Handley Page HP.52 Hampden I AE436
In a quiet corner within the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre (LAHC) lie the components that make up the Brian Nicholls Hampden Restoration Project. When hostilities ceased in Europe at the end of the Second World War, there was little interest in preserving some of the types of aircraft that took part in the conflict. As a result, today, there are significant gaps in Britain’s preserved wartime bombers, with no examples of the Short Stirling, Armstrong Whitworth (AW) Whitley or Avro Manchester in existence. The Handley Page (HP) Hampden was set to follow a similar path into obscurity, but thankfully, three examples have been retrieved from crash sites and survive in varying degrees of completeness, one in Canada and two in Britain, one of the latter, AE436, is being restored at East Kirkby.
On 3 September 1939, when Britain declared war on the Third Reich, Bomber Command had at its disposal three heavy/medium bombers that could take the offensive to Germany: the Vickers Wellington, AW Whitley, and HP Hampden. This trio of aircraft was part of a rearmament programme implemented for the RAF in the 1930s to counter the threat of Hitler’s aggressive moves in Europe.
The Hampden prototype (K4240) first flew on 21 June 1936, with production examples entering RAF service with No. 49(B) Squadron in August 1938 at Scampton. The type was powered by two 1,000hp Bristol Pegasus XVIII radial engines, giving a top speed of 254mph at 14,000ft. It could carry a 2,000Ib bombload to a range of 1,885 miles or a 4,000Ib load to 1,200 miles. Defensive armament consisted of single 0.303in Vickers K gas-operated machine guns in nose, dorsal and ventral positions, which soon proved to be wholly inadequate. The unusually slim design with its fighter-style cockpit gained the Hampden the nickname of the Flying Suitcase. It flew in action from the very start of the war, but heavy losses in daylight entailed a change in tactics to night-time operations, remaining in service with Bomber Command until mid-September 1942. Some examples were also employed within Operational Training Units, which also carried a high degree of risk in terms of losses through accidents and enemy action. However, Hampden crews displayed exceptional bravery during their days in service with Flt Lt R Learoyd (Plt) and Sgt J Hannah (W/Op) of Nos. 49 and 83 Squadron, respectively, winning the Victoria Cross for valour in bombing operations undertaken during the Battle of Britain.
After the conclusion of its nocturnal activities over Europe, a different career as a torpedo bomber and later within weather reconnaissance beckoned for the Hampden. The example under restoration at East Kirkby was built by English Electric at Preston and was allocated to No. 408 (Goose) Squadron, RCAF, at Syerston in late September 1941. It was damaged in a landing accident on 16 November of the same year following an operation to Emden. After repairs and conversion to TB.I configuration, the aircraft was taken on strength with No. 144 Squadron who had transferred to Coastal Command at Leuchars in April 1942.
To provide Arctic convoy protection, Nos. 144 and 455 RAAF Squadrons were ordered to the Russian airfield at Vaenga, transiting first to Afrikaner. Flying from Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands, AE436 was one of 32 Hampdens from the two units that left on 4 September 1942 and set course to the east. The Hampden was unable to complete the flight, as when over Swedish Lapland and slightly off course, it struck Tsatsa mountain in the early hours of the next day, killing Plt Off Bowler (Nav), Sgt Jewett (W/Op) and Sgt Campbell (AG). Plt Off Evans (Plt) and Cpl Sowerby (Mechanic) survived and eventually returned to Britain later in September. The wreckage remained on the mountainside until rediscovered in 1976. The bodies of the three remaining crew were removed and interred with military honours at Kviberg Cemetery. Following on, it was salvaged by the Swedish Air Force and returned to Britain. In 1987, the late Brian Nicholls, who was then serving in the RAF, found the bomber crated at RAF Henlow. AE436 was taken to East Kirkby two years later, where restoration began in the hands of the Lincolnshire Aviation Preservation Society. Very much a long-term project, parts for the Hampden no longer exist, which entails those missing being made from scratch in line with the original drawings. With projects such as this, patience is a necessary virtue, and the saying ‘all good things come to those who wait’ has never been truer. It will take time, but the thought of a forgotten bomber with such a strong association with Lincolnshire taking its place within the LAHC’s collection is certainly one to behold and one that many will undoubtedly be looking forward to.
