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Hampden L4161

Type : Hampden First Flew : April 1939 Last Flew : 5th September 1939 Built at : Handley Page Ltd at Radlett

Known information

05th September 1939

L4161 dived and crashed near Cockwood Farm, Cantley, roughly two miles north of Finningley airfield when the pilot lost control on a training flight, he was practicing single engine flying at the time of the accident. The pilot was killed and he was the first wartime flying fatality in Yorkshire since the outbreak of war. An investigation found that it was possible that the pilot had shut down one engine to practice single engine flying but he had lost control and the aircraft had entered a steep dive from which he was only partially able to recover before it then dived vertically into the ground at high speed and at a steep angle. Pilot - P/O Anthony Richard Playfair RAF (39679), aged 25, of Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Buried Finningley Churchyard, Yorkshire.

Pilots and Aircrew who flew : Hampden L4161
A list of all aircrew from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
Name	Info
Playfair, Anthony Richard Click the name above to see a profile of Playfair, Anthony Richard    Died : 5 / 9 / 1939	Playfair, Anthony Richard Anthony Playfair was born in India and was the son of Col. and Mrs Playfair. His family arrived in Vancouver Island when he child, he attended school at Shawnigan Lake. He left his home town in British Columbia three years before his death to take up a Commission in the RAF in England in May 1937 as Acting P/O on probation. He left a brother Geoffrey and he was the first British Columbian casualty of the War. P/O Anthony Richard Playfair RAF (39679), aged 25, British Columbia, Canada. Buried Finningley Churchyard, Yorkshire.

Squadrons for : Hampden L4161
A list of all squadrons known to have flown Hampden L4161. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
No.7 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st May 1914 Per diem per noctem - By day and by night Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.7 Sqn RAF	No.7 Sqn RAF No.7 Squadron was formed 1st May 1914 at Farnborough as a Scout squadron, and went to France April 1915, equipped with the Vickers Gunbus. No.7 squadron saw service through the war with BE2c, RE5 and RE8 aircraft. The squadron pioneered the use of R/T (instead of normal W/T), using it operationally for the first time in October 1918. Disbanded at Farnborough on 31st December 1919 it reformed at Bircham Newton on 1st June 1923 equipped with Vickers Vimy bombers. These were replaced by the Vickers Virginia after moving to Worthy Down in April 1927. Between the wars No.7 squadron was equipped with various aircraft including the Handley Page Heyfords, Vickers Wellesleys and Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys and became the leading bomber squadron, winning the Laurence Minot Memorial Bombing Trophy more than any other squadron. At the outbreak of World War II, the squadron was equipped with Handley Page Hampdens, until August 1940, when it equipped with the RAF's first four engined bomber, the Short Stirling Mk I - becoming the first RAF squadron to be equipped with four engined bombers. The first raid by No.7 was 10th February 1941 on Rotterdam. The squadron settled down to a night bombing role, adding mine laying to its duties in 1942. Later with four other squadrons, it formed the nucleus of the new Pathfinder Force, its task to find and accurately mark targets with flares. In May 1943, the Stirling (which was handicapped by a low operational ceiling - it had to fly through flak rather than over it) was gradually replaced by the Avro Lancaster, which No.7 used in Peenemunde in August. From June1944 and until the end of the war, the squadron also undertook a daylight operational role in support of land forces in France and the low countries, and against V-1 and V-2 sites. No.7 squadron flew to Singapore in January 1947, and converted to Avro Lincolns, seeing action against Communist terrorists in Malay, during 'Operation Firedog'. Returning to UK, having won the Laurence Minot Memorial Bombing Trophy outright for the eighth time it was disbanded 1st January 1956. Reforming in November of the same year with the Vickers Valiant 'V' bomber. Disbanded on 30th September 1962, it was reformed in May 1970 at RAF St. Mawgan on target provision duties. Equipped with the English Electric Canberra, the squadron provided targets for the Army and Navy anti aircraft guns. They also provided silent targets for radar station practice. On 12th December 1981 the squadron was again disbanded, reforming soon after as the second operational Boeing Vertol Chinook helicopter Squadron on 2nd September 1982.

Aircraft type : Hampden
A profile page including a list of all art prints for the Hampden is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Hampden Click the name above to see prints featuring Hampden aircraft. Manufacturer : Handley Page Retired : 1942 Number Built : 1500	Hampden The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a twin-engine medium bomber built for the Royal Air Force and was used by Bomber Command in the early years of world war two. Along with the other medium bombers the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane raid on Cologne. The newest of the three medium bombers, the Hampden was known as the Flying Suitcase because of its cramped crew conditions. A total of 226 Hampdens were in service with eight Royal Air Force squadrons by the start of the Second World War. Despite its speed and agility, in operational use the Hampden was no match for the fighters of the Luftwaffe (ME109 and FW 190) and the Hampdens role as a day bomber was brief, but Hampdens continued to operate at night on bombing raids over Germany and in mine laying (code-named gardening) in the North Sea. Almost half of the Hampdens built – 714, were lost on operations, witht he loss of 1,077 crew killed and another 739 missing. German flak accounted for 108; with one Hampden being lost due to German Barrage balloons; 263 Hampdens crashed due to a variety of causes, and 214 others were classed as missing. Luftwaffe pilots claimed 128 Hampdens, shooting down 92 at night. The Hampden soon became obsolete for its roll as a medium modern bomber, after operating mainly at night, it was retired from Bomber Command service in late 1942. but continued with Coastal Command throughout 1943 as a long-range Torpedo Bomber (the Hampden TB Mk I which carried the Mk XII torpedo in an open bomb-bay and a single 500 lb (230 kg) bomb under each wing) The Hampden was also used by the Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force.

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