The Hawker Hind was a British light bomber of the inter-war years produced by Hawker Aircraft for the RAF.
It was developed from the Hawker Hart Day bomber introduced in 1931.
An improved Hawker Hart bomber defined by Specification G.7/34, was purchased by the RAF as an interim aircraft, while more modern monoplane bombers such as the Fairey Battle were still in development.
Structural elements were a mixture of steel and duralumin with the wings being fabric covered; the main differences compared to the earlier Hart was a new powerplant, (the Rolls Royce Kestrel V) and the inclusion of refinements from the earlier derivatives such as the cut-down rear cockpit developed for the Demon.
The prototype (Serial number K2915) was constructed very rapidly due to Hawker’s development work for other proposals and made its first flight on 12 September 1934.
A variety of changes were subsequently incorporated (“ram’s horn” exhaust manifolds, Fairey-Reed metal propeller and engine improvements) with the first production Hind (K4636) flown on 4 September 1935.
Variants
Hind Mk I
Two-seat light bomber aircraft for the RAF, powered by a 477 kW (640 hp) Rolls-Royce Kestrel piston engine.
Afghan Hind
Similar to the Hind Mk I, four aircraft fitted with Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engines, plus another four aircraft fitted with Kestrel UDR engines; eight built for Afghanistan.
Latvian Hind
Two-seat training aircraft, powered by a Bristol Mercury IX radial piston-engine: three built for Latvia.
Persian Hind
Modified version of the Hind Mk I, powered by a Bristol Mercury VIII radial piston-engine; 35 built for Persia.
Portuguese Hind
Similar to the Hind Mk I, two aircraft built as bombers, two aircraft built as trainers: four built for Portugal.
Swiss Hind
Two-seat unarmed communications aircraft; one built for Switzerland.
Yugoslav Hind
Modified version of the Hind Mk I, two aircraft fitted with Rolls-Royce Kestrel XVI piston-engines, one aircraft fitted with a Gnome-Rhone Mistral engine: three built for Yugoslavia.
Specifications
Crew
Two
Length
29 ft 3 in (8.92 m)
Wingspan
37 ft 3 in (11.35 m)
Height
10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
Wing area
348 sq ft (32.3 m2)
Empty weight
3,195 lb (1,449 kg)
Max take-off weight
4,657 lb (2,112 kg)
Powerplant
1 × Rolls-Royce Kestrel V water-cooled V12 engine,
640 hp (480 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed
185 mph (298 km/h, 161 kn) at 15,500 ft (4,700 m)
Stall speed
45 mph (72 km/h, 39 kn)
Range
460 mi (740 km, 400 nmi)
Service ceiling
26,400 ft (8,000 m)
Time to altitude
8 min 6 s to 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
Armament
Guns
1 × synchronized forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers gun