In a quiet corner within the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre (LAHC) lie the components that make up the Brian Nicholls Hampden Restoration Project. When hostilities ceased in Europe at the end of the Second World War, there was little interest in preserving some of the types of aircraft that took part in the conflict. As a result, today, there are significant gaps in Britain’s preserved wartime bombers, with no examples of the Short Stirling, Armstrong Whitworth (AW) Whitley or Avro Manchester in existence. The Handley Page (HP) Hampden was set to follow a similar path into obscurity, but thankfully, three examples have been retrieved from crash sites and survive in varying degrees of completeness, one in Canada and two in Britain, one of the latter, AE436, is being restored at East Kirkby.
On 3 September 1939, when Britain declared war on the Third Reich, Bomber Command had at its disposal three heavy/medium bombers that could take the offensive to Germany: the Vickers Wellington, AW Whitley, and HP Hampden. This trio of aircraft was part of a rearmament programme implemented for the RAF in the 1930s to counter the threat of Hitler’s aggressive moves in Europe.
The Hampden prototype (K4240) first flew on 21 June 1936, with production examples entering RAF service with No. 49(B) Squadron in August 1938 at Scampton. The type was powered by two 1,000hp Bristol Pegasus XVIII radial engines, giving a top speed of 254mph at 14,000ft. It could carry a 2,000Ib bombload to a range of 1,885 miles or a 4,000Ib load to 1,200 miles. Defensive armament consisted of single 0.303in Vickers K gas-operated machine guns in nose, dorsal and ventral positions, which soon proved to be wholly inadequate. The unusually slim design with its fighter-style cockpit gained the Hampden the nickname of the Flying Suitcase. It flew in action from the very start of the war, but heavy losses in daylight entailed a change in tactics to night-time operations, remaining in service with Bomber Command until mid-September 1942. Some examples were also employed within Operational Training Units, which also carried a high degree of risk in terms of losses through accidents and enemy action. However, Hampden crews displayed exceptional bravery during their days in service with Flt Lt R Learoyd (Plt) and Sgt J Hannah (W/Op) of Nos. 49 and 83 Squadron, respectively, winning the Victoria Cross for valour in bombing operations undertaken during the Battle of Britain.
After the conclusion of its nocturnal activities over Europe, a different career as a torpedo bomber and later within weather reconnaissance beckoned for the Hampden. The example under restoration at East Kirkby was built by English Electric at Preston and was allocated to No. 408 (Goose) Squadron, RCAF, at Syerston in late September 1941. It was damaged in a landing accident on 16 November of the same year following an operation to Emden. After repairs and conversion to TB.I configuration, the aircraft was taken on strength with No. 144 Squadron who had transferred to Coastal Command at Leuchars in April 1942.
To provide Arctic convoy protection, Nos. 144 and 455 RAAF Squadrons were ordered to the Russian airfield at Vaenga, transiting first to Afrikaner. Flying from Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands, AE436 was one of 32 Hampdens from the two units that left on 4 September 1942 and set course to the east. The Hampden was unable to complete the flight, as when over Swedish Lapland and slightly off course, it struck Tsatsa mountain in the early hours of the next day, killing Plt Off Bowler (Nav), Sgt Jewett (W/Op) and Sgt Campbell (AG). Plt Off Evans (Plt) and Cpl Sowerby (Mechanic) survived and eventually returned to Britain later in September. The wreckage remained on the mountainside until rediscovered in 1976. The bodies of the three remaining crew were removed and interred with military honours at Kviberg Cemetery. Following on, it was salvaged by the Swedish Air Force and returned to Britain. In 1987, the late Brian Nicholls, who was then serving in the RAF, found the bomber crated at RAF Henlow. AE436 was taken to East Kirkby two years later, where restoration began in the hands of the Lincolnshire Aviation Preservation Society. Very much a long-term project, parts for the Hampden no longer exist, which entails those missing being made from scratch in line with the original drawings. With projects such as this, patience is a necessary virtue, and the saying ‘all good things come to those who wait’ has never been truer. It will take time, but the thought of a forgotten bomber with such a strong association with Lincolnshire taking its place within the LAHC’s collection is certainly one to behold and one that many will undoubtedly be looking forward to.
Return to LAHC page: Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre East Kirkby