The Handley Page Hampden; A Plane for Fat Shaming

One of the key British bombers at the start of the war, the Hampden is eclipsed by it's more successful equivalent, the Vickers Wellington, and the later four-engine "heavies".
But it is worth remembering for the role it played in developing the RAF's experience and methods during WW2.
Sources for this video can be found at the relevant article on:
militarymatter...
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[@angusmcangus7914]

My father flew Hampdens in WW2 with 50 Sqn RAF out of RAF Lindholme and clocked up 32 'ops'. Later he was on Mosquito Pathfinders with 109 Sqn out of Little Staughton, Wyton and Marham.

[@davidpope3943]

I remember reading that it was essential that Hampden & Hereford pilot’s kept on good terms with the ground crews, since the essential equipment provided for the pilot when a pee was desperately needed could be ‘compromised’ ~ i.e. the rubber pipe that ran from the cockpit to exit (I believe) near the ventral gunners position could mysteriously develop a knot, leading to ~ well, you can work that out for yourselves……

[@raypurchase801]

YES I've read that too!

[@michaelmckinnon7314]

That was generally done by the ground crew who loved working on Hampdens and Herefords.

[@lotharvonrichthofen4474]

Awesome!!

[@thefreedomguyuk]

You always respect the ground crews. Your life depend on them. And if necessary, just pee on the floor.

[@Tomg32b]

In 1932, the Operational Requirement was actually an ability to bomb Paris! (c.175 miles from the south of England). A round trip of about 90 minutes for the Hampden. Hardly a strain on the bladder. Commuted 90 minutes each way for years. No real need to move around either.

[@TheophilusPWildbeest]

4 years from the Heyford to the Hampden, and 11 years from the Lancaster to the Vulcan. Incredible work.

[@dukecraig2402]

Isn't that amazing? In less than 20 years they went from all metal aircraft being "the latest thing" to jet aircraft easily capable of breaking the sound barrier on a routine flight. The advancements in that era are mind boggling.

[@TheophilusPWildbeest]

@@dukecraig2402 Yes, and that 11 years I mentioned was from the first flight of the Lancaster to the first flight of the Vulcan. Incredible.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@TheophilusPWildbeest Once the jet engine came into play and they figured out the problems of passing through trans-sonic flight everything just busted wide open. From all metal skinned aircraft to aircraft that could break the sound barrier like it was never a problem in just 20 years, incredible. My grandmother was born in 1900, one of her son's my uncle Joe retired from working in the space program at Cape Canaveral, she was born 3 years before the first airplane flew and her son was involved in the space program from Mercury through the International Space Station, imagine the changes she saw in her lifetime by the time she passed away at the age of 101, I think that much change in my life would scare me to death, I'm still trying to adapt to the information age, my phone can do things I still can't figure out what they're for, heck I can watch movies on my phone, it's crazy. When they put The Terminator on KZbin for free I posted the comment "In 1984 did you ever think that one day you'd be watching this movie on your phone?", I've had some pretty good replies to that one including.

[@faunbudweis]

Handley Page built Halifaxes and Victors, Lancs and Vulcans were Avro

[@ericm.1245]

My uncle was a wireless air gunner in a Hampden, flying meteorological missions for coastal command during the war. On September 8, 1943 the plane never returned and the crew was declared missing in action My uncle Wes was 21 years young.

[@matube73]

The man who taught me to fly flew RAAF 455 sqn Hampden in WW2. He was a legend and was involved in the Hampden handover ferry flights to Russia.

[@robbudden]

Wow, you're kidding, that is amazing, did he fly in Russia? or just beaufighters? the two 455 books are some of my favourite books. going to Norway next year and hoping to go to some of the locations.

[@robbudden]

I just re read my message. did he just.... that would be a titanic understatement.

[@duncanhamilton5841]

My Great Uncle's first tour of ops was tail gunner on Wellingtons. I remember him telling me that when assigned squadrons after completing air gunnery training, the Wellington and Whitley gunners felt sorry for the lads assigned to Hampdens.

[@foreverpinkf.7603]

The tadpole bomber.

[@leerogers6423]

My Grandfather told me that although it was considered fast the Hampden wasn't popular with the crews . Cramped , cold , and it looked too much like a German aircraft. Being on oxygen in a cold aircraft was he said, the worst cold he had ever experienced, it went right to your core. Another well researched and presented video Ed.

