flat spin were also confirmed. | |||
Despite the fact that it served in significant numbers, this aircraft has always been largely unknown, even among Spanish aviation enthusiasts, so it will be fun to be able to fly it in FlightGear! | Despite the fact that it served in significant numbers, this aircraft has always been largely unknown, even among Spanish aviation enthusiasts, so it will be fun to be able to fly it in FlightGear! | ||