Alec Macnaughton Christie Rank: Pilot Officer Status: Killed in Action 1942-01-03

Took off from Swinderby at 17:16 in Hampden Mk I (Sqn code UB-Q Bomber Command) on a mining sortie off la Rochelle, France (Cinnamon Region).1942-01-02

Crashed at 01:00 1942-01-03 at Folly Farm Haddenham 6 miles SW of Aylesbury Buckinghamshire England. Aircraft burst into flames on impact.

Killed: Flying Officer Alec Macnaughton Christie RAAF KIA St Michael Churchyard & Cemetery, Halton, Buckinghamshire, England Plot 3. Row B. Grave 120. Pilot Officer John Lennox Siesel Willcox RAAF KIA (400110) Hampden I P5328 IBCC [RAAF] 1942-01-03 455 Sqdn RAAF AIR27 United Kingdom St. Michael Churchyard &Cemetery Halton Plot 3. Row B. Grave 121. Pilot Officer Charles Ludwig RAF pilot KIA Allenvale Cemetery Aberdeen Sec. D. Grave 1993. Sergeant Joseph Ross Stansfield RAF KIA (1005937) Wireless Op Hampden I P5328 IBCC [RAF] 1942-01-03 455 Sqdn RAAF AIR27 United Kingdom St. Wilfrid Church Calverley Sec. A. Grave 89.

Hampden P5328

Handley Page Hampden

(RCAF Photo via Chris Charland)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Handley Page Hampden (Serial No. P5428), of No. 32 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Patricia Bay, British Columbia, in the torpedo-bomber training role between May 1942 and February 1944.

Handley Page developed a modern stressed-skin mid-wing monoplane, powered by Bristol Pegasus radial air cooled engines, with its first flight in 1936. It had the most advanced wings available at the time, giving it a remarkably low landing speed of 73 mph for an aircraft of its size, with a top speed of 265 mph. The Hampden had a short, narrow but tall main fuselage with a very slender tail unit. This configuration led to the nicknames "Flying Panhandle" and "Flying Suitcase". At the end of the war, no complete or partial Hampden aircraft were retained for museum display.

The Hampden served in the early stages of the war, bearing the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and in the first 1000-bomber raid on Cologne. In Canada, Hampdens were built by six companies that formed Associated Aircraft. There were three in Ontario and three in Quebec, hence they were identified as the Ontario Group and Quebec Group. They supplied all the the components to the two assembly plants. The Ontario Group's assembly plant was at the Malton Airport, while the Quebec group's assembly plant was at the St. Hubert Airport. Canadian Museum of Flight and Harold A Skaarup web page

YouTube Handley Page Hampden in Flight