Aircraft Remnants [Hawker Hind NZ1518]
Maker and role
Hawker Siddeley Aircraft Limited, Manufacturer
Production date
1936
Object detail
Accession number
1982.755
Production period
Description
Hawker Hind C - K6717 - NZ1518
Ex RAF K6717 of 88 Sqn Boscombe Down; shipped to NZ in the freighter "Waimarama" and bought on charge 5.10.40. Crashed in the Tararua Range 20.11.41 while on a cross country training flight from 3 F.T.S Ohakea. The fuselage and tail assembly were recovered in 1982.
The Hawker Hind is a biplane, single-engine fighter, bomber military aircraft. Fabric-covered steel and aluminium together with wood construction. Fabric wing covering. Fixed undercarriage and tail wheel. Wooden propeller patented "dumbbell" section wing spar (developed by Fred Sigrid, Hawker's Chief Engineer) which bestowed considerable strength with lightness on the aircraft.
Motor: 1 x Rolls Royce Kestrel V of 640 up driving a 2-bladed wood propeller. Unusual rams horn exhaust stubs.
Ex RAF K6717 of 88 Sqn Boscombe Down; shipped to NZ in the freighter "Waimarama" and bought on charge 5.10.40. Crashed in the Tararua Range 20.11.41 while on a cross country training flight from 3 F.T.S Ohakea. The fuselage and tail assembly were recovered in 1982.
The Hawker Hind is a biplane, single-engine fighter, bomber military aircraft. Fabric-covered steel and aluminium together with wood construction. Fabric wing covering. Fixed undercarriage and tail wheel. Wooden propeller patented "dumbbell" section wing spar (developed by Fred Sigrid, Hawker's Chief Engineer) which bestowed considerable strength with lightness on the aircraft.
Motor: 1 x Rolls Royce Kestrel V of 640 up driving a 2-bladed wood propeller. Unusual rams horn exhaust stubs.
Brief History
The Hawker Hind was originally designed and produced as a general purpose day bomber to specifications G.7/34, when so many RAF aircraft had to perform a number of different duties. It was a development of the Hawker Hart, being fitted with a fully supercharged Rolls Royce Kestrel V motor, a cut-away gunner's cockpit and a tail wheel. Its main external distinguishing features were a cut-down rear cockpit which afforded a better field of fire for the observer, and a tail wheel in place of a skid.
The prototype Hind made its first flight on 12 September 1934 and the first production aircraft wore the serial K4636. A number of RAF Squadrons were equipped with the Hind, although these had all been withdrawn from front line service by 1938.
At the time of the expansion of the RNZAF in 1938, the government looked around for aircraft at reasonable prices. Enquiries were made in England to obtain ex-RAF Hinds and, in all, 63 Hinds were supplied. Japan declared war on 7th December 1941 and, on that day, 46 Hinds were on hand as second-line aircraft. Most of these were in use at No.3 Service Flying Training School at Ohakea which had commenced operations on 28 October 1940.
This aircraft, NZ1518 (ex-RAF K6717) was allocated to 88(B) Squadron Hind MK1 527 Aircraft K4636-4655, K5368-5560, K6613-6856, L7174-7243. On 20 November 1941, NZ1518 crashed into bush at Waikanae whilst on a flight from Paraparaumu to Ohakea. Fortunately Pilot LAC G Stewart, although injured, was able to walk away from the crash site. The aircraft was written off, and the aircraft burnt by an RNZAF ground crew. On 3 April 1971 a search party recovered the plane, and one year on in May 1972, retrievable parts of the wreckage were recovered by Iroquois NZ3813 and transported to Auckland in June 1972 for restoration at MOTAT.
The prototype Hind made its first flight on 12 September 1934 and the first production aircraft wore the serial K4636. A number of RAF Squadrons were equipped with the Hind, although these had all been withdrawn from front line service by 1938.
At the time of the expansion of the RNZAF in 1938, the government looked around for aircraft at reasonable prices. Enquiries were made in England to obtain ex-RAF Hinds and, in all, 63 Hinds were supplied. Japan declared war on 7th December 1941 and, on that day, 46 Hinds were on hand as second-line aircraft. Most of these were in use at No.3 Service Flying Training School at Ohakea which had commenced operations on 28 October 1940.
This aircraft, NZ1518 (ex-RAF K6717) was allocated to 88(B) Squadron Hind MK1 527 Aircraft K4636-4655, K5368-5560, K6613-6856, L7174-7243. On 20 November 1941, NZ1518 crashed into bush at Waikanae whilst on a flight from Paraparaumu to Ohakea. Fortunately Pilot LAC G Stewart, although injured, was able to walk away from the crash site. The aircraft was written off, and the aircraft burnt by an RNZAF ground crew. On 3 April 1971 a search party recovered the plane, and one year on in May 1972, retrievable parts of the wreckage were recovered by Iroquois NZ3813 and transported to Auckland in June 1972 for restoration at MOTAT.
Media/Materials
Credit Line
Hawker Siddeley Aircraft Limited. 1936. Aircraft Remnants [Hawker Hind NZ1518], 1982.755. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
Public comments
Be the first to comment on this object record.