Sugden, Charles (Pilot Officer)

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

Wikipedia Hampden Bomber

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Hampden - Kestrel Publications

Aircraft Images

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Hampden AJ992

Hampden Mk. I AJ992

With No. 32 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Patricia Bay, BC, coded "HAJ", with all three letters aft of the roundel. Crashed into sea 20 kilometres off Cape Flattery in bad weather on 14 June 1943. All 4 crew killed, including Flying Officer G.C. Douglas-Home, RAF, brother of future UK Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home, and Pilot Officer C. Sugden, RAF.

1942-01-06 Taken on Strength 2020-09-21
1943-June-14 Accident: 32 Operational Training Unit Loc: Missing Names: Douglas-home | Lynch | Ritchie | Sugden
1943-08-17 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20