[@wossisname4540]

Apparently pipe containing hot water was provided for sticking down a boot as a spot of limited comfort. My father (42 Squadron, Scampton & Fiskerton) hated them.

[@jimspackman8527]

Thanks Ed. My grandfather was a navigator in these with Coastal Command, he was with 489 RNZAF between May and December 1943. On arrival he was told that his chance of surviving his tour was 17%. As it was, he didn't complete his tour, after 15 missions the Squadron got nice new Beaufighters so he shipped out to a Liberator Squadron where he saw out the rest of the war.

[@scottythedog8829]

Guy Gibson's book, "enemy Coast ahead" gives a fascinating insight into how Hampdens were used in the early War period, tactics and losses being both appalling. My grandad was an instrument fitter on Hampdens around this time, thank you Ed for making this video because the Hampden has been largely forgotten , but was a major type in Bomber Command and was used extensively, if somewhat ineffectively.

[@tomt373]

The fact that it was very narrow and when the pilot got hit, with no co-pilot, it made it nearly impossible to wrestle and work around the fact you had a causality blocking your access to effectively flying the airplane in the heat of combat.

[@jonathansteadman7935]

@@tomt373 I think there was basic controls in the nose position.

[@tomt373]

@@jonathansteadman7935 Like the basic controls in the bombardiers position in the B-17, just enough to make some adjustments here and there, but not enough to deal with an engine outage, etc.

[@Sajuuk]

So many of these old pre-1939 designs ended up being Messerschmitt-fodder...

[@SpeckleKen]

@@tomt373 They had a procedure for crew behind the Hampden pilot to hinge down the back of his seat, leaving enough room to sit beside his now prostate body, affording okay access to the control column, throttles, etc., and they trained for this. However, getting his feet off the rudder pedals and your own on was very difficult, and eventually they decided it was too difficult for most operational situations.

[@noahwail2444]

The winter 1942-1943 was very cold in Denmark, and ice was packed high in the Wadensea, a wast tidal area. A Hampden crashed there, i belive all hands lost, and the germans stationed in the area tried in vane to locate it, but failed. My granddad was a postal-skipper in the area, and used to find his way around beeing fog, dark, rain or storm, found it, so he and his oldest son, my dad, about 10 at the time, went out with a sleigh and a couple of axes, chopped the plane down to "bitesized chunks", and stored it in my granddads ship and a few places ashore. As the ice withdrew, he sailed it to the neares town, and sold it for scrap. My dad kept the perplex nose, and used it for a greenhouse

[@Pete-tq6in]

That perspex nose would probably be worth quite a lot of money now!

[@robboltwood]

War stories with mark Felton has an excellent recount of the bridge busting hampdens, highly recommend

[@jonathansteadman7935]

Reminds me of the story of an airman who was an air gunner on Hampdens. He was seen looking through the changing rooms when he was thought to be on an operation. He said, yes he was, but had forgotten his gloves and was looking for them. On the return of the bombers after the mission he was found to have actually been on the mission, but had been killed. The crew said he had been saying his hands were too cold to fire the machine guns due to the fact he'd forgotten his gloves.

[@rogerkay8603]

Spooky....

[@Demun1649]

Yeh?? Not one I believe in.

[@deltavee2]

@@Demun1649 Look up the book "The Airmen That Wouldn't Die" about the dead crew of the crashed British airship R-101. They were pretty active for a bunch of dead aircrew.

[@Demun1649]

@@deltavee2 Read it, failed to be convinced. And why? Because I don't believe in the "psychics". The book that did work for me was "Death by Design" by Peter Beale, which is about the massive mistakes made by the British government in WW2 that cost tens of thousands of lives. Peter Beale was a tank commander throughout the war, and can be believed, especially since he mentions my dad's regiment at one critical moment. But that book is historical and non-fiction. The one you mention is neither.

[@deltavee2]

@@Demun1649 Chacun a son gout, Dave. I've done enough research and info collecting over the past 20 years that there is no doubt in my mind. I find it perfectly credible but we all come to our conclusions by different paths. No right, no wrong, just different experiences. Cheers

[@xfirehurican]

Excellent account of an otherwise forgotten airframe. BRAVO ZULU!

[@michaeltelson9798]

I worked with someone who worked on Heyfords. The RAF wasn’t allowed to get rid of them at the beginning of WWII. So they sent them up to a base in Scotland just before a hurricane was to strike. The ground crews “forgot” to tie them down. So when the storm strike the bombers tried to fly on their own with predictable results.

[@timonsolus]

Genius! 😆

[@428ghost]

I was inside the Hampden in BC around 2005. They hadn't restored the interior then, it was just a shell, but even without the interior components you really got a sense for how cramped it was inside. I had a hard time imagining flight crews in heavy jackets moving around in there unless they were Hobbits.

[@tonybuckley950]

Certainly in 1954 there was a crated Hampden at the edge of the airfield at RAAF Fairburn, Canberra. I cleaned its machine guns, but was later told it had been scrapped by a tidy minded base commander.

[@ray.shoesmith]

I'm 52. When I was a sprog ATC one of my senior instructors was a wartime RAF navigator. He told us he saw a Hampden literally snap in half during a hard landing one day

[@None-zc5vg]

Some Hampdens were fitted with troublesome 24-cylinder engines and were named "Herefords": Guy Gibson, who flew Hampdens in raids against the German invasion barges in 1940, expressed contempt for the "Hereford", calling it a "24-cylinder masterpiece" in his book "Enemy Coast Ahead".

[@christoffermonikander2200]

A lovely plane and one of the forgotten workhorses of the war. I always felt it was a pity more was not done to convert it to a night-fighter/gunship. With a radar and the glass nose replaced by a plethora of fixed cannons/mgs it would have become a terror in the night-sky or against ground-targets.

[@jonathansteadman7935]

That would make a good 'what if' kit bash.

[@jimdavis8391]

The Beaufighter slid happily into that role.

[@alessiodecarolis]

I read that there was a proposal, before the war, for an heavy fighter based on it, but the fast progress of aircrafts' technology voided the idea.

[@andrewholburn3094]

@@jimdavis8391 Belatedly dipping over and under the twin humps of the Blenheim and Defiant. First AI?

[@Jadyra]

Thank you for a very informative video on one of WW2 planes. I found out recently that my uncle had served in the RCAF during the conflict and he was navigator on one of these planes. While he and his fellows were lost in 42, it was informative to find out how long the plane was used by the RAF, and other details. For all who have served, thank you. For all that still do serve, My profound thanks.

[@AnonNomad]

I always thought the Hampden was a beautiful looking aircraft.

[@BHuang92]

Compare to other bombers at the time, the Hampden looks like a racer!

[@trance_trousers]

I agree. It's a fine looking aeroplane, very sleek and slender.

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

Good that you've mentioned it; I thought I was the only "pervert" here. 🙂 I always thought the Hampden looks like someone put a Bf110 rear fuselage to fit onto an A-20 forward fuselage, both of which are beautiful aircraft on their own.

[@ruypavancardim7512]

Built for speed, with very small drag thanks to efforts in reducing wetted area, but slowed down because of the frontal/wetted area, weight and drag of defensive guns. Lightened, even more streamlined by deleting all that blubber, warts and love handles, and equiped with Merlins, the Hampden might have been something like an aluminium alloy Mosquito.

[@Pete-tq6in]

@@ruypavancardim7512, the Merlin wouldn't have worked in the Hampden, the dry weight of a Merlin was 1,640lb's versus the Pegasus's 1,111lb's, then there's the issue with the cooling systems which would have to have been accommodated somewhere on the machine, the centre of gravity would be well out with an additional 1000lb's hanging off the leading edges and the re-engineering required for the design would have been prohibitive. It's the same reason that there was never a Westland Whirlwind powered by a Merlin. The Napier Daggers fitted to the HP Hereford were a couple of hundred pounds heavier than the Pegasus but they were air cooled and in any case, the Hereford was a failure on account of its engines.

[@aussievaliant4949]

I didn’t realise the wartime losses of Hampdens was so high. An under appreciated workhorse I think.

[@bofoenss8393]

Anti shipping missions were dangerous due to the German escort vessels being heavily armed with various calibres of AA guns. Also, a large portion of the Hampden's sorties were mine laying off Norway and in the inner Danish waters. Flying alone at night at medium height, you were an easy target for enemy night fighters being vectored on to you. The German radar facilities on the Danish west coast were quite effective and many planes were lost over Denmark after being spotted by radar over the North Sea.

