A Bomber So Cramped It Was Called The "Flying Suitcase" | Handley Page Hampden

[@mikepowell2776]

My late father flew in Hampdens as an air-gunner before re-training as a pilot. About the leaflet raids, he considered that they would only be of use if they were dropped in their boxes and happened to strike someone important. He ended his war as an instructor, continuing that role with commercial airlines until retirement. He was an instructor on the original Comet 1.

[@andrewfilson6356]

Hi, My also sadly late father was also an air gunner on Hampdens before the War began. He also went to train as a pilot just after it began in Alabama. Considering the losses Hampdens suffered from in the early war i think they were lucky to have made that move. My dad flew spitfires up until the end of the war although he stayed in the RAF flying Hornets until 1945. My sister still has a photograph of the Hampden squadron he was in. Sorry but i do not remember which squadron it was.

[@christopher480]

@@andrewfilson6356 my dad can lift a house

[@kdrapertrucker]

Ah! A bullshit bomber.

[@v8infinity8]

My GF was Squadron LDR of 430 Snowy Owl RCAF (he was RAF) -flying Hampdens. He was shot down- landed no crew lost -in 1941ish on a Run over The Fresians. He was in Stalag Luft 3 and the Master Forger for the Great Escape. After Repatriation he was promoted to Wing Commander and was Commander of the last POW camp for Luftwaffe. I think it was in Scotland. @@andrewfilson6356

[@nemilyk]

The Hampden's one of those planes you can't help but love, because it's just goofy yet actually "made it".

[@Swaggerlot]

@*UncleJoe* It was the first Airfix kit that I took time and pride in completing. There is till something about the Hampden.

[@nemilyk]

@@Swaggerlot It's an attractive yet unique bird with a strong "underdog" factor. Was built to bonkers specifications and still managed to contribute.

[@Swaggerlot]

@@nemilyk Absolutely, it is an aeroplane that I just like.

[@lockheed6859]

Goofymobile

[@nemilyk]

@@Swaggerlot I've never understood the trend of thinking a plane/tank/ship/etc has to be "good" to be liked. Honestly for me the more obscure an aircraft is the more I like it.

[@TheDkeeler]

My best friend back in the late 60's said his dad flew Hampdens with the RCAF on torpedo missions off the coast of Norway where the pilot nearly flew the aircraft into the cliffs of Norway. Unfortunately, he turned the aircraft without banking and it pancaked into the water. He said his dad said he didn't even get his feet wet because all he did was walk down the wing and hopped into a life raft . They were then taken prisoner by the Germans. Thanks.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

Hilarious "gangplank wing walk exit"

[@davidhamilton1836]

L l

[@maryclarafjare]

Wow!!

[@Jbroker404]

I don't understand what you mean by "turning without banking it" Can you explain?

[@andrewthag]

​@@Jbroker404 I think he's talking about pulling the plane in an upwards direction while making the turn

[@knightowl3577]

Sadly, Sergeant John Hannah died of T.B. at the age of twenty-five in 1947. His doctor believed the wounds he received in the war weakened his immune system and left him prone to infection. Although in constant pain, after being honourably discharged by the R.A.F. he worked as a taxi driver for a while before he became too ill and was taken into the sanatorium where he later died.

[@maryclarafjare]

😢

[@Chiller01]

Tragedy since the use of Streptomycin against TB was published in 1945. It was soon combined with para-aminosalicylic acid as an effective treatment. Maybe it’s use wasn’t sufficiently widespread or he was too badly affected by the time he had access. Those kind of stories are terribly sad.

[@TheMastadon1]

Way too young, I'm glad TB isn't such a threat anymore. RIP

[@davonmulder8458]

TB?

[@Chiller01]

@@davonmulder8458 Tuberculosis

[@Temeluchas]

A few corrections regarding Hampdens in the USSR 1. The number of Hampdens received by the 24th mine-torpedo regiment (I know that it is clunky, but "anti-shipping wing" is a bit too loose of a translation =)) is a bit unclear. 17 is the number that the regiment still had by January 10, 1943, but it had suffered at least 2 losses by that time. 2. The number of german ships sunk by soviet Hampdens is exactly 1. On April 25, 1943, a transport ship "Leezee" was sunk near Kongsfjorden by the crew of captain Kiselev, flight leader in the 24th. Kiselev was shot down in this attack and the entire crew was killed. And on the photo used at 37:16, you can see "For Kiselev" being written on the torpedo. 3. The 24th regiment wasn't disbanded. In May 1943 it became a Guards regiment. Thus, its name was changed to the 9th Guards mine-torpedo regiment Overall, the Hampden's reputation among the North Fleet pilots and command was controversial. On the one hand, it was considered superior to Il-4 as a torpedo bomber, since it was more stable in flight at low altitudes. On the other hand, soviet "mine-torpedo aviation" flew minelaying missions more often than torpedo strike missions. And conventional bombing missions against ground targets were even more common. Hampden was considered inferior to Il-4 for these types of missions. And in the spring of 1943 the North Fleet started receiving A-20s, which made both Hampden and Il-4 look bad. Plus, it had huge problems with reliability due to the spare parts situation. This led to a saying that can be translated as "Are you my friend or a "Hampden"?". And unlike most such remarks - this one was actually documented in 1943.

[@roygriffiths4399]

I have a friend whose father piloted Hampdens in WW2. Unfortunately, he lost his life whilst on a raid over Germany. She was born shortly afterwards and so never met her father. In his memory, her mother used 'Hampden' as a second forename.

