Handley Page HP.115
Handley Page · United Kingdom · first flew 1961 · light aircraft
The Handley Page HP.115 was a British slender-delta research aircraft built to investigate low-speed handling characteristics of the Concorde planform. First flown at RAF Bedford on 17 August 1961, its extreme 74.7-degree leading-edge sweep gave it a needle-like appearance with a fuselage nearly two and a half times the span.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Grotesquely slender — 15.3 m fuselage, only 6.25 m span |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Grotesquely slender — 15.3 m fuselage, only 6.25 m span
- 74.7° leading-edge sweep — one of the sharpest of any research aircraft
- Single dorsal engine intake above the wing — no nose intake
The extraordinarily high length-to-span ratio — nearly 2.5:1 — makes the HP.115 unmistakable; the dorsal engine intake above the centre of the delta wing is another unique identifier.
Specifications
- The Handley Page HP.115 has a length of 15.34 m (50 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 6.25 m (21 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 399 km/h (248 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Funded as part of the Concorde development programme, the HP.115 provided invaluable low-speed aerodynamic data on slender-delta behaviour from 1961 to 1974. It flew alongside the BAC 221 (a modified Fairey Delta 2) to cover complementary speed ranges. On retirement it was displayed at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, alongside Concorde 002.
Variants
A single aircraft with interchangeable leading-edge camber sections to explore different profiles.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Royal Aircraft Establishment Bedford as a research tool throughout its flying life; no operational role.
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