[@javiergilvidal1558]

What a good video, with extremely detailed, crisp, large sized pictures! Congratulations! Now where did I put that 1968 Airfix relic in my stash? The kit and the video just BEG for some super-detailing. Thank you, thank you very much, Ed!

[@FutureSystem738]

I had one of these at about the same time, along with most other WW2 Airfix models.

[@jonsouth1545]

If they had ditched the bomb bay and rear turrets using the space for radar and put a couple of 20mm cannons in the front it would have been a very good night fighter.

[@prowlus]

i think the raf had the havoc for that

[@josephking6515]

But the Beaufighter had *4* x 20mm canons plus *6 x .303* machineguns. Far better armament that just 2 x 20mm canons.

[@spitefulwar]

Luftwaffe pilots nicknamed the Hampden the "Scheunentor" (Barndoor) because it was so easy to hit to tremendous effect.

[@brianmackenzie5692]

My father trained on torpedo equipped Hampdens in Canada (Empire Air Training Scheme) as a Navigator/Observer.

[@oldbloke204]

Thanks for the video. A Hampden model was the first plastic kit I built when I was a kid and I've had a soft spot for them ever since. Must get another one.

[@rogueriderhood1862]

The first Hampden I built was the very basic Frog kit in 1/96 scale. Always liked the aircraft, and I have a couple of the AZ Models kits in the stash which I will build (one day!)

[@alessiodecarolis]

Effectively it was really slim, I had either its model and the Wellington one, from Airfix, and it's incredible how the fuselage was tight, compared to the latter, sometimes, if the pilot had been incapacitated, it was very difficult replace him in that cockpit!😢

[@grahamariss2111]

As a concept it was very much the same as that of the German bombers with the Do17 being particular similar, but all having a similar approach of adopting a light defensive armament to gain speed in the belief that would enable them to avoid interception.

[@timonsolus]

I think the concept would have worked against the Italians in 1940-41. Their most common fighter at the time was the Fiat CR.42 biplane, with a top speed of only 274 mph. The extra range and bombload of the Hampden would have made it more useful than the Blenheim in North Africa.

[@greggravitas5849]

Thanks again Ed for another thoroughly researched and thoroughly interesting video. Your's is one of the best military aviation channels, keep up the great work.

[@Perktube1]

The most famous use of Hamdens in my mind was in bombing of the German aqueducts that delayed and eventually stopped Hitler's Operation Sea Lion. 😉 Thanks Mark Felton War Stories.

[@benwilson6145]

Operation Sea Lion was never a real possibility.

[@ratofvengence]

Another well researched and interestingly presented video. Thanks, I enjoy your work :)

[@gordonfrickers5592]

Thank you for this interesting video of a largely forgotten aircraft of which those I grew up with, the adults who were veterans, said, 'best forgotten'. My Mother's first husband flew Hampdens as a navigator & bomb aimer so she had quite a bit to say about Hampdens and a huge admiration for the RAF. She nor others I knew ever pronounced the name as Mr Nash does, 'Hamp-den', always as 'Hamden'. That's not to say Mr Nash is wrong. Its to repeat what those people said for your interest. What I was told about Hampdens includes the following, make of it what you will. Despite the promotion of the 'planes 'benefits', the crews regarded them as death traps. Due to the very narrow fuselage men especially big men like a certain Scot, Flight Sergeant McLaren, found near impossible to bail out from. The worst position was for the navigator when bomb aiming, a time when the 'plane was highly likely to be exposed to flak. Keep in mind, far more 'planes were lost to flak on both sides, than to fighters. The navigator had to enter the gondola via a narrow tube which made exiting in a crashing plane impossible, certain death. My Mother's first husband flew a full tour then volunteered for another tour. During the second tour he and his crew were told, 3 more sorties and you will get a new Wellington. As the 'Wellie' was a far superior, sturdier, safer, machine, they were immensely pleased to be getting out of Hampdens. Their luck ran out. On their next mission a flak ship got them while they were dropping mines outside a German harbour. Only the pilot got out alive and he died 2 weeks later in a German hospital. The bodies of the rest of the crew have never been found. You can find their names written in gold among the very very long list of RAF aircrew lost on the RAF Memorial at Runnymede, look for Flight Sergeant McLaren. This left my Mother with a very young child, a widow on war rations. Mind you if the 'old man' had lived to see what sort of man his son Michael Ian Bruce would become, he'd probably have died of shame. My Mother lived near airbases for several years so became very familiar with the RAF and later, USAF heavy bombers. Later she found work as a beautician in Edinburgh where she met a handsome, bright Army lieutenant who survived D Day and Monty's tour to Germany. They remarried and she lived most of her life well cared for and very happily after.