[@maxart3392]

I highly value your research and as a non-native speaker I admire your narration, everything is so clear (and yet with a healthy touch of irony). Your videos are exemplary pieces of documentary that any TV corporation would be proud of. Are you by any chance lecturing at some university? (because if you aren't, you should).

[@RexsHangar]

That is a long-term aspiration of mine, maybe one day it will happen :D

[@Chiller01]

@@RexsHangar Good luck. I hope the social sciences are re emphasized. Society is more than software engineers, doctors and lawyers.

[@waitemc]

Your clear and quick to the point but full of info

[@gerrycoogan6544]

@@RexsHangar It SHOULD happen. You are clearly an erudite scholar.

[@EricIrl]

I agree - but some pronunciations need to be checked. The town of Kiel is pronounced Keel - not Kile The county of Hereford is pronounced He-re-ford, not Hareford.

[@scottythedog8829]

My Grandfather was an instrument fitter on Hampdens during the early war before transferring to Blenheims in Singapore. Guy Gibson's book, Enemy Coast Ahead gives a fascinating account of early War bombing in Hampdens.

[@gort8203]

Interesting to see the changes in thinking about aircraft types in light of the progress in engine technology during this era. The Hampden was intended as a medium bomber optimized for performance, but just a few years later the Mosquito light bomber with a slightly smaller footprint lifted more weight and delivered the same bombload, with vastly superior speed and altitude. One might even consider that more traditional medium bombers began their slide toward obsolescence at that point, but this was not recognized until later because the operational doctrine that had been built around their use kept them in production.

[@himoffthequakeroatbox4320]

Hampton, LOL.

[@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS]

I don't think it's fair to place the mosquito as the traditional progression as well it was essentially an eccentric passion project (and bless it for being so).

[@gort8203]

@@WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS I didn't place the mosquito as "the traditional progression", whatever that means. The Mosquito departed from the traditional bomber paradigm and showed the way to a future in which traditional slow medium bombers defended by guns became obsolete.

[@jarmokankaanpaa6528]

The photo from 23:29 appears to show an American battleship, probably either USS Washington or USS Alabama (the stacks are obscured by the Oerlikon barrel) both of which were assigned for a period to the Home Fleet in 1942 primarily to protect convoys. At this stage Hampdens were being used by Coastal Command. The picture appears to have been taken from an American ship (the helmets!), possibly USS Wichita as the the cruiser in the background could be USS Tuscaloosa; both served with both American battleships in the Atlantic in 1942. The Oerlikons don't have their shields, which might suggest a recent installation (in place of the former quadruple 1.1 inch AA monts).

[@jefferyindorf699]

Actually the Oerlikons replaced .50 cal machine guns, 40mm Bofors replaced the 1.1"

[@charlesvaughan3517]

While I'm not intemintly knowledgeable about oerlikon mounts on U.S capital ships I do know that some antiair mounts and 5"38 guns didn't have shields, did or were fully inclosed based on the amount of top weight stability available. I did hear that some U.S destroyers had different levels of protection on the same ship based on the wet water levels ie more coverage up front and progressively less moving aft

[@jarmokankaanpaa6528]

@@jefferyindorf699 Correct, my mistake. Actually, USS South Dakota was also in the North Atlantic with the Home Fleet in 1943, following her repairs in New York after the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, so she is a distinct possibility. Other US heavy cruisers active in the North Atlantic (besides Wichita and Tuscaloosa) include the Augusta in 1943 and Quincy (2) from 1944, light cruisers include Brooklyn and Philadelphia in 1942, Nashville in 1941-42, and Milwaukee in 1944. Several other US cruisers were active in the South Pacific and the Mediterranean, but I don't believe Hampdens were used in those areas.

[@himoffthequakeroatbox4320]

The front half looks remarkably like the Scharnhorst. Could have led to an embarrassed sub commander: _I should have counted the what?_

[@himoffthequakeroatbox4320]

@@charlesvaughan3517 I think USN doctrine on light AA was rather flexible, as in if they could get their hands on it by fair means or foul they'd find a place for it.

[@ericadams3428]

The designer of the Hampden (and earlier Harrow) was the German Gustav Lachmann who was later interned and continued to work for HP from prison.

[@None-zc5vg]

He wasn't in prison but was interned on the Isle Of Man: he was released early because of his connections

[@ianstobie]

The Isle of Man internee camps held civilians and had a very different regime and atmosphere to camps for military POWs. The men were accommodated in requisitioned boarding houses (the Isle of Man was a seaside holiday destination before the war). Women and children were held separately in a large camp made by cordoning off two small seaside towns on a peninsula behind a barbed wire fence. The normal residents of these two towns remained, but had internee women and children placed to live with them in their houses. As it became clear most of the internees weren't a threat or even sympathetic to the Nazi regime, many were allowed out to work on farms or eventually released altogether. The internee camps held a high proportion of artists, academics and other intellectuals, and many of these resumed working as best they could at their usual pursuits. There are lots of accounts written by the Isle of Man WW2 internees about their experiences.

[@bigblue6917]

I must admit to being on of those who loved the Hampden along with the Blenheim. Great aircraft which served so well in the early part of the war.

[@josephking6515]

Both these aircraft were massacred by German fighters whenever they were sent on bombing missions over occupied territory with the Blenheims getting really badly hammered. Not great machines for the role they were built for.

[@farmerned6]

the Unsung heroes

[@farmerned6]

@@josephking6515 So were the B-17 & 24 's ,when high losses resulted in the suspension of long range day raids at the end of 43

[@RyllenKriel]

I do love the Hampden bomber, though I never knew it's propellers could be detached and thrown at its enemies on the ground like giant shuriken. What an innovative design from Handley Page!

[@jimspackman8527]

It probably did him a favour by coming off. The propellers didn't have a feathering mechanism so even though in theory the remaining engine had enough power the drag caused by the windmill dead engine meant that the plane couldn't actually fly on one.

[@jimspackman8527]

Thanks for this on Rex! My grandfather flew these as a navigator with 489 RNZAF in 1943. I didn't realise that his last operational flight in the Suitcase was actually the last ever Hampden operational sortie! His logbook lists it as a four aircraft Rover Patrol off Lister/Naze on 26/10/43. His aircraft P1214 XA-X was damaged by flak but returned safely. In all, he flew 15 ops in Hampdens, (mostly anti-submarine off the Faeroes and Shetland but with a few Rovers thrown in). The Squadron re-equipped with Beaufighters and he transferred to a Liberator Squadron (547) where he went on to fly another 46 ops.

[@jimspackman8527]

Update on this, I've checked the Operational Record Books for 489 RNZAF and they list five aircraft taking off for the last mission, here they are in order of take-off time. AT255 XA-M 03.45 Squadron Leader Kellow L4144 XA-T 03.45 Flying Officer Gow AD855 XA-Y 03.47 Flying Officer Baillie AT140 XA-O 03.48 Flying Officer Lynch P1214 XA-X 03.53 Flight Sgt Cuss My grandfather Flt Lt Bill Jones was the Navigator in the Cuss crew. So my grandad flew the last ever operational flight of the Handley Page Hampden!

[@whtalt92]

Thanks for adding the VC segment. Too oft forgotten that Bomber Command did it's fair share of work during the Battle of Britain, and that Coastal Command pilots were drafted into Fighter Command.

[@raypurchase801]

I've read Bomber Command lost more aircrew during the BoB than did Fighter Command.

[@LeonAust]

@@raypurchase801 1 in every 3 Australian aircrew in RAF Bomber Command were KIA. Seen the movie Memphis Belle? well that crew and USAAF bomber crews required 25 missions to be able to retire and go home, whilst all RAF Bomber Command aircrew required 50 missions to retire and make it home.

[@derekheuring2984]

I had the honor of having a small hand in helping Fred Gardham restore Canadian-built Hampden P5436 at the Museum of Flight and Transportation, first in Surrey, British Columbia and later at Langley Airport in Langley, B.C. Hampden P5436 was actually an amalgamation of three Hampdens recovered in B.C., one from Saltspring island, one from Vancouver Island and P5436 which sank in Pat Bay near Victoria, B.C. P5436 survived only 100 hours of flying time before crashing near Pat Bay in 1942 while performing torpedo dropping practice. The aircraft's nickname of "Flying Suitcase" is well deserved. I'm a pretty big guy and remember the difficulties climbing in and out of the aircraft while working on it.

[@papalegba6796]

My uncle flew pretty much every type bomber command used in WW2 & the Hampden was one of his favourites, as it handled so well.

[@BeaufighterGaming]

hey! I'm from Saltspring and I never knew a Hampden crashed here, pretty cool (and sad)

[@timgosling6189]

Thank you for mentioning the early 83 Sqn Hampden pilot, 20 year-old Pilot Officer G Gibson, later famous. Following his initial training on the aircraft he apparently was considering leaving the Service after only 2 years to go into civilian test flying. Whether this was because of his time with the Hampden or just coincident, it's as well he stayed in. I love the sketch (40:10) depicting Sgt Hannah fighting the fire on the way back from Antwerp; whoever drew it had clearly never squeezed himself into a Hampden! Incidentally, the Dagger-engined aircraft were named after the English city on the Welsh borders. It's therefore pronounced 'Heh-reh-ford', rather than 'hair-ford'.

[@JDWDMC]

Yeah just like the cow breed.

[@himoffthequakeroatbox4320]

I listened to an audiobook with an American narrator. Bleenhimes, Bleenhimes and Bleenhimes. And Heenkel threes. Lucky the Vickers Workerkester and Avro Lugabaruga never made it off the drawing board.

[@himoffthequakeroatbox4320]

You're right. To be that far away from the pilot he'd be outside the plane.

[@Chiller01]

@@JDWDMC Haha where I grew up in Colorado it’s pronounced Hurfurd.

[@pzykezutube1165]

Not ‘Hereford’ it’s ‘Halford’, it’s literally written at the top of the engine block in the picture

[@masteronone2079]

I don't think any apology is needed for this video, all the way through I was impressed by your use of the models and the presentation of the period source material. Really, so long as the quality of your output remains this high, I don't care how much agony you endure producing it. From my point of view your suffering is well worth it to keep me informed and entertained. Seriously though, thank you for the effort you put into this and congratulations, I'm seriously impressed by the way you are able to continually able to improve on what was already high standard of work.

[@richardrichard5409]

I was an apprentice at Lucas CAV from 1979, in 1980 I was placed in the Rochester cutter grinders for work experience. One of the guys in there was just retiring....flew Hampden early part of Ww2, said it handled more like a fighter and although he flew pretty much everything with wings back then, it was his favourite ride.

[@theodorgiosan2570]

I work with CAV diesel injectors from the time period, the Microjector. Used on 1981-1985 GM 4.3 and 5.7 engines. A genius design that can support fuel flow levels far in excess of what the design was intended to support. These would have been coming out when you started there.

