Handley Page Hampden NF.MK.II. November 1940 - RAF Middle Wallop.
Built to a confidential tender to build a revolutionary new night fighter for the RAF which was to be capable of carrying the state of the art Ariel Interception equipment which would enable crews to track down and hunt German night raiders with a deadly efficiency. Also to enter the tender was the Bristol Blenheim. In order to meet the performance goals, the Hampden was stripped of all unnecessary equipment like the bomb racks and gunners positions in order to reduce weight. The engines were also upgraded to new, more powerful versions and fitted with hedgehog exhausts to dampen the tell tale flames. A belly mounted gun pack was fitted to give the new Hampden its teeth. The crews in the operational development units almost unanimously preferred the Hampden to the Blenheim, claiming that despite its size, the Hampden felt very much like a fighter. The navigators also said that it was much less drafty.
Well why not. This sort of thing works for me. Maybe a Black Widow type dorsal battery of guns would work.
What a good idea!..............and so well executed.
Thank you very much for the kind comments! ;D
All black really suits it! :thumbsup:
I like this ..all dark and deadly :thumbsup:
Needs more guns ..cannon or the 20mm type :wacko:
Yeah this is cool ,,nicely done matey ;D
Quote from: Wardukw on September 01, 2023, 04:03:59 PMI like this ..all dark and deadly :thumbsup:
Needs more guns ..cannon or the 20mm type :wacko:
Yeah this is cool ,,nicely done matey ;D
I'm planning an evolution of this which will definitely have more guns 😄 It might not be called a Hampden anymore though, seeing how Handley-Page renamed the airframe after an engine change alone 🤔
Quote from: RAFF-35 on September 01, 2023, 11:45:54 PMQuote from: Wardukw on September 01, 2023, 04:03:59 PMI like this ..all dark and deadly :thumbsup:
Needs more guns ..cannon or the 20mm type :wacko:
Yeah this is cool ,,nicely done matey ;D
I'm planning an evolution of this which will definitely have more guns 😄 It might not be called a Hampden anymore though, seeing how Handley-Page renamed the airframe after an engine change alone 🤔
Yes many more guns :wacko: :wacko:
Call it yhe Handley Page Night Reaper ;D
That's one of those classic "why not" builds, especially for an aircraft at that stage of the War. :thumbsup:
As for a name and given it's all black, how about Handley Page Hackney ? Combines a place name and the fact that Hackney cabs are all black.....I'll get my coat :angel:
Are you putting yourself in The Book now Chris? ;D
Some Brit version of a Schräge Musik installation could be in order.
How about a QF 2 pounder naval gun firing upwards. Known by the RAF as the Tiddley Pom Pom...
:mellow:
Quote from: zenrat on September 03, 2023, 06:05:11 AMSome Brit version of a Schräge Musik installation could be in order.
How about a QF 2 pounder naval gun firing upwards. Known by the RAF as the Tiddley Pom Pom...
:mellow:
Two of em Fred :wacko: :wacko:
Quote from: NARSES2 on September 03, 2023, 03:49:34 AMThat's one of those classic "why not" builds, especially for an aircraft at that stage of the War. :thumbsup:
As for a name and given it's all black, how about Handley Page Hackney ? Combines a place name and the fact that Hackney cabs are all black.....I'll get my coat :angel:
Had plans for one of these an age ago (idea binned), to be called the Handley-Page Haringay.
Also had a plan for a night fighter Handley-Page Hillingdon that may yet see the light of day.
But don't hold your breath.
Quote from: kitbasher on September 03, 2023, 02:35:53 PMQuote from: NARSES2 on September 03, 2023, 03:49:34 AMThat's one of those classic "why not" builds, especially for an aircraft at that stage of the War. :thumbsup:
As for a name and given it's all black, how about Handley Page Hackney ? Combines a place name and the fact that Hackney cabs are all black.....I'll get my coat :angel:
Had plans for one of these an age ago (idea binned), to be called the Handley-Page Haringay.
Also had a plan for a night fighter Handley-Page Hillingdon that may yet see the light of day.
But don't hold your breath.
What would those ideas involve? :o
Epic. I don't think I've ever seen a model of this aeroplane built ! Great idea she sure looks right to me
:thumbsup:
Quote from: PR19_Kit on September 03, 2023, 04:49:12 AMAre you putting yourself in The Book now Chris? ;D
Nope, but to be fair I'm also going to overlook "Tiddly Pom Pom" as well ;)
When it comes to names for aircraft, any I come up with always look "wrong", but if someone else comes up with the same name it looks "right". I'm sure a psychologist could give you a lengthy diagnosis as to why, I just put it down to one of those things. :angel:
Quote from: RAFF-35 on September 03, 2023, 03:53:19 PMQuote from: kitbasher on September 03, 2023, 02:35:53 PMQuote from: NARSES2 on September 03, 2023, 03:49:34 AMThat's one of those classic "why not" builds, especially for an aircraft at that stage of the War. :thumbsup:
As for a name and given it's all black, how about Handley Page Hackney ? Combines a place name and the fact that Hackney cabs are all black.....I'll get my coat :angel:
Had plans for one of these an age ago (idea binned), to be called the Handley-Page Haringay.
Also had a plan for a night fighter Handley-Page Hillingdon that may yet see the light of day.
But don't hold your breath.
What would those ideas involve? :o
The Haringay was a night-fighter Hampden pretty much identical to RAFF-35's. Spookiliy so!
I thought the Hillingdon was going my 'What if Handley-Page had designed the PZL-37B Los' idea, but I've just checked and in fact it was going to be a monoplane Heyford - timeline/technology-wise something between the Fairey Hendon and the Handley-Page Harrow, and keeping the London borough name theme going.
