Handley Page Hampden

[USAF2010]

Just an idea for an early war bomber that I personally believe would bring an interesting effect to the game.
Also, this bomber was used a torpedo bomber, and well frankly, we need more!!!! Especially British!








Specs:



Engine  Two 1,000 hp Bristol Pegasus XVII radials
 
Max Speed    254 mph at 13,800 ft
                   265 mph at 15,500 ft fully loaded
 
Maximum Cruising Speed   217 mph at 15,000 ft
 
Economical Cruising Speed   167 mph at 15,000 ft
 
Initial Climb Rate  980 ft/min
 
Time to 15,000 ft    18.9 mins
 
Ceiling       19,000 ft or 22,700 ft (sources differ)
 
Range     1,885 miles with 2,000lb bomb load
              870 miles with 4,000lb bomb load at 172 mph
 
Empty Weight   11,780 lb
 
Full Weight       18,756 lb
 
Span        68 ft 2 in
 
Length      53 ft 7 in
 
Defensive Armament
 
two forward firing .303in machine guns (one fixed); twin .303 in guns in each of dorsal and ventral positions (originally one each, doubled after early combat experience)
 
Bomb load     4,000 lb
 
Production     1,432

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_hampden.html



Edit: [ I apologize for the image not loading, I'm unfortunately terrible at adding them to the forums, frankly because I don't know how] 



 

[Fish42]

+1 from me, but out of the early war brit twins I would want the Vickers Wellington first.

[MAINER]

+1 

[Rino]

     Great thread, we get to update the HTC census on the number of masochists in the EW arenas 

[SmokinLoon]

Not a bad wish at all.  I've vote for the Wellington first, though.   

If there is a hole in the British lineup, the Wellington is it.   

[B-17]

^^^

That= a BIG

[USAF2010]

Glad ya'll agree! 

Not a bad wish at all.  I've vote for the Wellington first, though.   

If there is a hole in the British lineup, the Wellington is it.   

Now the only thing that I have to say about that is, the Hampden is a more flexible bomber as opposed to the Wellington, and carries a comparitve bomb load, plus the torpedo option.

Don't get me wrong, I would love the Wellington too, but I believe the Hampden has a little edge on it IMHO 

-INCOMING

[Volron]

And you would see ME flying it in the LWA.   So what if I said this, "Hampden AND Wellington for all!".

+1

[USAF2010]

Again, agreed. I pretty much fly exclusively in the LWA. Handley Page Hampden FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!     

[wil3ur]

Not a bad wish at all.  I've vote for the Wellington first, though.   

If there is a hole in the British lineup, the Wellington is it.   

You could always drop half your bomb load and turn off two engines in your lancaster on takeoff...

[skorpion]

+1

[B-17]

You could always drop half your bomb load and turn off two engines in your lancaster on takeoff...

[Mashed71]

Now the only thing that I have to say about that is, the Hampden is a more flexible bomber as opposed to the Wellington, and carries a comparitve bomb load, plus the torpedo option.

Wellington GR VIII could and frequently did carry torpedoes.

[tonyki61]

 

[Krusty]

The Hampden was so obsolete it was retired in 1942. Even then production stopped in 1941, and those were just leftovers still serving. Its daytime career was marginal at best (especially when compared to the others!). It was relegated to night missions or mine laying or when the RAF needed 1000-plane publicity stunts to bomb some place (and then there are reports they'd throw any heap into the air no matter how capable just to get the claimed total). Losses were high, and yes it served, but it would be a poor addition to the game.

Of the 3 bombers making up the bulk of early war RAF bombing: The Whitley, the Wellington, and the Hampden, the Hampden is the least representative of actual RAF bombing, and the least capable. The Whitley was arguably just as obsolete, but it served much more extensively from what I've read. Of the 3 the Wellington is really the best bet, and one of the most iconic RAF bombers in the war. 10x more Wellingtons were made than Whitleys, for example. Even after being replaced in Europe, Wellingtons continued to serve in the Mid East and Far East, as well.

THAT would be the better choice: The Vickers Wellington.