[@richardrichard5409]

Yes, I can remember GMs Oldsmobiles at the Gillingham test centre, Wally Lambert drove one about as he company cae😎

[@Tangeriine]

My great uncle Eric was killed MIA in one of these on the 2nd of September 1941, flying out of RAF Waddington on his 9th mission on a night sortie for 44squadron . Aircraft registration AE152. Tailcode "R". On a bombing mission several months earlier. On the 8th June ,41 after bombing Hamburg, his squadron was attacked by 5 ME109 over Zeiderzee in the Netherlands. He actually somehow, miraculously shoot one down and managed to make it back home to blighty. He received the DFM (Distinguished Flying Medal). I've been looking for years for a picture of the aircraft he always flew in AE152 and ultimately lost his life in. If anyone by some miracle ever happens upon one, I would dearly love to see it. They were all very brave men to fly this thing back in them days, that's for sure. My grandad often cried talking about him. Great video by the way sir. Very well presented. Thank you.

[@panagiotispotamitis9872]

I just want to write this down, the 3d model presentations have to be the smoothest thing I've seen from any historical channel out there (especially the one on this episode)

[@DaraM73]

An old friend of mine was a pilot of the Hampden during wwii on mine laying duties in the English Channel when he was shot down by flak over France. Crashing in a field, he was the only survivor due to the position of the cockpit. Later captured, he spent the rest of the war in prison camp stalag luft iii, and was part of the famous Great Escape.

[@grahamsmith3584]

I have just read an account of his life. Jack Lawrence?

[@DaraM73]

@@grahamsmith3584 Melville Carson, now passed away. Sadly, all the camp ephemera he kept was destroyed in a house fire.

[@danielprates2208]

I was wondering when this channel would do the Hampden. Rex's sometimes condescending delivery fits like a glove here!

[@robert-trading-as-Bob69]

The 'Flying Suitcase' did not get the recognition it deserved, so thanks for doing a video on the aircraft. Up-gunning the Hampden explains the RAFs initial dislike of the 'naked' Mosquito bomber.

[@nicolatesla9429]

I had the privilege to visit the Hampden at RAF Cosford some years ago. It is really something else when you see the real thing up close and personal. Thank you Rex, for another interesting video about an under-appreciated aircraft.

[@unick2569]

my grandfather joined the RAF in 1937 and the Hampden was his first aircraft,then 1941 went to the far east in Blenhims

[@Robutube1]

An impressive long-form post Rex. The 3D graphics you now employ are superb and allow for an easy appreciation of the type under discussion - congratulations to whoever does these for you. Tiny point - Hereford is pronounced herry-ford, rather than hare-ford. British pronunciations can be a minefield... even for the British (who else would pronounce Featherstonehaugh - an actual surname here - as Fanshaw)!

[@rjmun580]

As you say it's Herry-ford in the UK but in America the word in reference to cattle is pronounced Her-ford.

[@himoffthequakeroatbox4320]

@@rjmun580 But he's not a yank, so he should know better.

[@markrossow6303]

Cholmondeley = Chumley

[@Robutube1]

@@markrossow6303 Beauchamp = Powder ;-).

[@kerrygraham3544]

And another yet another pronunciation, heh - ruh - fuhd

[@davydatwood3158]

My grandfather was a mechanic with the Commonwealth Air Training Program - it's why my family is in Alberta, he decided to stay out West after the War - and I'm pretty sure he worked on Hampdens. Also, 408 Squadron still exists and is based just north of where I live. These days they fly helicopters and it's pretty common to see them flying over the northern parts of Edmonton and area. I knew they used to operate bombers but I didn't know about their connection to the Channel Dash!

[@johncarver3944]

408 Squadron was flying Hampdens in 1942 before beginning conversion to the Halifax that fall. The Squadron went operational with the Halifax as part of 6th Group (RCAF), RAF Bomber Command, in January 1943.

[@oldbloke204]

One of the first models I built as a kid and still one of my favourite aircraft. No logical reason why but there you go. Might have to try and get another one. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it.

[@alanmoss3603]

Valom do an excellent 1/72 Hampden for about 30 quid!

[@oldbloke204]

@@alanmoss3603 Yeah have to admit that I did a bit of googling myself. I have some very rare diecast models but it doesn't look like there are any 1/72 of the Hampden. Might have to look at finding someone to build one and pay them as I really don't have the facilities to do it myself these days. Cheers

[@raypurchase801]

@@alanmoss3603 Dammit, Airfix Hampden kits used to be 4s 6d in Woolworths

[@raypurchase801]

@@oldbloke204 Airfix did the kit back in the day.

[@jeffklepzig920]

Me too. I remember attaching the tail fins the wrong way around. I've got one in my stash complete with the little slip of paper to send if there's something missing. Not sure I have the heart to build it.

[@brettcoster4781]

Great video, about a good, not great, aircraft. One of the blokes from my hometown (Loch, Victoria), Bill Allen, was a navigator in 144 Squadron, flying Hampdens. He was on a plane returning from Germany on 11 April 1942 that ran out of fuel and was ditched off the English coast. Only the pilot survived. A few months later 144 flew their Hampdens to Russia, as you detail.

[@katrinapaton5283]

I recall reading one story where the fact the Hampden looked like the Do17 actually worked in its favour. Separated from its fellows it encountered an Me 109 which closed and checked it out before, presumably, deciding it was friendly and flying away again. This aircraft has long been one of my favorites as I feel its quite a beautiful beast.

[@kevintemple245]

Honestly, the Hampden possibly my favorite early bomber in War Thunder. Decent load out and handles beautifully.

