page_title: Handley Page Hampden
section_title: Hampden
hierarchical_section_title: Handley Page Hampden / Operators / Hampden
caption_attribution_description: From a fascinating set of World War II photos, mainly medium format transparencies and some negatives. See set description for more information.
context_page_description: The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber of the Royal Air Force. It was part of the trio of large twin-engine bombers procured for the RAF, joining the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and Vickers Wellington. The newest of the three medium bombers, the Hampden was often referred to by aircrews as the "Flying Suitcase" because of its cramped crew conditions. The Hampden was powered by Bristol Pegasus radial engines but a variant known as the Handley Page Hereford had in-line Napier Daggers.
  The Hampden served in the early stages of the Second World War, bearing the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-bomber raid on Cologne. When it became obsolete, after a period of mainly operating at night, it was retired from RAF Bomber Command service in late 1942. By 1943, the rest of the trio were being superseded by the larger four-engined heavy bombers such as the Avro Lancaster.
context_section_description:  Australia
  Royal Australian Air Force
  No. 455 Squadron RAAF Used between July 1941 and December 1943, Codeletters UB.
   Canada
  Royal Canadian Air Force
  No. 408 (Goose) Squadron RCAF Used with RAF Bomber Command between July 1941 and September 1942, Codeletters EQ
  No. 415 (Swordfish) Squadron RCAF Used as a torpedo bomber with RAF Coastal Command between February 1942 and November 1943, Codeletters GX
  No. 420 (Snowy Owl) Squadron RCAF Used with RAF Bomber Command between December 1941 and August 1942, Codeletters PT
  No. 32 Operational Training Unit RAF/RCAF Used in Canada between May 1942 and February 1944, Codeletters DK, LB, OP and RO
   New Zealand
  Royal New Zealand Air Force
  No. 489 Squadron RNZAF Used between February 1942 and November 1943, Codeletters XA
   Soviet Union
  Soviet Naval Aviation
  24th Mine-Torpedo Aviation Regiment (24 MTAP)
   Sweden
  Swedish Air Force
  Reconnaissance Wing F 11 based at Nyköping operated a single HP.52 for evaluation under designation P 5. After the war, the aircraft was sold to SAAB where it was operated for testing avionics.
   United Kingdom
  Royal Air Force
  No. 7 Squadron RAF  – April 1939 to April 1940, code letters LT (pre-war) and MG (wartime)
  No. 44 Squadron RAF – February 1939 and December 1941, code letters JW (pre-war) and KM (wartime)
  No. 49 Squadron RAF – October 1938 and April 1942, code letters XU (pre-war) and EA (wartime)
  No. 50 Squadron RAF – December 1938 and April 1942, code letters QX (pre-war) and VN (wartime)
  No. 61 Squadron RAF – February 1939 and October 1941, code letters LS (pre-war) and QR (wartime)
  No. 76 Squadron RAF – March 1939 and April 1940, code letters NM (pre-war) and MP (wartime)
  No. 83 Squadron RAF – November 1938 and January 1942, code letters QQ (pre-war) and OL (wartime)
  No. 97 Squadron RAF – July/August 1941, squadron code OF
  No. 106 Squadron RAF – March 1939 to March 1942, code letters XS (pre-war) and ZN (wartime)
  No. 144 Squadron RAF – March 1939 to October 1942, code letters NV (pre-war) and PL (wartime)
  No. 185 Squadron RAF – June 1939 to April 1940, code letters ZM (pre-war) and GL (wartime)
  No. 207 Squadron RAF – July/August 1941, squadron code EM
  No. 517 Squadron RAF – August to November 1943,
  No. 519 Squadron RAF – August to November 1943, code letters Z9
  No. 521 Squadron RAF – September to December 1943, code letters 5O
  No. 5 (C)OTU RAF Used between July 1942 and September 1943, Only individual code letters and numbers
  No. 14 Operational Training Unit RAF Used between 5 May 1940 and December 1942, code letters AM, GL and VB
  No. 16 Operational Training Unit RAF Used between 18 April 1940 and September 1942, code letters GA, JS and XG
  No. 25 Operational Training Unit RAF Used between February and December 1941, code letters ZP
  No. 1401 (Meteorological) Flight RAF at RAF Bircham Newton/RAF Docking
  No. 1402 (Meteorological) Flight RAF at Aldergrove
  No. 1403 (Meteorological) Flight RAF at Gosport/Bircham Newton/Gibraltar
  No. 1404 (Meteorological) Flight RAF at St. Eval
  No. 1406 (Meteorological) Flight RAF at Wick
  No. 1407 (Meteorological) Flight RAF at Reykjavik
caption: Hampden in the process of being loaded with bombs by ground crew
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