Interesting RAF bit-players 1939-1941 No.3: The Hampden

[Insuber]

Spinner,

The Hampden would be a nice addition indeed. Gibson's book gives a vivid description of many thrilling missions. The railway tunnels "sealing" on the two ends (possibly with the train inside ...) or the bombing of Goering's refinery come to my mind. Or, on a more spine-chilling tone, the ruthless mowing of a formation of Hampdens from point-blank range by Bf-110's, coldly exploiting their gunner's blind spot, and the last futile attempt of one of the ill-fated pilots to fire his revolver at his killer.

Bye,
Insuber

[AWL_Spinner]

As this came up in the Ground Attack thread I thought I'd shamelessly bump it.

I would love a Hampden. Nice early war variety to add to the Blenheim. The red side needs more things to bomb with.

See also:

#1 The Harrow

#2 The Defiant

Cheers, Spinner

[Wutz]

Well although I am no red flier, I would give any bomber a thumbs up! As bombers tend to be treated like step children compared to fighters. Even though it was usually the bombers that had the bigger impact on battles than fighters.
Also a interesting plane which was used in the Spanish civil war, and as a high level reconisance plane during 1940/1941 is the Ju 86

[Avimimus]

The Ju-86 is one of the neatest looking aircraft.

[mazex]

Originally Posted by Wutz

Well although I am no red flier, I would give any bomber a thumbs up! As bombers tend to be treated like step children compared to fighters. Even though it was usually the bombers that had the bigger impact on battles than fighters.
Also a interesting plane which was used in the Spanish civil war, and as a high level reconisance plane during 1940/1941 is the Ju 86

He he, one of my friends grand father shocked me one day... I had always seen him as a rather boring old retired postman telling bad jokes - and one day when where talking about aircraft out on the lawn he said "did you kids know I was a bomber pilot during the war?". He piloted the Ju 86 in Sweden that where license built here and called B3 in RSAF. His status grew quite a lot after that He said that it was a great plane to fly and it actually stayed in service as a transport plane up until 1958 in Sweden. There is a nice example at the Swedish air force museum (which is actually the only remaining Ju-86 - German museums have been giving offers to buy it that have been refused):

[Wutz]

Originally Posted by mazex

He he, one of my friends grand father shocked me one day... I had always seen him as a rather boring old retired postman telling bad jokes - and one day when where talking about aircraft out on the lawn he said "did you kids know I was a bomber pilot during the war?". He piloted the Ju 86 in Sweden that where license built here and called B3 in RSAF. His status grew quite a lot after that He said that it was a great plane to fly and it actually stayed in service as a transport plane up until 1958 in Sweden. There is a nice example at the Swedish air force museum (which is actually the only remaining Ju-86 - German museums have been giving offers to buy it that have been refused):

Oh I didn´t know that even one existed! Very nice photo! Yes the Ju86 was licenced built by a few countries, I believe South Africa too. Guess you then got to hear lots of interesting stories from that fellow?

[Fafnir_6]

I believe the variant of the Ju86 deployed during the Battle of Britain was the Ju86P which looks and performs very differently from the ones pictured in this thread (it was a pressurized, high-alt recon/bomber). The Ju86P had different engines and a totally new cockpit section. See http://chezpeps.free.fr/plus/russie/...8_06_2009.html for some pics.

Cheers,

Fafnir_6

[AWL_Spinner]

That'd be an interesting aircraft to have too, and it does fit the period - it's always intrigued me as to what made the -P such a good high altitude platform, it doesn't LOOK like it should be so well behaved up there (to 50,000ft!), even with longer wings.

Cheers, Spinner

[Fafnir_6]

The answer lies in the engines (and the pressurized 'pit).

Cheers,

Fafnir_6

[Wutz]

Originally Posted by AWL_Spinner

That'd be an interesting aircraft to have too, and it does fit the period - it's always intrigued me as to what made the -P such a good high altitude platform, it doesn't LOOK like it should be so well behaved up there (to 50,000ft!), even with longer wings.

Cheers, Spinner

Yes she would fit in grandly, I would also be all for more early bombers!
The Ju86P ist the ugly version, she does not look as nice as the posted earlier versions.
Far nicer is the Ju86M also used in 1940