Handley Page H.P.39 Gugnunc
Handley Page · United Kingdom · first flew 1929 · light aircraft
The Handley Page H.P.39 Gugnunc was a wooden biplane built in 1929 to compete in the Guggenheim Safe Aircraft Competition. Only one was built.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.15 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Wooden biplane fitted with slots and flaps for low speed
- Five-cylinder Armstrong Siddeley Mongoose radial engine
- Two crew
It used slots and flaps to achieve the low speed and short take-off and landing needed for the competition. It is displayed in the Winton Gallery of the Science Museum.
Specifications
- The Handley Page H.P.39 Gugnunc has a length of 8.15 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.19 m (40 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 181 km/h (112 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was first named the Guggenheim Competition Biplane, and the name Gugnunc came from the Pip, Squeak and Wilfred cartoon, first unofficially and later officially.
Variants
Only one example was built, registered G-AACN.
Where you'll see it
It competed in 1929 and performed adequately but won no prizes. It then continued experimental flying, was bought by the Air Ministry as K1908 and went to the Royal Aircraft Establishment. It was struck off in 1934 and presented to the Science Museum.
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