I worked in the main drawing office when HP 115 was being designed and was involved with the design of the engine controls. I was also involved with the flying control system on Victor B Mark 2. HP 115 was built to test the low speed flying characteristics of the delta wing that was to be used for Concord. It is true that Neil Armstrong flew HP 115 at Bedford and I have photographs of him in the cockpit. The late 50s and the early 60s were a magic time to be working in the aircraft industry. I went through their drawing school, where George Bootle taught me all the 3 dimensional geometry that I shall ever need. I later designed for Westand Helicopters & the lectured in engineering. E.S.
John Parker, e-mail, 05.04.2015 15:10
ParkerIts amazing to me that some of the commentst above my Jan '09 comment are not right. The detail design was under George King in the Main Cricklewood DO and I got involved as I had done wooden glider repair work at Radlett. The only wing leading edge section used was symmetrical and I do not remember a weights section in the old Rolls Royce workshop that housed the DO.I suspect that the chap from Hunting got confused with their 126 low speed research which I think I last saw at Cosford, and was a bit later than the HP 115.
john wilson, e-mail, 27.02.2013 23:32
Don't know why it is surprising that its beside the Concorde at FAAM as it was designed by Hunting Aircraft at their design office in Cavendish Sq, London, with the intention that HP build it as a test ac to examine slow speed characteristics of Concorde wing.I was a junior weights engineer with HA
Barry, 13.09.2012 14:06
Ann Bolton, you are quite right the HP115 was used in connection with the Concorde programme.
Ann Bolton, e-mail, 01.05.2012 13:48
I always understood that the HP115 was a test bed for various wing leading edge shapes as part of the development of Concorde. As a Weight engineer, I was responsible for all the calculations of the wooden sections. I don't remember how many there were but new designs kept landing on my desk. You can imagine the pride I felt when I was Condorde make its maiden flight.
Sven, 20.11.2011 20:52
An enquiry to the Handley Page Society would be a good place for information about the firms staff.Don't have an address but google should get it.
Shannyn, e-mail, 16.11.2011 18:02
@ Parker Phillip, My Great Grandmother worked there, her name was Daisy Julie Munday, and she was a tracer for both HP and de Havilland, can you tell us more about owrking in the design deoartment?
JL Tait, e-mail, 08.07.2011 05:24
I read that Neil Armstrong once flew this plane.Is this true?
toni, e-mail, 22.01.2011 23:48
My Grandfather Henry Barker worked there as a pannel beater, Great grand father George Cowie worked there as a sand Blaster my great uncle was a shop steward, my mother in the office as a typist. I was born and raised in Cricklewood Lane and taken to airshows as a child. Handley Pages has a long attachment to my family
karl haston., e-mail, 06.11.2009 21:59
In 1953, I joined Handley Pages as an apprentice fitter working on Hastings,Canberras,Victors, & other projects at cricklewood & radlett factories. Before I left 1961, I was working on jigging for the HP115 which was supposed to be a glider to test low speed landings etc, Because of goverment cut backs of work @ HPs I decided to leave for work else where. I was amazed to hear that the craft is now located @ the fleetair arm museum . Why there ?.
karl haston., e-mail, 06.11.2009 21:59
In 1953, I joined Handley Pages as an apprentice fitter working on Hastings,Canberras,Victors, & other projects at cricklewood & radlett factories. Before I left 1961, I was working on jigging for the HP115 which was supposed to be a glider to test low speed landings etc, Because of goverment cut backs of work @ HPs I decided to leave for work else where. I was amazed to hear that the craft is now located @ the fleetair arm museum . Why there ?.
paul scott, e-mail, 20.08.2009 15:56
An amazing story, Phillip, thanks for sharing it with us - I'll never look at Cricklewood as dour and boring again after that! (Which unfortunately, it is!)
Parker, e-mail, 05.01.2009 22:09
I was one of the design team (probably the last survivor as all of the others were older) and had the job of sorting snags during the build at Cricklewood as well as drawing various sections of the structure. Did it not have a Viper 11 for some of the early testing that was borrowed from Huntings Jet Provost 3? The nosegear was from a Jet Provost 3 and the main gear from a Piston Provost. If you look in the cockpit the parking brake lever came from the local Ford dealers for an Anglia car(I went out and bought it) At nose, tail and wingtips there were some detachable steel weights for test, which came from the jig scrapyard and were made into aircraft material under duress from the AID!!