[@Sturminfantrist]

The Havoc is the best, 2nd the Hudson but both are Prems

[@juanordonezgalban2278]

My favourite is the Br20. Good bombs, great defensive coverage, and the looks

[@bahnspotterEU]

@@Sturminfantrist Havoc is awesome. Amazing speed and good handling for a bomber.

[@Sturminfantrist]

@@bahnspotterEU not easy to catch by fighters, usual i bomb Car n light tank Columns from 4000m with up to 14 plus GT killed in one run, then i play fighter first the Bombers then going for fighters.

[@hammer1349]

​@@bahnspotterEU I can attest to the speed of the Havoc/A20G. Managed to get 300mph out of the A20G which amazed me considering I have a hard time getting that out of a mosquito in level flight

[@philsharp758]

Another great episode. Thank you. Being a nerd interested in minutae. Looking at the bomb loading at 29:27. Taken around about noon ( from the shadows) somebody designed and then manufactured the bomb trolleys. Pneumatic tyres with an excess of tyre bolts. Then at 34:27 we have solid rubber tyres and a scissor jack. Mundane items but essential for armament loading. Plus the flight crew member at 33:39 smoking a pipe, thinking "Ok the life raft will prevent drowning, but is there a waterproof pocket for my Virginia ready rubbed tobacco?"

[@tedse21]

The Wellington, The Hampden. Now the Whitley.

[@owenshebbeare2999]

The Wellington was pretty special, and not just it's construction.

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

Contrast the tapered high aspect ratio wings of the Wellington and Hampden (with H.P. slats!) with the unsophisticated fat barn door wing (initially without flaps) of the Whitley.

[@camdenharper7244]

I am so glad that you are one of the few aircraft KZbin channels I can count on to know wtf you are talking about

[@arno-luyendijk4798]

Flying tadpole......I had to cry from laughter, best plane nickname I ever heard, priceless!!

[@davidoneil6869]

Thank you for putting these video's out, I always look forward to them and learn a lot from them, again Thanks for your time and effort.

[@alanmcdonald5437]

I appreciate this documentary. History pays very little attention to this type of plane but the crews that served and died in them deserve to be remembered. On another note, were you referring to the German Baltic port of Kiel which I believe is pronounced similar to "Key" "All" ?

[@merobo5066]

I'd say "keel" as in the part of a ship would be a better pronunciation guide

[@pwmiles56]

Great as always. Hereford is pronounced "Heh-ref-ford" (it's a famous cathedral city). Kiel is pronounced "Keel". The p in Hampden is silent.

[@Phiyedough]

I was going to say the same. There was also an Austin car of the same name.

[@ianstobie]

Yup ˈhɛrɪfəd in IPA, three syllables not two, with the stress on the first.

[@BumroyV2]

25:11 "Soon to be known as 'Bomber Harris'..." If that's where Hbomberguy got his name, I'm gonna flip.

[@markmarco2880]

Impressive presentation, the result of obvious labor. Thanks for pacing the video so as to linger on the images, and the speech un-rushed. I quite enjoyed the whole production.

[@animalian01]

I have always loved the look of the Hampden,not the best aircraft for the crew, but good-looking. I always thought it would make a good heavy fighter, solid nose full of guns, one pilot, and one gunner/navigator, and one radioman/gunner. The tail boom would have needed strengthening, though

[@bernardedwards8461]

Much better to use a Mozzie! There was a fighter version of the Blenheim, but it wasn't much good.

[@animalian01]

@Bernard Edwards your right but early on in the war,there was no mozzie,and the Hampden was much bigger than a Blenhein so would of been better with the weight of the guns and ammunition

[@ryanwulfsohn2563]

@@animalian01 it would have been replaced fairly quickly by the Beaufighter, as the fighter versions of the Blenheim were in 1940/41. Then in 1942 you had the Mosquito entering service , by 1944 it had pretty much completely supplanted the Beaufighter in the night fighter and long-range day fighter/bomber roles and was also being used by Coastal Command though significant numbers of Beaus remained operational with coastal strike wings until the end of the war .

[@animalian01]

@Ryan Wulfsohn again you are correct however it would have been an interesting mark to have seen in the metal, don't you think

[@himoffthequakeroatbox4320]

Probably could have been a half decent night fighter, but before the need was apparent better things were available.

[@razor6888]

I have only seen one, and got up close .. I dont think there many intact anymore. But we can dream I suppose, meaning I would enjoy watching one go by on a flypast.

[@davidmartyn5044]

There is a Hampden being restored at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage centre UK. Its on long tern hold while they restore Lancaster NX611 to flying condition.

[@christopherbentley7289]

Thank you, Rex, for covering Britain's 'German' bomber. It suddenly makes me wonder if there were any captured examples that had Luftwaffe camouflage and marking applied. It would have looked a natural and any Dornier Do 17 Z crews would have felt right at home in one.

[@costello521]

I've read the book "The Last Escaper" by Peter Tunstall who was a Hampden pilot with No.49 Squadron based at RAF Scampton. This was the first squadron to receive the Hamden's in 1938. One of the things that Tunstall noted was that during training with this new type any pilot who was in any part other then the pilots seat had to be logged as "second pilot" even though that wasn't possible, physically or otherwise and had some funny episodes related to the planes chemical toilet. His book offers one of, other then the accounts from Guy Gibson the best record I'm personally aware of of both RAF training in the run up to the start of WW2 and operations with the Hampden's which where short to say the least seeing that No.49 Squadron transitioned to the Manchester by 1942.

