HUNTING P56 PROVOST MK51 RHODESIAN AIR FORCE

Hunting P56 Provost MK 51 Characteristics


Extract:

The Hunting P.56 Provost

The P.56 trainer was designed to Specification T.16/48 to meet F.A.F. requirements. Three prototypes were built, two fitted initially with the Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah 18 engine and the other with the Alvis Leonides engine. The first (Cheetah-engined) prototype flew for the first time on February 23, 1950.
As the result of comprehensive trials the Leonides-engined P.56 was selected as the standard R.A.F. basic trainer under the designation Provost T. Mk. 1.
The armed version of the Provost for weapon training can be equipped with the following armament: 2 x .303 in. machine guns; 1 camera gun and 2 x 250- lb bombs or 8 x 25-lb.bombs and 4 x 60-lb. R.P. or 6 x 60-lb R.P.
The following are the designations of the Provosts which have been exported:-

- Provost T. Mk. 51. T. Mk. 1 (un-armed) supplied to Eire Air Corps

- Provost T. Mk. 52. Armed version supplied to the Royal Rhodesian Air Force

- Provost T. Mk. 53. Armed version supplied to the Eire Air Corps, the Burma Air Force, the Iraqi Air Force and the Sudan Air Force

The following description applies specifically to the Provost T. Mk. 1.

Ø Type Two-seat Basic Trainer.

Ø Wings Cantilever low-wing monoplane. Wing section NACA 23015 (mod.) at root. NACA 4412 (mod.) at tip. Aspect ratio 5.78. Dihedral 6°. Incidence 3°. All-metal stressed skin construction. Metal covered ailerons and trim-tabs. Pneumatically operated slotted flaps. Total flap area 18.94 sq. ft. (1.74m²). Gross wing area 214 sq. ft. (20 m²).

Ø Fuselage All-metal monocoque structure.

Ø Tail Unit Cantilever monoplane type. All-metal one-piece tailplane, interchangeable elevators, fin and rudder, the fixed surfaces covered with smooth and movable surfaces with fluted alloy skin. Trim and balance tabs in elevators, combined trim and balance tab in rudder. Span of tailplane 13 ft. 6 in. (4.1 m). Total horizontal area 48.6 sq. ft. (4.51 m²). Total vertical area 35.09 sq. ft. (3.26 m²).

Ø Landing Gear Fixed tail-wheel type. British Messier oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers. Differential pneumatic brakes. Dowty liquid-spring tail-wheel strut. Track 11 ft. 1½ in. (3.38 m).

Ø Power Plant One 550 h.p. Alvis Leonides 25 nine-cylinder air-cooled geared and supercharged radial engine. Three-blade metal constant-speed airscrew, 9 ft. (2.74 m) diameter. Fuel capacity 66 Imp. Gallons (300 litres).

Ø Accommodation Crew of two in enclosed cockpit. Instructor (on starboard) and pupil sit side-by-side, with full dual controls and dual instrument panels. Sliding canopy is mechanically operated and jettisonable.

Ø Dimensions

· Span 35 ft. 2 in. (10.9 m)

· Length 29 ft. (8.85 m)

· Overall height (tail up) 12 ft. (3.66 m)

Ø Weights and Loadings

· Weight Empty (equipped) 3,350 lb (1.521 kg.)

· Crew (2) 400 lb (182 kg.)

· Fuel and Oil 529 lb (240 kg.)

· Weight Loaded 4,400 lb (2,000 kg.)

· Wing Loading 20.6 lb. Sq. ft. (100.5 kg./m²)

· Power Loading 8.0 lb h.p. (3.63 kg./h.p.)

Ø Performance

· Max Speed 195 m.p.h. (312 km.h.) at sea level and 200 m.p.h. (322 km.h.) at 2,300 ft (700 m)

· Max Continuous cruising speed 194 m.p.h.(310 km.h.) at 7,900 ft. (2,410 m)

· Max Economical cruising speed 177 m.p.h. (283 km.h.) at 11,500 ft. (3,310 m)

· Stalling Speed, flaps down 67 m.p.h. (108 km.h.)

· Initial Rate of Climb 2,200 ft. min. (11.2 m/sec.)

· Rate of Climb at 5,000 ft (1,525 m) 1,870 ft. min. (9.5 m./sec.)

· Climb to 5,000 ft. (1.525 m) 3.3 minutes

· Climb to 10,000 ft. (3050 m) 7.0 minutes

· Rate of Roll (per second) 90 degrees

· Service Ceiling 22,500 ft. (6,860 m)

· Take-off to 50 ft. (15.2 m) grass surface 283 yds. (260 m)

· Landing run 265 yds. (242 m)

· Duration (at economical weak cruise) 4 hrs
PAC/56/195 WV645 Provost T1 d/d 29/08/1954, no RAF service, d/d 27/09/1954 to SRAF as SR136, RRAF300, 6300
PAC/56/196 WV646 Provost T1 d/d 31/08/1954, no RAF service, d/d 27/09/1954 to SRAF as SR137, RRAF301, 3601, stored Swartkop, South Africa
PAC/56/197 WV647 Provost T1 d/d 31/08/1954, no RAF service, d/d 27/09/1954 to SRAF as SR138, RRAF302, 3062
PAC/56/177 WV648 Provost T1 d/d 31/08/1954, no RAF service, d/d 27/09/1954 to SRAF as SR139, RRAF303, 3036