Airfix: 1:72 Handley Page Hampden

The Handley Page Hampden is a British medium bomber featuring an all-metal monocoque structure, retractable landing gear, and a twin-fin tail. It was powered by two Bristol Pegasus XVII radial engines, each producing 1000 hp. The prototype made its first flight in 1936, and serial production continued from 1938 to 1941.

The Hampden was created in response to a 1932 request from the Royal Air Force (RAF) for a successor to the Bolton Paul Sidestrand. In answer to the specification, Handley Page developed a narrow but tall fuselage design that provided excellent cockpit visibility, good handling characteristics, and respectable performance.

In 1938, the Handley Page Hampden began entering RAF bomber squadrons, and in the early months of the Second World War it took part in daytime operations over Germany. However, due to lack of armor and poor defensive armament, the Hampden suffered very heavy losses during these missions. As a result, the aircraft began to be converted—first, in early 1940, into night bombers, and later, in 1941, into torpedo-bombers.

Despite modernization efforts, by late 1943 all aircraft of this type were withdrawn from frontline service and replaced by the Halifax and Beaufighter.