The Hermes was Built to meet the 1944 Air Ministry Specification for a Pressurised Civil Transport capable of carrying 34-1st-Class or 50–Tourist-Class Passengers, at the same time as the RAF required a new Transport to replace its Handley Page Halifax, for which Handley Page designed the very similar Handley Page Hastings. Unlike the Tailwheel Hastings, the Hermes was planned to have a Nosewheel Undercarriage, although the 1st 2-Prototypes used a Tailwheel Undercarriage, of which the 1st was an unpressurised “Bare Shell” & the 2nd to be Pressurised & fully Equipped. It was intended to introduce the Hermes before the Hastings, but production was delayed after the 1st Prototype (HP-68 Hermes-1), Registered G-AGSS Crashed on its Maiden Flight shortly after Take-off on Sunday, 2nd December 1945. Handley Page’s Chief Test Pilot (James Talbot) & the Chief Test Observer (Edgar Alexander Wright) were both Killed. Development of the Civil Hermes was delayed to resolve the Instability that caused the Accident to the 1st Prototype & the chance was taken to lengthen the 2nd Prototype, producing the HP-74 Hermes II (G-AGUB), 1st Flying on Tuesday, 2nd September 1947. Meanwhile, Orders were placed on 4th February 1947 for 25 of the definitive HP-81 Hermes-IV, fitted with a Tricycle Undercarriage & Powered by 2,100-hp (1,570 kW) Bristol Hercules 763 Engines, for BOAC & 2 HP-81 Hermes-V, Powered by the Bristol Theseus Turboprop Engines.
The 1st Prototype of the Hermes, Model HP-68 (s/n 68/1) was later renamed HP-81. Both Crew Members left Radlett Airfield to complete the 1st Test Flight on this new Aircraft. A few minutes after Take-off, while Cruising in the vicinity of the Aerodrome, the 4-Engine Aircraft went out of Control & Crashed in a Field located 5-km from the Airport. Both occupants were killed.
On Sunday, 2nd December 1945, the Prototype Airliner Hermes 1 Reg G-AGSS Code No.HP-68/1 tragically Crashed soon after Take-off from Radlett. Flt Lt James R ‘Jamie’ Talbot (Aged 36), Handley Page Chief Test Pilot, & Edgar Alexander ‘Ginger’ Wright, Handley Page (Aged 31) as Chief Test Observer were both Killed. The Aircraft went into a violent Switchback immediately after Take-off, finally Stalled, turned on its Back & Crashed at Kendalls Hall, some 3-miles from Radlett Aerodrome. The Wreckage was Destroyed by Fire. The Elevators had been seriously Overbalanced making the Aircraft Uncontrollable.
Hermes 1 Crashed on Sunday 2nd December 1945 5-km (3.1-mls) from Radlett Airfield (UK) on its Initial Test Flight. The Handley Page Test Pilot & Test Flight Observer were Killed.
Conclusions:
1. It was considered that the Accident was the direct result of Elevator Overbalance, this brought about Flight conditions the Nature of which caused the Pilot to Lose Control.
2. Although the Porpoising motions set up by the Overbalanced Elevators would have been expected, the Final Manoeuvre of the Aircraft, in climbing suddenly, cannot be satisfactorily explained.
3. It seems certain, however, that at different Trimmer Settings, a reversal of Stick Forces would have occurred with which the Pilot could not have kept in Phase as the Loads increased.
Hansard: Colonel John Riley Holt Hutchison: (MP for Glasgow) asked the Minister of Supply and of Aircraft Production how much the Crash of the Handley Page Hermes Aircraft will delay the Production & Delivery of Large Aircraft suitable for British Airlines.
Arthur Woodburn: (I would like to take this opportunity of expressing my sympathy – and I am sure that of the House also – with the Relatives & Colleagues of the 2-Men who lost their lives in this Accident. While some delay in the Development of the Hermes Aircraft is inevitable, its full extent cannot be known until it is seen whether the Accident Investigation necessitates changes in Design. There are, however, 4 other Types of Aircraft suitable for British Airlines either already in Production or coming into Production early in the New Year.
Woodburn, Labour MP for Clackmannan & East Stirling 1939-1970, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply 1945-1947, Secretary of State for Scotland 1947-1950:
Then Minister of Aircraft Production – Later in 1942 Sir Stafford Cripps stepped down from being Leader of the House of Commons & was appointed Minister of Aircraft Production, a position outside the War Cabinet in which he Served with substantial success. In 1945 he rejoined the Labour Party.
The Ministry of Aircraft Production was abolished in 1946 & the Ministry of Supply took over its responsibilities for Aircraft, including the Associated Research Establishments. In the same year it also took on increased responsibilities for Atomic Weapons, including the H-bomb Development Programme.
HP-68 Hermes I – Prototype powered by 4-1,650 hp (1,230 kW) Bristol Hercules 101 Radial Engines.
1 No.- HP-74 Hermes II – Prototype powered by 4-1,675 hp (1,249 kW) Bristol Hercules 121 Engines & a 13-ft (4.57M) longer forward Fuselage.
1 No. HP-81 Hermes IV – Production Aircraft with Tricycle Landing Gear, powered by 4-2,100 hp (1,570-kW) Bristol Hercules 763 Engines.
25-No.HP-81 Hermes IVa – Hermes IV modified to use 100-octane Fuel, with the Engine redesignated Hercules 773. Most converted back to Hermes IV Standard.
2-No.HP-82 Hermes V – Development Aircraft with 4-2,490-hp (1,860 kW) Bristol Theseus 502 Turboprops.
Airwork Hermes G-AKFP was on a Flight from Blackbushe to Singapore with intermediate Stops at Karachi, Delhi & Calcutta. Approaching Calcutta, the Hermes was cleared for a Runway 19L-ILS approach 04:41. At break-off height a Rain Shower passed & the Crew were not able to see the Runway; an Overshoot was carried out. At 05:01 ATC offered the Captain a Radar Assisted Approach to Runway 01R; he was No.2 to Land at that moment. Radar Control then Guided the Aircraft & cleared it for a Visual Landing at 05:29. At that moment the Aircraft was 1-mile from the Threshold & to the Left of the Runway 01R Centreline.
After breaking through Clouds the Captain observed the Runway. R/T was turned down & the Captain continued Visually. In fact the Hermes was approaching Runway 01L. An Indian Airlines DC-3 has just been cleared to Line-up & Hold on Runway 01L. On Landing, the Hermes struck the DC-3.
HP-81 Hermes G-ALDC Falcon Airways – Southend to Barcelona – 1949
The Aircraft took off on a Test Flight from Stansted Airport at 10:59-LT & Climbed steeply towards the Northwest. A few minutes later it was observed approaching the Airport from the West at a height of approximately 1,500ft. At 11:13 (Lon Time) the Air Traffic Control Tower received a Radio Call from the Aircraft in which the Captain declared an Emergency & said that the Controls were Jammed. At about the same time the Aircraft was seen some 6-miles Northeast of the Airfield descending in a Series of Dives & Climbs (Porpoising). It Crashed in a Field shortly thereafter Killing the Crew of 3. The greater part of the Wreckage was Destroyed by Fire.
Probable Cause:
The Accident was caused by the Elevator Mechanism becoming Jammed, Loss of Control resulted. The Jamming was due to the presence of a small Extraneous Object which entered the Control Mechanism.
Later, the Hermes were Flown on Inclusive Tour Holiday Flights from the UK. The last Hermes, G-ALDA, Flown by Air Links Ltd, was retired on 13th December 1964, & was Scrapped 9-days later.
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