[@ericadams3428]

HP's Chief designer from 1932 was Gustav Lachmann (German) who worked on both the Harrow and Hampden, he was interned during the war but still carried on working for HP from Lingfield prison.

[@HarborLockRoad]

Sounds very Stalin- esque.

[@ericadams3428]

It's sounds worse than it was. Initially he was sent to Canada as an enemy alien as was thought by MI5 to be a risk, but HP wanted him back. He was granted British nationality in 1949 .

[@SAHBfan]

Lachman was a talented aircraft designer, though… it is believed by many that the reason the first marks of the Halifax were such Lemons is because they pulled Lachmann off the project and interned him, leaving underlings to complete the design. Apparently HP were desperate for him to work on the rudder stalling problem that plagued the Halifax. Not sure where fact stops and internet myth takes over with this one…

[@jamesbugbee9026]

Love your stuff & voice, Ed Nash; always felt the Hampden was 1 of the 4 'originals' in the early experimental (no navaids) bombing campaign (the others being Whitley & Wellington, w/ Blenheim in there 2 blur the slaughter of Battles, but U know all this ❤️). Hope U live long & ever enjoy your work.

[@ftargr]

wonderful presentation sir

[@dorkf1sh]

I'm not normally a fan of British design aesthetics, but the lines of this aircraft are quite fetching. Thanks for an informative review of a very arcane design.

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

I loved this plane when I used to play war thunder. Cheers Ed

[@keithwwalker]

I visited the Hampden in British Columbia, I would not describe it as complete. It is basically a shell and I suspect many of its panels are non-aeronautical grade sheet aluminum to close up the structure. Years ago, snow broke the wing attachment on one side. It has no motors (cowlings are there), avionics, or weapons. This example needs an indoor building for long term restoration.

[@jackroutledge352]

It's amazing how quickly tactics had to change in WW2. At the beginning, fast bombers looked like they woul rule the roost. Then fighters gained a lot of speed, and only large bombers with heavy defensive fire power could get through. Then aircraft like the Mosquito came along, and proved once more that speed is life. By the end of the war, jets were about to switch the situation on its head again.

[@JGCR59]

The Hampden had a pretty "german" configuration with the crew positions and roles being almost identical to the Do-17

[@robertwarner5963]

Not really. Hampden's narrow fuselage impeded communication between crew members. RAF crews were alone until landing. The cockpit was too cramped to swap out (all but the smallest of) pilots during long missions. OTOH German bomber crews (Do.17 and Jun.88) were within arm's reach and could move about the cabin during flight. Junkers 88 had twin rear-firing dorsal machine guns that were close enough that gunners could swap magazines, cigarettes, etc. during battle.

[@1bert719]

I always feel the Martin Baltimore shared a lot of the same ideas, narrow fuselage and crew positions being very similar. Like the Americans updated the concept with an orthodox tail unit.

[@christopherbentley7289]

Yes, you are right there, but I note previous replies make reference to the wider scope for switching positions in the cabin in the case of the Do 17 Z. I understand that there were several instances of friendly fire resulting from this superficial similarity, although, in plan form certainly, the Do 17 Z is clearly different from the Hampden, so that friendly fire must have come from side on.

[@benwilson6145]

Handley Page had a German aircraft designer in the 30's

[@Caseytify]

Reminds me of the Martin Maryland/Baltimore, while the top view looks like a Bf 110. The A-20 had a similar narrow fuselage. I still can't believe Handley Page produced, and the RAF paid for a biplane in 1934. That's just one year before the Boeing Model 299 flew!

