A brief history of the First Flight of the Handley Page HP.115 By Willie Bodenstein 28.08.2025 On 17 August 1961, the Handley Page HP.115, nicknamed the Needle, made its maiden flight from the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bedford, with test pilot J.M. Henderson at the controls. Built as an experimental delta-wing research aircraft, the HP.115 was designed to explore the low-speed handling of slender delta wings, vital for the development of future supersonic transports. Powered by a 1,900 lb-thrust Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojet, the prototype measured 50 feet 4 inches long with a 20-foot 6-inch wingspan, reaching speeds up to 248 mph with a 40-minute endurance. In flight trials, XP841 demonstrated excellent low-speed controllability, maintaining stable turns at just 69 mph, a stark contrast to contemporary thin-wing fighters like the F-104 Starfighter. The data gathered proved crucial in shaping the aerodynamics of the Concorde, which first flew in 1969. Although only one HP.115 was built, it left a lasting legacy. The sole example survives today at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, displayed alongside the BAC 221 and a Concorde aircraft that benefited directly from its pioneering research. The Lockwood Aircam rather unconventional 967

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