[@gerrycoogan6544]

This is a tremendously educational video. I had never realised that the unsatisfactory Hampden was designed under such preposterous restrictions because of Britain's naïve adherence to League of Nations agreements. (P.S. As a Glaswegian who lived within walking distance of the world famous Hampden Park football stadium, I have never heard anybody pronounce the 'p' in Hampden! Everybody I've ever met, whether Scottish, English or otherwise, pronounces it as 'Ham-den')

[@lucaswallace7476]

"Should the pilot be killed or injured it would be almost impossible for someone to take their place." Ah yes, the War-Thunder accurate bomber.

[@SAHBfan]

The Hereford is pronounce “Herry ford” - not “Hair ford”. Sorry to be pedantic. Hereford - a city in Herefordshire ;) Great vid as usual.

[@Bengtssonsan]

Wonderful video! I would like to point out that the name of the city of Kiel in northern Germany is pronounced like "keel" as in the keel of a ship, not "kyle" My personal opinion is that important names, like Hampden, Helgoland and Kiel, should be written out on screen, especially if there is reason to doubt that the pronunciation is correct

[@johnjephcote7636]

I always assumed that 'Hereford' was pronounced 'Herryford'-as in the place and 'Herry-ford-shire'.

[@clivebrealey6795]

Heligoland

[@wirralnomad]

@@clivebrealey6795 Originally Helgoland whilst under both Danish and then British rule, Heligoland since we handed it over to Germany in 1890.

[@zippy5131]

East Kirkby in Linconshire, are rebuilding AE436 of 144 Squadron flown by Canadians. Saw it many years ago when I was a at RAF Conningsby on a course.

[@gitfoad8032]

Harris's nickname amongst flight crew was also 'Butch', from butcher, because of area bombing hitting all those areas familiar to the crew. *I remember this - "The wreckage of AE436 lay on the mountainside until rediscovered in 1976 by the Västernorrland Historical Society."

[@michaeltroster9059]

It looks like a overgrown toy that I had as kid that was made of balsa wood and powered by a rubber band.

[@honkhonkler7732]

I cant imagine crawling through this thing. Ive crawled through a B-25 and even that thing was cramped, especially to get to the nose.

[@heavyrads7554]

My uncle (well-suited to the Hampden as thin as a stick all his life) trained on the Hampden &, occasionally, Anson, Dec 1939-June 1940. In July - Dec 1940 he was on Ops with the Hampdens of 144 SQD, over Kiel on 4/7/42. He finished with the type as, ostensibly, a bombing Instructor in No. 14 OTU Cottesmore in 1941-42, but in May & June 1942, as per the video, the unit were involved in the "1000 bomber" raids over Essen & Cologne. In late 1942 he converted to heavy bombers (on Manchesters) & thence back to Ops on the Lancaster thereafter.

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

Are you lying about your name?

[@jameslawrie3807]

Video request: Would it be possible to do a video on the evolution of bombsights? A lot of the tactics and strategies especially in The Second World War really hinge on the technological ability of the available bombsights. Especially in The Battle of France low level, level flight strikes against German columns guarded by heavy flak seems insanity but not having dive bombers the Royal Air Force and the Armée de l'Air especially had no other choice and took heavy losses.

[@ghengiscant538]

When i was an apprentice fitter back in the fifties many of my mentors were ex services of course . One ex R.A.F. aircrew chap who had flown in Hampdens , described it as a flying coffin .

[@BruceGCharlton]

I would have hated to fly in a Hampden on a long mission - or maybe at all. Inescapably cramped, claustrophobic - nightmare stuff... But I wonder if the Hampden would have been more of a success if it had anticipated some of the Mosquito ideas - i.e. dispense with the two rear gunners and their guns, to save weight and improve streamlining - especially since single flexible-mount 303 machineguns (the original armament) were defensively all-but useless (and anyway not needed for night bombing in the early war). Presumably this would have increased speed and/or bomb capacity significantly. But it required the genius of De Haviland to make this kind of quantum leap - and his concept was not believed until the prototype Mosquito easily outran a Spitfire.

[@peterconnan5631]

Beautiful! Location, plane, photography, everything.

[@brianseward9099]

I built a model of a Hampden a few years ago. Definitely a neat looking plane. Great video !

[@davidcruz8667]

Well, it's kinda cute actually... good looking though quirky plane. You have to consider that these are the people who gave us the Harrier, the Mini Cooper, and Rolls Royce products. Quintessential British maintenance and survival nightmares.

[@sidbostek4415]

Rex: “The fuselage was made 1 inch taller and about 2 inches wider” The crew: “THANK GOD!” 😂

[@rjmun580]

That was to get another man in.

[@mpetersen6]

The cutaway drawing makes the fuselage appear much more spacious than it actually was. I take it the cutaway is from Flight. They always had outstanding cutaways.

[@johnholt890]

Great work minor points the p is completely silent in Hampden and Hereford is pronounced Heh-ruh-fudh, and Kiel is pronounced Keel - the eccentricities of the English language !

[@michaelperry4308]

My father in law was an apprentice at the Rail works in Derby and was so skinny it was his job to paint inside the tail section of the fuselage of Hampden bombers, it was so tight he had to shorten the handle of the brush to do it.

[@williamscoggin1509]

Have to watch this and a couple of different sessions, I don't watch anything an hour-long unless it has directly to do with my everyday life. Went ahead and gave you a thumbs up there because I like this stuff.

[@1960alftupper]

A good documentary ,but some strange pronunciation Kiel is Keel, Hereford is Here…ford not Herford.

