Handley Page Hampden NF.MK.II

[NARSES2]

Are you putting yourself in The Book now Chris? 

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. 

[kitbasher]

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 

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? 

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.

[Scotaidh]

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.

[RAFF-35]

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 

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? 

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 

[RAFF-35]

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.

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.

[jcf]

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 

It is rather Hansom. 

[NARSES2]

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 

It is rather Hansom.

      

[Scotaidh]

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.

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:

[PR19_Kit]

Disappointing the Hereford may have been, but with those Daggers it looks very cool. 

(I can't believe I actually wrote that.................... )

[Wardukw]

Disappointing the Hereford may have been, but with those Daggers it looks very cool. 

(I can't believe I actually wrote that.................... )