HANDLEY PAGE HAMPDEN
- The HANDLEY PAGE HP.52 HAMPDEN twin-engined monoplane bomber was designed
in 1933 under the direction of G R Volkert in response to the requirements
of Specification B.9/32, having a crew of three and a slender fuselage
designed to accommodate nose, dorsal and ventral turrets and a bomb-bay
carrying 4,000 Ib (1,816 kg) of bombs. Single proto-type (K4240) ordered
1933 powered by 815 hp Pegasus XVIIIs, flown on June 21, 1936, without
armament. Second prototype (L7271) flown July 1, 1937, had 835 hp Pegasus
XXs and was started as the sole HP.53 for Swedish Air Force (which later
received a production HP.52, L4036, instead).
Handley Page Hampden I: First production contract for 180 placed with Handley Page
August 1936 to Specification B.30/36, with Pegasus XVIIIs or XXIIs and
armament of one 0.303 in (7,7 mm) Vickers 'K' gun in nose, dorsal and
ventral positions plus one fixed forward firing Browning in fuselage side,
and stowage for four 500 Ib (227 kg) or two I,500 Ib (681 kg) mines or
two 2,000 Ib (908 kg) bombs; later aircraft had twin ven-tral and dorsal
guns on Rose mountings. First production aircraft flown June 21, 1938;
deliveries began to No 49 Squadron and six squadrons operational by September
1939. Production total 500 by Handley Page plus 770 by English Electric
at Preston (first flown February 22, 1940) and 160 by Canadian Associated
Aircraft in Quebec and Ontario (first flown August 9, 1940). Operational
1940-42 for leaflet dropping, mine-laying and day and night bombing; thereafter
for training, including about 100 transferred to Canada in 1943. Max speed,
254 mph (409 km/h) at 13,800ft (4,206 m). Cruising speed, 167 mph (269
km/h). Initial rate of climb, 980 ft/min (4,98 ml sec). Service ceiling,
19,000 ft (5,880 m). Range, 1,885 mis (3,160 km) with 2,000 Ib (908 kg)
bombs or 1,200 mis (1,930 km) with 4,000 Ib (1,813 kg) bombs. Empty weight,
II,780 Ib (5,345 kg). Gross weight, 18,756 Ib (8,505 kg). Span, 69 ft
2 in (21.07 m). Length, 53 ft 7 in (16.35 m). Wing area, 668 sqft (62.1
m2).
Handley Page Hampden T.B.Mk I: 144 Handley Page Hampden bombers converted 1942/43 as torpedo-bombers
to equip five squadrons of Coastal Command, each carrying one Mk XII torpe-do
in open bomb-bay and one 500 Ib (227 kg) bomb under each wing. Gross weight,
23,500 Ib (10,669 kg) and range 1,960 mis (3,154 km) with torpedo. Twenty-three
transferred to Soviet Air Force 1942 after operations from Soviet bases
by Nos 144 and 455 Squadrons and then used by 3rd squadron of 24MTAP (Anti-shipping
Wing) of Soviet Navy until late-1943.
Handley Page Hampden Met I: Variant modified for meteorological reconnaissance, used
by Nos 517, 519 and 521 Squadrons, 1943.
Handley Page Hampden II: Two Handley Page Hampden Is convert-ed to have 1,100 hp Cyclone GR-1820-G102A
radials (as HP.62) in 1940.
