Handley Page Hampden Aircraft Manuals Collection — Digital Download
This collection brings together four original technical publications covering the Handley Page Hampden, one of the RAF's principal twin-engine medium bombers of the Second World War. Renowned for its radically slender fuselage — earning it the nicknames "The Flying Suitcase" and "Flying Panhandle" — the Hampden combined advanced aerodynamics with highly specialised engineering that set it apart from its contemporaries.
Documents Included in This Collection
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Pilot's Notes — The Hampden I Aeroplane, Two Pegasus XVIII Engines
Air Publication 1579 A · Pilot's Notes
By Command of the Air Council · A.W. Street
Classification: For Official Use Only -
Pilot's Notes — The Hampden I Aeroplane, Two Pegasus XVIII Engines
Air Publication 1579 A · Pilot's Notes
This handbook is promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned
By Command of the Air Council · A.W. Street -
Service Manual — The Hampden I Aeroplane, Two Pegasus XVIII Engines
Air Publication 1579 A · Volume I · 1st Edition, August 1938
Promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned
By Command of the Air Council · Donald Banks
Classification: For Official Use Only -
Service Manual — Hampden T.B.I Aircraft, Two Pegasus XVIII Engines
Air Publication 1579 B · Volume I · 1st Edition, July 1943
Supplement to A.P. 1579 A, Vol. I, Hampden B.I
Prepared by direction of the Minister of Aircraft Production · Promulgated by order of the Air Council
Classification: Restricted (For Official Use Only)
Aircraft Overview
The Handley Page Hampden (HP.52) was a twin-engine British medium bomber designed to Air Ministry Specification B.9/32. Its exceptionally narrow fuselage — only 3 feet wide — minimised frontal drag and gave the aircraft a distinctive silhouette unlike any other bomber of the era.
Aerodynamic Characteristics
The Hampden represented a highly advanced aerodynamic design for the mid-1930s, prioritising low drag to achieve high dash speeds:
- Low-Drag Profile: The exceptionally narrow fuselage minimised frontal cross-sectional area.
- Highly Tapered Wings: Extreme wing taper in both chord and thickness.
- Advanced Slot Equipment: Automatic Handley Page leading-edge slats on the outer wing sections.
- Trailing-Edge Flaps: Substantial hydraulically operated, fabric-covered flaps across the centre plane trailing edge.
- Dual Airfoil Function: The combination of slats and flaps enabled a top speed of 254 mph without sacrificing a low landing speed of 73 mph.
Engine Technical Notes
- Standard Powerplant: Twin Bristol Pegasus XVIII 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engines.
- Supercharger Integration: Two-speed superchargers delivering 1,000 hp each at optimal altitude.
- Airscrews: De Havilland three-blade constant-speed propellers.
- The Hereford Variant (HP.53): Re-engined with Napier Dagger VIII 24-cylinder H-block engines — widely considered an engineering failure due to severe cooling problems, high failure rates, and extreme vibration.
Handling and Stability
- Fighter-Like Responsiveness: Extraordinarily mobile on the controls, with handling qualities comparable to a fighter aircraft.
- High Visibility: The high-perched single-seat cockpit offered an excellent external field of view.
- Trim Controls: Adjustable trim-tabs on both elevators and twin rudders.
- Asymmetric Swing: A strong tendency to swing to port on touchdown required cautious rudder correction.
- Ergonomic Limitations: The 36-inch fuselage width meant all four crew members were completely isolated and unable to move during operations.
Performance Data — Hampden Mark I
| Parameter | Performance Metric |
|---|---|
| Maximum Speed | 254 mph (409 km/h) at 13,800 ft |
| Cruising Speed | 217 mph (349 km/h) |
| Maximum Bomb Load | 4,000 lbs (1,814 kg) internal bay |
| Maximum Operational Range | 1,095 miles (1,762 km) fully loaded |
| Initial Rate of Climb | 980 ft/min (300 m/min) |
| Service Ceiling | 19,000 feet (5,790 m) |
| Empty Weight | 11,780 lbs (5,345 kg) |
| Maximum Loaded Weight | 18,756 lbs (8,505 kg) |
Engineering Bulletins & Modifications
- Stressed-Skin Construction: Single-spar, D-section torsion box structure with flush-riveted Alclad metal skin.
- Defensive Armament Upgrades: Modification of single flexible Vickers K machine guns in dorsal and ventral positions to twin gun mounts.
- Torpedo Bomber Conversion (TB Mk I): Over 144 aircraft retrofitted with an enlarged internal bomb bay, revised undercarriage, and structural reinforcing to carry an 18-inch Mk XII torpedo for Coastal Command operations.
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