The HP.75 was an unusual flying-wing aircraft developed
by the British aircraft manufacturer Handley Page during
the Second World War.
The Handley Page HP.75 was later renamed the Manx - after
the tailless species of cat. It first flew on 25th June
1943, piloted by J.F. Marsh.
The Handley Page HP.75 Manx proved to be a difficult aircraft
to fly. It was particularly hard to keep the Manx stable
in the pitch axis.
The Manx had a crew of two, a pilot and a flight test
observer. The observer sat facing rearward, and accessed
the aircraft through the hinged tail section.
The ultimate goal of the Handley Page HP.75 Manx was to
assist in the development of a much larger aircraft to
be used as a military bomber, and/or a civilian airliner.
Sadly, after the aircraft's primary flight crew was killed
in an accident while testing a different aircraft, the
Manx program stalled. It hadn't been going brilliantly
anyway.
The aircraft was finally scrapped in 1952. |
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