[@harryspeakup8452]

LOL, there were still new Gladiators being delivered into front line service in 1938, and Swordfish until 1944

[@IntrospectorGeneral]

The Gustav Lachmann-designed Hampden's tail boom rear fuselage draws on an earlier Lachmann design, the highly distinctive Handley Page HP-47, which was a competitor for a General Purpose airceaft, won by the Vickers Wellesley, which itself proved the geodetic frame construction technique used in the Vickers Wellington bomber. Definitely.the golden age of rapid aircraft development. An early leading edge slat patent conflict between Frederick Handley Page and Gustav Lachmann was resolved by a gentlemanly meeting, an agreement to share patent rights, a consultant position eventually leading to Lachmann becoming chief designer and, later, head of design for HP. Lachmann worked for HP until 1965, and was co-designer of the innovative crescent wing of the Handley Page Victor b-bomber.

[@dustpanandthebrush5293]

Truly a beautiful aeroplane always loved the weird profile of the Hampden , one crashed near me in Snowdonia a fair bit of wreckage left including a section of the three foot wide fuselage

[@perrydowd9285]

I've always felt that The Hampden's good performance stats contributed more to its losses than any engineering factor. On paper it could do anything, so they tried to use it for everything, in the most high performance theatre of war for far too long. Of course this is easy to see with hindsight. Fantastic video Ed. It's a captivating aircraft. I couldn't take my eyes from the screen. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@georgec7899]

As a 7 year old child witnessed a friendly fire incident of the coast at North Berwick whe Spitfires from Drem air station shot down 2 Hampdens of the coast in east Lothian in 1939

[@robgraham5697]

I didn't know much about the Hampden than it existed. Thanks for filling in gaps in my knowledge.

[@samrodian919]

Thanks for that. I didn't know much about the Hampden, now I know ten times as much! I'm going to the Lincs Aviation Heritage Centre in a few weeks time to see Just Jane, and I will certainly look at the Hampden whilst I'm there.

[@leroyholm9075]

Always liked the look and built a kit as a schoolboy. With 20mm cannons it might have been a better gunship.

[@Ob1sdarkside]

I really like the look of this airplane, although the crew accommodation reminds me of long trips in the back of my mom's car, once you were in that was it till the end of the trip.

[@redesert_boy8202]

Thanks for a great documentary on another important aircraft critical to the WWII allies victory.

[@quadri31]

I've always loved the look of these beauties. I didn't know the fuselage was only 3 feet wide, that sounds absurd but makes sense

[@brettcoster4781]

One of the RAAF blokes from my small town in Gippsland, Victoria, was a Hampden navigator in 144 Squadron. He was lost on a bombing mission to Germany in 1941, just a month or so prior to the Russian venture along with 455 RAAF squadron. The pilot was the only survivor.

[@seanjoseph8637]

When I did my Sergeants course at RAF Halton I had to do a presentation on a Royal Air Force Victoria Cross (VC) recipient. I chose Flight Sergeant John Hannah VC. He was awarded his VC for his actions in a Hampden. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hannah_(VC)

[@guypehaim1080]

The HP Hampden looks like a design you would see in Steampunk sci-fi animated movie.

[@harryspeakup8452]

Thank you for doing this. It is an under-appreciated aeroplane and you've rooted out some footage I have not seen before. A very welcome video

[@PaDDy7389]

I love the Hampden and hope Airfix will release it in their vintage line or ideally a new tooling one.

[@rogueriderhood1862]

There is a newer kit than the Airfix, originally by Valom and reboxed by AZ Models. Better than the Airfix, the AZ kits include a proper TB1 version. Could really do with one in 1/48 scale, though not the Fonderie Miniatures kit.

[@PaDDy7389]

@@rogueriderhood1862 Unfortunately AZ Models has discontinued this model and I have had no luck yet finding one on ebay at a reasonable price and the same goes for Valom's. Let's hope Airfix or some other manufacturer wants to make us both happy and release them in 1/48 and 1/72. :D

[@rogueriderhood1862]

@@PaDDy7389 I didn't know AZ had discontinued their Hampdens. Shame, it looks a nice kit. The original Valom boxing is still to be found, Hannants have some, but not cheap and Dave Coley's Emporium have all versions between £22 and £25.

[@rojaunjames747]

Amazing video has always

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

Many thanks :D

[@billycaspersghost7528]

Designed by Gustav Lachman, who flew for the Germans in WW1 , I seem to recall. Became head of HP research department.

