Handley Page Hampden
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
Handley Page Hampden in Flight
Hampden - Kestrel Publications
CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (96), Canadian Aircraft Losses (242)Hampden I AE197
One of four Hampdens dispatched on this unit's first operations, 11/12 Mar 41. Bombed primary target, docks at Rotterdam. On 28/29 Aug 42 this a/c shot down by a night fighter piloted by Hptm Wilhelm Herget, of I./NJG4, while attacking Saarbrücken. Came down at Boussu-lez-Walcourt (Hainaut), 24 km SSW of Charleroi, Belgium. W/C J.D. Twigg and Flight Lieutenant I. Maitland were killed. Flight Lieutenant G.C. Fisher and Flying Officer Van Den Bok survived. They both evaded capture and Van Den Bok received Bar to DFC on return to the UK.