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! 

All black really suits it! 

I like this ..all dark and deadly 
Needs more guns ..cannon or the 20mm type 
Yeah this is cool ,,nicely done matey 

Quote from: Wardukw on September 01, 2023, 04:03:59 PMI like this ..all dark and deadly 
Needs more guns ..cannon or the 20mm type 
Yeah this is cool ,,nicely done matey 

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 PM

Quote from: Wardukw on September 01, 2023, 04:03:59 PMI like this ..all dark and deadly 
Needs more guns ..cannon or the 20mm type 
Yeah this is cool ,,nicely done matey 

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   
Call it yhe Handley Page Night Reaper 

That's one of those classic "why not" builds, especially for an aircraft at that stage of the War. 

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 

Are you putting yourself in The Book now Chris? 

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...

 

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...

 

Two of em Fred   

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. 

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 

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 PM

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. 

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 

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? 

Epic. I don't think I've ever seen a model of this aeroplane built !  Great idea she sure looks right to me