[@CharlesinGA]

Hampdens were used on a nighttime attack on a canal aqueduct, the canal being vital to the Germans moving barges to the coast for conversion to invasion craft. The raid was successful in destroying the aqueduct. Mark Felton did a War Stories series on this.

[@mattbaur9784]

great video as always. I love my Hampden in WT :)

[@McRocket]

Thank you Ed. I have long liked this aircraft. Despite it's negatives. ☮

[@rolandbogush2594]

Great video, thank you, Ed! Maybe you or one of your well informed viewers could confirm or refute something I read long ago that the Hampden bomb-bay doors were held closed by bungee cord and were opened by the weight of the released bombs pushing against them? This of course made bombing with any accuracy nearly impossible.

[@jackroutledge352]

That was certainly true of early Bristol Blenheims, but I'm not sure of the Hampden

[@stuartliddle7228]

My Dear grandad loved them, he mostly flew Halifaxes and Catalinas with Coastal Command as a Navigator, but i know he had a soft spot for these.

[@josephking6515]

One Hampden crew put a 20mm canon in the dorsal tunnel and they found when firing the canon it increased the aircraft's airspeed by 5mph.

[@eugenemurray2940]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@derekheuring2984]

I joined the Museum of Flight and Transportation soon after they had recovered the Hampden from the bottom of Pat Bay on Vancouver Island and had a small role in its restoration by helping rivet panels to the fuselage under the watchful eye of Fred Gardham. It was wonderful to be even a small part of restoring the only complete Hampden in the world. Unfortunately, the museum's land in Surrey was expropriated forcing the move to Langley Airport which required a significant downsizing of the museum's collection. The Bristol Bolingbroke was sold as was the remains of a crashed Supermarine Stranraer.

[@vaughnmaycock4504]

I remember seeing the Bolingbroke there, under a restoration. Would have liked to have seen the Hampden.

[@chrism7969]

I think that it would have been good to mention the Hampden's attacks on the Aqueducts Dortmund Ems canal in 1940 which knocked out a key supply route to the German forces building up on the French coast prior to the planned operation Sea Lion in 1940.

[@burtbacarach5034]

What an interesting aircraft,the fuselage is so narrow it only has one side!

[@owen368]

The flying suitcase if remember right.

[@PassportToPimlico]

Or the frying pan.

[@janwitts2688]

Ah the Hampden ... any narrower a fuselage and you would need to employ only amputees as crew...

[@greenseaships]

Regarding the inability of the crew to move about the aircraft in flight- while it's tempting on the face of it to compare this multi-engine bomber with others of the type (like the Wellington), don't forget- no one was moving about the aircraft on almost any of the narrow-bodied carrier types, such as the Dauntless, Helldiver, Kate, Fairey Fulmar/Battle/Firefly/Barracuda. So if it helps any, among 'bomber' crews. the Hampden crews were hardly alone.Add to that the other guys (Junkers JU-88 crews) weren't moving about much either.

[@johnanita9251]

I got to know this plane as a model from Airfix I believe. Loved the sleek form if the plane as opposed to the Wellington model. Sleekness was a thing then for certain bomber designs, as can be seen with the Dornier flying pencil

[@iconicshrubbery]

It sounds better if we just call the Dornier " the Propelling Pencil"

[@gregmuon]

Meanwhile, the Martin B-10 Bolo was coming into service at the same time. It was an all metal monoplane with enclosed cockptis and retractable landing gear. The Hampden was an anachronism.

[@mikepette4422]

I love the Heyford it so "off" I mean it Should be a monoplane but its a biplane so weird but I like it anyway. I wish i had a model kit for that plane. I wonder if there is one even.

[@davidpope3943]

I believe Matchbox used to make a model of the weird wonder that was the Heyford. I’ve just checked & there are a few on eBay as I type.

[@jonathansteadman7935]

It's not a bad kit if I remember rightly 👍

[@davidpope3943]

@@jonathansteadman7935 Yes, I think you’re right. I can just about remember when Matchbox started their line of models in the early 70’s. I think they have the likes of Airfix a bit of a shock. Multi coloured plastics and quite a few more esoteric subject choices in both aircraft & armour ~ I think their AFV range came with a small section of diorama as well & can remember being delighted to find their Sherman Firefly & Comet tank offerings. Happy days!