[@AG9229]

Herrofud.

[@gerardhogan3]

I really enjoy listening to you Rex. Great research and lots of information I never knew. Your work is sensational...

[@HarborLockRoad]

As someone who builds scratch models of cardboard, let me state that the most difficult thing with this aircraft is the outer wing panels. The angle they attend outside of the engine nacelles precludes the useage of any spar that runs the length of the entire wing. Thus, expect sag in your models old age! 😁👍

[@quovadis5036]

excellent review of a little known plane

[@migueldelacruz4799]

That poor airplane needs a hug. It did it's best but was somehow to awkward to be great at anything.

[@kiplingslastcat]

This aircraft is oddly beautiful! It brings out the fascination in me.

[@williamgeorgefraser]

As a kid I used to build Airfix models of planes. The Hampden was my favourite due to its sleek lines. Maybe not the greatest bomber but beautiful nonetheless.

[@robertdragoff6909]

Interesting looking aircraft…. I’m surprised that no one at HP didn’t say, “gee, this is a good plane, but let’s see if we could make it better….” Then make the fuselage longer and thicker, not to mention wider, and maybe use some Rolls Royce Merlin engines….. But they didn’t and this plane’s life span ended in obscurity. Good video

[@TheLocomotionFan]

Kiel isnt pronounced like Kyle but rather the english Word Keel (a Ship Keel)

[@shawnr771]

The mission to destroy the aquaduct was one of the most vitally important missions in 1940. The ships, boats and barges were moving supplies for Operation Sea Lion. Many of thecraft were also sea worthy enough to cross the channel and remained in the port cities for use in the invasion. There were several attempts to destroy the aquaduct and the area was heavily defended. Guy Gibson of the Dam Busters was in this unit. He was given the night off during the raid.

[@Uncle_T]

A neat little bomber with some fun and interesting design choices. I'm surprised they didn't call it the Dragonfly. :)

[@elgato9445]

Tomas.. you are spot on. Dragon fly would have been a great moniker.

[@hammer1349]

There was already a plane by the name of dragonfly at the time, built by DeHavilland, was a twin engine luxury biplane

[@annoyingbstard9407]

That would have been a good name! I may be mistaken but I think British bombers were all named after towns or cities. Until the mosquito at least.

[@timp3931]

I like the pod and boom configuration, it seems efficient in it's own way. I thought the builders could have wrung a little more speed out of it with say 1500 HP engines - could have been a pre-mosquito?

[@JohnnyWrongo-b9l]

They have one of these at Langley BC, in Canada. I stood in front of this beast for a very long time, amazed at how narrow the cockpit and fuselage was. it is a very strange looking plane looking at it head on.

[@barryrudge1576]

My education of WW2 and earlier aircraft started with Airfix models way back in 1957. By 1960 there was a considerable number in the model range andThe likes of the Stirling, Lancaster and Halifax bombers were 17 shilling & 6 pence (87.5p) I think the Hampden was under ten shillings (50p) it was a great little model and as someone else says, 'quirky'. With the pegasus engines, which were on the Airfix model the aircraft looked right but looked clumsy with the Hereford.

[@davidallen2058]

A friend of mine was a crew member on a Hampden. He flew to Murmansk during the war trying to attack the Tirpitz.

[@judet2992]

They’re quirky, I like ‘em.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

In 1932 B in an Air Ministry specification was for Medium Bombers and P was for Light Bombers. Specification B.9/32 lead to the Wellington and Hampden, whilst Specification P.27/32 brought forth the Fairey Battle amongst other aircraft. A few later in 1936 B was for Heavy Bombers (B.12/36 brought forth the Short Stirling) and P was for Medium Bombers (P.13/36 brought forth the Avro Manchester and the Handley Page HP.56)

[@AonghasMcTavish]

I've actually been to the hampden at the Canadian museum of flight, it's a small but respectable aircraft, interestingly it has a mock torpedoe with it.

[@xcharke3126]

Only part of the way through the vid, and I already LOVE IT. you make such amazing videos, please, never stop.

[@tramlink8544]

Kiel by the way is pronounced as Keel, like the Keel of a ship, not Kyle

[@annoyingbstard9407]

Quite a few comments suggesting the Hampden looked similar to German bombers of the period. Handley Page’s chief designer at the time was Gustav Lachman who was, as the name suggests, German. He had quite an interesting career - particularly once war was declared when, after being shipped to and from various camps, he was “allowed” to continue his design work for Handley Page from a prison cell.

[@johnharris6655]

The B-52 also has a very Narrow Fuselage for an aircraft of it's size. The Reduced weight of the Fuselage allows for bigger wings which can carry more fuel and a bigger bomb load. Someone did a Video about turning the B-52 into a commercial Airliner like the Russian TU-95 Bear Bomber, but due to the Narrow Fuselage , it would be limited in the passengers it could carry.

