Leaflets, bombs and torpedoes...
The Handley Page Hampden B.I
From original to model
The more than 1,000 scale models, primarily of the international standards 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32, form an independent part of the collections of the Hanover-Laatzen Aviation Museum.
Such true-to-original miniatures allow viewers of museum technology history to gain an ‘overview’, not only of the individual exhibit (sometimes even as the only possibility of a real three-dimensional display if there is no surviving original), but also of lines of development in aircraft construction by means of possible sequencing and juxtaposition. Sometimes they even close gaps in the presentation of the originals. The quality of their craftsmanship alone is a pleasure to behold.
Today, in our ‘Model of the Month’ section, we present the Handley Page Hampden B. I, a four-seater, twin-engine mid-wing aircraft of the British Bomber Command.
The Aviation Museum is showing an early 1/72 scale version of this constructively remarkable type from 1940 in its model showcases in Hall 2.
The model: A British affair
The 123-part kit with decal set for two British and one Swedish version in 1/72 scale from Airfix dates from the late 1960s. Re-edited by the British market leader over the decades, the kit was the best miniature of this aircraft on the market for a long time. Originally in black, later editions were released in grey, which was ideal for the colour scheme - including our example presented here from 1998, which shows an aircraft of the 106th Squadron of the RAF from Finningley Air Base in 1940, probably the most difficult year for Great Britain in the Second World War. The camouflage scheme and markings correspond to the first months of the war.
The original: narrowly built...
The Hampden, the first monoplane fighter built by Handley Page in north-west London, was the last and fastest medium to heavy bomber type to enter service in Britain before the Second World War. With two Bristol Pegasus XVIII 9-cylinder radial engines, four crew members and a bomb load of up to 1,800 kg, it reached a speed of 426 km/h at an altitude of 4,700 m with a range of around 3,000 km. The first flight took place in June 1936 and the type entered Royal Air Force service at the end of 1938.
The front and side views of the elongated and innovative design reveal its special design feature: the fuselage is only 90 cm wide at its thickest point, but has a considerable height at the front - in front of the long, compact tail unit - due to the stacked assemblies and fighting positions, and is thus reminiscent of the shape of a tadpole - not by chance, as both are designed to be extremely streamlined. Other characteristic nicknames of the type officially christened ‘Hampden’ were ‘violin case’ or ‘frying pan’. The disadvantage of this aerodynamically favourable design was that the crews were seated separately, could not help each other and tired relatively quickly in the cramped fighting positions with no possibility of movement.
Innovations
Around 1,500 of the Hampden were built, 160 of them in Canada. New manufacturing techniques such as the half-shell design ensured a short production time and high production output. Together with the Vickers Wellington and the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, it formed the backbone of the British bomber force at the beginning of the war in 1939. Around 100 further examples were produced under the name ‘Hereford’ with the Napier Dagger in-line engine and higher performance. However, its unreliability in the high performance range led to these aircraft being reduced to Hampden configuration or used as training aircraft.
Losses and...
And it is only when the aircraft is in action that the strengths and weaknesses of a construction are fully revealed. Here, in addition to the disadvantages mentioned above, the defence armament was too light and above all inflexible. One fixed and five mobile 7.7 mm calibre machine guns with a limited aiming range proved to be inadequate. All in all, this led to painful losses during daytime attacks against the German coast without or with inadequate fighter protection.
After similar experiences across all types, the RAF Bomber Command quickly changed its strategy to night attacks - with slowly but steadily increasing success.
...successes
In these night missions, Hampdens dropped bombs as well as political leaflets over German cities and laid mines in the shipping lanes of the German Bight.
As the war progressed, the RAF acquired new, more powerful types and the Hampden was withdrawn from the front line after taking part in the first 1,000-bomber raid on Cologne in 1942. Coastal Command continued to use the type for a year as a torpedo bomber and maritime reconnaissance aircraft with a respectable performance record. After that, however, she was assigned to training and support duties until she was gradually decommissioned: She had done her job - and regardless of the aforementioned weaknesses, she had made a very significant contribution to Britain's ‘military life insurance’ in the first two years of the war.
Come on in!
Have we managed to arouse your curiosity? Then visit us at the Aviation Museum - over 40 sports, training, passenger and fighter aircraft, helicopters and gliders in the original and faithful replicas, a large engine and turbine section and over 1,000 scale models await you!
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You can contact the author of the Model of the Month series here: Author-MdM