[@lessparks7802]

Well done sir.

[@TheAnxiousAardvark]

On the island of Vlieland, just off the north side of the Netherlands is an engine apparently from a Hampden. Nice little museum. As a bonus, there's a restricted NATO bomb range on the western edge of the island.

[@Sonofdonald2024]

Always had a soft spot for the Hampden. Heard it described as a great plane to fly but a terrible plane to fly in :)

[@elliotdryden7560]

The Hampden always struck me as a fairly elegant looking aircraft for the time period. Particularly for being powered by radials, as the trend in many circles was towards water-cooled inlines. (except in Japan) The sleeve-valved Bristols are VERY smooth running and if you get a chance to hear them in person ( think Shuttleworth airshow here) they really do sound like a period sewing-machine as compared to "traditional" radials that one might think of. Although the Percival Mew Gull with a Napier inline 6 is just about tops in the sound department if you ask me......

[@harryspeakup8452]

The Pegasus isn't one of Bristol's sleeve-valve engines though, it's OHV via pushrods. Much like the Mercury in the Gladiator. The Perseus was the first production sleeve-valve Bristol, an evolution of the Mercury (both were fitted to Lysanders), and then the Taurus, Hercules and Centaurus were the later sleeve-valve offerings

[@tolik5929]

That , and the 303 cal , was a very good infantry , and vehicle round , but proved to be a little lacking as an aireal round . I did the job , but was considered a bit lite .

[@davidallen2058]

I knew a radio operator from the AUS Hampden squadron that went to Russia. Very, very cold up near Murmansk, apparently.

[@iansteel5569]

Thanks Ed, another great video.

[@wbertie2604]

IIRC, the nose gun was also a Vickers K, although belt-fed.

[@johndell3642]

Another good one Ed, thorough as ever.

[@davidcarr4991]

I have always used the nickname 'Flying Tadpole' for the Hampden. Not sure where I saw it, possibly in the blurb for an Airfix kit.

[@pastorrich7436]

The Hampden not too unlike the Boston? Single pilot performance bomber with both used in night fighter roles. Even the Lanc was a single pilot aircraft so size was not the matter. Excellent storytelling and thoroughly enjoyed!

[@nigelmattravers5913]

Excellent video!

[@mikearmstrong8483]

It would have been nice to hear mention of Hampdens attacking the viaduct of the Dortmund-EMS canal, a raid which imposed enough damage to halt important German interior barge traffic for a month. Also, I would like to know if that single Hampden in Swedish service was an influence on the design of the Saab 18, a very similar looking bomber that first flew in 1942.

[@robbudden]

brilliant Ed. amazing again

[@ericvantassell6809]

Looking forward to watching this but I can already say this is one of your best titles everywhere. Also can you rap amazon soundly on the snout so that they'll make a kindle edition of your book about your time in syria available?

[@johnwh1039]

Just for completeness the aircraft under restoration at RAF Cosford is not on general display, so I wouldn't advise just bowling up to have a gander.

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

There was nothing wrong with the Hampden. It's a good looking thing and quite capable for the time. Compared to He-111 and Do-17, I can't see too many flaws at all. Sending bombers without escort was a bloody lesson for all participants in WW2, even if it was for "flying fortresses". Mosquito is on another level, of course.

[@johncunningham4820]

Definitely a Worthy Aircraft to restore and produce a Flying example , or two , of . A CLEAR precursor to the D/H Mosquito AND the B-25 Mitchell .

[@mcmoose64]

It is a shame that you did not mention the suicidal bravery of the Hampden crews involved in the Dortmund-Ems canal raids of 1940 . Worthy of an episode in its own right .

[@HarborLockRoad]

Greetings from Hampden county, massachusetts!

[@yes_head]

Always liked the Hampden. I felt it set the bar for high-performance twin engine bombers at the start of the war.

[@mattw785]

Great vid. Was a cool looking bomber!

[@davidellis2021]

Love the channel Ed. You sound just like Simon Day.

[@adrianrutterford762]

Interesting video. Thank you

[@johndavey72]

Thanks Ed .

[@keiranallcott1515]

I do recall that it was also nicknamed as the flying pan

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@EdNashsMilitaryMatters >>> Great video.