[@sadwingsraging3044]

What is up with the radio operators being such Mad Lads? And burns! I am reminded of Henry Eugene Erwin who picked up a phosphorus grenade rally signal flare that he dropped through a tube so all the other B-29 aircraft could then find and follow his Pathfinder designated plane. As soon as he dropped it they hit a hard turbulence wake and the thing shot back up into the aircraft onto the aluminum floor right above the bomb bay. Knowing this to be somewhat problematic he reached down, grasp the several thousand degree item, and proceed to the cockpit with it. Somewhere along the way his hand was for some reason no longer able to perform its duties but Mr Erwin had no intentions of letting such a small matter deter him from _his_ duties so he adjusted the piece of the Sun he had in his failing hand so that he could then wedge it between what was left of his hand and his rib cage. Now firmly nestled between some strong bones he then trip continued his trip to the cockpit. Upon reaching his destination he, politely mind you, asked the amazed pilot if he would mind opening up his window so that the offending item could then be tossed out of their machine. His duty now being discharged Mr Henry Eugene Erwin no doubt felt he had earned a bit of rest time and withdrew from the cockpit so as to not bother the command crew who rather promptly decided that saving the life of Mr Erwin was worth far _far_ more important than dropping their ordinance over their assigned target so they quickly aborted their mission and returned to base. After reaching the base Mr Erwin was rushed to the hospital and the doctors, after removing any still burning phosphorus, began dealing with the other issues that had been inflicted upon their patient from his waist to the quite severely melted face of our dear hero. Their prognosis was, in a word, poor and they did not think that their devastated charge would be among the living for much longer. This set off a chain of events almost as amazing as the deeds of our honorable subject. Somewhere it was decided that Mr Henry Eugene Erwin was deserving of being decorated for his actions with a Congressional Medal of Honor and it was also decided that Mr Erwin should receive this honor while he was still among the living so that he knew just how much admiration and respect his actions had well and truly earned from his fellow citizens. The order being given and the dwindling time frame allowed to successfully complete it the search for such a medal was started. Needless to say such things aren't just laying around at the forward areas awaiting their recipients so after some fast research it was determined that such a medal was locked in a display case inside the offices of an Admiral I believe. Don't quote me on the rank or even the Service of the officer who was tasked with securing the medal but there it was none the less sitting locked inside and said Officer could not be found... At this point another Mad Lad said to hell with this he can't put me in front of a firing squad and promptly busted into the case and technically stealing the medal so that it's long trip could then begin by air on its way to where it actually belonged. What happened to the man who decided to procure the medal is unknown by me and not germain to this story but it is an interesting part of this story so I felt it must be told. Needless to say the mission was accomplished and Mr Henry Eugene Erwin received his medal while still inside his mortal coil then he proceeded to thankfully _remain_ shackled to his ravaged and melted earthly coil to continue his journey among the living. After months of care and reconstruction surgeries to somewhat repair our hero it was felt that he might be able to return back home and handed of to his wife whom he had married just prior to beginning his service. The prospect of which our hero was decidedly dreading because let's face it as he himself had faced it, he was a monster. While reconstruction techniques were advancing they were still limited and a face exposed to the very fires of hell is not something that can be easily repaired and at this point his already staggering ordeal and his reconstruction surgeries was not fully completed. To say that Mr Erwin would have much rather walked back into the surgeons room that to walk up before his new young wife is an understatement. A sentiment he admitted to dreading worse than anything he had already been through but as with all things that fateful day had finally arrived and he, melted face and all, was meekly led before his wife so that she could again meet her once handsome and debonair lover. The shock put upon this lady was quite considerable. So much so that it wasn't within her to deal with it so she had to kiss the cheek that wasn't a horribly ruined mess before she took her hero home to begin a life long and loving care under her strong and magnificent presence.🥲

[@joevanseeters2873]

A similar concept was used in the Vietnam conflict with the Cobra. They took a Huey and made the fuselage about as narrow as the Hamden, maybe even narrower?. From the front view, the two fuselages look similar with that very narrow design. The idea in Vietnam with the Helicopter was to make the fuselage as narrow as possible as to have much less of a footprint for other aircraft or anti-aircraft fire to hit, in relation to the standard Huey.

[@syaqsakma81]

I just love British sarcastic whilst still classy commentary.. 😄

[@Shipnerd194]

Haven't watched much but it's so far good! Well done!

[@ROBERTN-ut2il]

The torpedoes carried would have been Mark XI Year: 1934 Aircraft carried Dimensions: 17.72 in (450 mm) dia. Warhead: 465 lb (211 kg) TNT Propulsion: Burner cycle Performance: 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) for 2,500 yd (2,300 m) Mark XI Designed 1935 In service 1937-1945 Mass 1,548 lb (702 kg) Length 16 ft 3 in (4.95 m) Diameter 17.72 in (450 mm) Warhead TNT Warhead weight 388 lb (176 kg) Engine Burner cycle 140 hp (at 40 knots) Maximum speed 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph) for 1,500 yd (1,400 m) or 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph) for 3,500 yd (3,200 m)

[@mikestanmore2614]

It looks fine from the side, but from the top you can see the crew's arms hanging out the sides. 🙂

[@Tedjenkins55]

The hampden was also known as the flying pan handle.

[@soggycracker5934]

I guess that's a sponsor that fits well.

[@hawnyfox3411]

Regarding John Hannah @ 40:03 = His sister later wrote, after he died (post-war), that "John died from the (remainder) lifetime thereafter, of the complications caused BY THE SCARRING OF HIS LUNGS" (due to Fire & inhalation damage) She'd tell of his difficulty breathing (which obviously made him very miserable, inevitably) Saddens me greatly that John never got to lead the FULL long 'healthy / happy' life, he might otherwise have had.

[@gar6446]

Made an airfix model of this as a kid. It was tiny.

[@jlvfr]

It was a beautifull-looking aircraft... but that cockpit is so narrow it looks like a fighter's!

[@Revolver1701]

I’m too light for heavy work and too heavy for light work. 😂

[@MagnusVictor2015]

As an aside, I like how the illustration around 40:20 shows an aircraft interior that is much, much larger than that of the Hampden.