The whiffed Los was going to be the Handley-Page Havoc (another night fighter), simply because it looks like the Hampden's chubby, shorter brother and Havoc keeps the HP alliterative naming going. Would need replacement engine nacelles/fairings for starters. Still have a PZL-37 in the stash but I doubt the build will happen, too many others on the 'to do' list. We'll see.
I like the idea of using clapped-out light/medium bombers as nightfighters, though you'd have to tart up the engines for more performance - wouldn't do to have a fighter that was slower than the bombers, would it? As the Americans found out, to their cost, with the YB-40 mess ...
I think if I were designing such a beast it'd have replaced the bomb aimer's position with 4x20mm pilot-fired belt-fed cannons equipped with an obscene amount of ammo, plus Oerlikon 20mms at each gunner's station, also modified for belt-feed.
Or, two of the afore-mentioned cannons under the nose plus a radar set & operator inside to guide the interception.
Quote from: kitbasher on September 04, 2023, 11:16:13 AMQuote from: RAFF-35 on September 03, 2023, 03:53:19 PMQuote from: kitbasher on September 03, 2023, 02:35:53 PMQuote from: NARSES2 on September 03, 2023, 03:49:34 AMThat's one of those classic "why not" builds, especially for an aircraft at that stage of the War. :thumbsup:
As for a name and given it's all black, how about Handley Page Hackney ? Combines a place name and the fact that Hackney cabs are all black.....I'll get my coat :angel:
Had plans for one of these an age ago (idea binned), to be called the Handley-Page Haringay.
Also had a plan for a night fighter Handley-Page Hillingdon that may yet see the light of day.
But don't hold your breath.
What would those ideas involve? :o
The Haringay was a night-fighter Hampden pretty much identical to RAFF-35's. Spookiliy so!
I thought the Hillingdon was going my 'What if Handley-Page had designed the PZL-37B Los' idea, but I've just checked and in fact it was going to be a monoplane Heyford - timeline/technology-wise something between the Fairey Hendon and the Handley-Page Harrow, and keeping the London borough name theme going.
The whiffed Los was going to be the Handley-Page Havoc (another night fighter), simply because it looks like the Hampden's chubby, shorter brother and Havoc keeps the HP alliterative naming going. Would need replacement engine nacelles/fairings for starters. Still have a PZL-37 in the stash but I doubt the build will happen, too many others on the 'to do' list. We'll see.
Great minds think alike :thumbsup:
Quote from: Scotaidh on September 04, 2023, 12:49:36 PMI like the idea of using clapped-out light/medium bombers as nightfighters, though you'd have to tart up the engines for more performance - wouldn't do to have a fighter that was slower than the bombers, would it? As the Americans found out, to their cost, with the YB-40 mess ...
I think if I were designing such a beast it'd have replaced the bomb aimer's position with 4x20mm pilot-fired belt-fed cannons equipped with an obscene amount of ammo, plus Oerlikon 20mms at each gunner's station, also modified for belt-feed.
Or, two of the afore-mentioned cannons under the nose plus a radar set & operator inside to guide the interception.
My upgraded version would potentially be powered by Merlin XX's like the Beaufighters. Have the bomb bay bulge removed entirely, x4 20mm cannon in the nose a la mosquito and cropped wings.
Quote from: NARSES2 on September 03, 2023, 03:49:34 AMThat's one of those classic "why not" builds, especially for an aircraft at that stage of the War. :thumbsup:
As for a name and given it's all black, how about Handley Page Hackney ? Combines a place name and the fact that Hackney cabs are all black.....I'll get my coat :angel:
It is rather Hansom.
:wacko:
Quote from: jcf on September 05, 2023, 11:43:17 AMQuote from: NARSES2 on September 03, 2023, 03:49:34 AMThat's one of those classic "why not" builds, especially for an aircraft at that stage of the War. :thumbsup:
As for a name and given it's all black, how about Handley Page Hackney ? Combines a place name and the fact that Hackney cabs are all black.....I'll get my coat :angel:
It is rather Hansom.
:wacko:
:banghead: :banghead: ;D ;D
Quote from: RAFF-35 on September 05, 2023, 10:29:28 AMQuote from: Scotaidh on September 04, 2023, 12:49:36 PMI like the idea of using clapped-out light/medium bombers as nightfighters, though you'd have to tart up the engines for more performance - wouldn't do to have a fighter that was slower than the bombers, would it? As the Americans found out, to their cost, with the YB-40 mess ...
I think if I were designing such a beast it'd have replaced the bomb aimer's position with 4x20mm pilot-fired belt-fed cannons equipped with an obscene amount of ammo, plus Oerlikon 20mms at each gunner's station, also modified for belt-feed.
Or, two of the afore-mentioned cannons under the nose plus a radar set & operator inside to guide the interception.
My upgraded version would potentially be powered by Merlin XX's like the Beaufighters. Have the bomb bay bulge removed entirely, x4 20mm cannon in the nose a la mosquito and cropped wings.
They tried a variant of the Hampden powered by Dagger engines, called the Hereford. They stopped that when the Dagger turned out to be ... disappointing. Here's what it looked like:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faviastar.org%2Fpictures%2Fengland%2Fhandley_hereford.gif&hash=60f534c62afcd18b7d5bd9b60b6106bf47e15781)
Disappointing the Hereford may have been, but with those Daggers it looks very cool. ;D
(I can't believe I actually wrote that.................... :o )
Quote from: PR19_Kit on September 09, 2023, 12:22:08 PMDisappointing the Hereford may have been, but with those Daggers it looks very cool. ;D
(I can't believe I actually wrote that.................... :o )
;D ;D :thumbsup: