Hampden Mk I

Description

The Hampden Mk I is a rank British bomber with a battle rating of (AB), (RB), and (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai".

The Hampden is one of the first bombers you get in the British tree, and without a doubt defines the style of flying for the remainder of the tree. Its decent performance combined with all-powerful bomb load can quickly rack your score up into the thousands. On maps like Essen, use your superior speed to bomb the ground targets before any other bombers, then drop your altitude and rearm at the airfield. After, fly low with a bomb delay and hit the remaining targets or bases.

General info

Flight performance

Details

Survivability and armour

• 9.5 mm Steel plate in front of cockpit on fuselage top.
• 9.5 mm Steel plate behind the dorsal gunner.

Modifications and economy

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Hampden Mk I is armed with:

• 1 x 7.7 mm Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (300 rpg)

Suspended armament

The Hampden Mk I can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 6 x 250 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,500 lb total)
• 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
• 4 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 4 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs (4,000 lb total)

Defensive armament

The Hampden Mk I is defended by:

• 1 x 7.7 mm Vickers K machine gun, nose turret (1,000 rpg)
• 2 x 7.7 mm Vickers K machine guns, dorsal turret (1,300 rpg = 2,600 total)
• 2 x 7.7 mm Vickers K machine guns, ventral turret (1,350 rpg = 2,700 total)

Usage in battles

The Hampden Mk I is an average early bomber which, though rather average, should not be taken lightly. It is able to take quite a large bombload for its size, allowing it to take out bomb points and ground targets with ease.

The below tactics can be used in all games modes:

How to offensively engage an enemy aircraft:

If you happen to see an enemy aircraft, you should not engage it. Only in cases where it's the last enemy player or it should be at and disadvantage should the Hampden be brave enough to attack an enemy aircraft. Hampden should try and climb above the enemy then dive to get in front of target. Then use its defensive four 7.7 mm machine guns to tear into enemy aircraft's cockpit and knock out the pilot, engines and any gunners. This way try to use the defensive armaments in an offensive way. The single offensive .30 cal machine gun might not put out enough firepower to take out enemy aircraft, other than some reserve and lower battle rating aircraft, since it's only a single .30 cal with 300 rounds which will limit the damage the Hampden can do.

How to perform defensive fighting: Best way for the Hampden Mk I to defend itself is by trying to get the enemy aircraft to get on the rear where its 4 x 7.7 mm Vickers K machine guns have the coverage to be able to fire at the enemy. Lacking 360 degree turrets makes the Vickers have a limited area of coverage and leaves a lot of the plane exposed for enemy fighters to swoop in from. So best course of action is to get them on the Hampden's tail.

Should an enemy fighter move to engage the Hampden, do not try to outmanoeuvre it. Simply dive and go as low as possible while in gunner view and aim for the enemy's engine. Try and damage it or give it some critical damage to fend it off. If one is lucky it will burst into flames or the pilot be knocked out and it will be out of the battle for good.

Specific enemies worth noting

The planes to be feared are usually those that carry cannons or 12.7 mm machine guns. These kind of planes can easily cause heavy damage to the Hampden. Planes like: P-400, P-40, LaGG-3, Ki-45 and J22-B. But those are not the only threats, since there are many more aircraft that will be a considerable threat to Hampden Mk I.

Manual Engine Control

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Third heaviest payload for its BR (behind the Ju 88 A-4 and the Hampden TB Mk I)
• Offensive machine gun can be useful for killing soft ground targets
• Back gunner makes short work of low tier planes
• Decent manoeuvrability for a bomber

Cons:

• Terrible roll rate
• Possibility to face planes with 20 mm cannons and 12.7 mm guns
• Vickers machine gun isn't very accurate
• Unlike the Hampden TB Mk I it cannot carry a torpedo
• Does not like to take battle damage
• No protection for pilot when enemy planes attack you head on
• Hits to the wings can start fuel tank fires due to all the fuel tanks being internally mounted in the wings
• Rear gunners' arc is very limited
• Carrying the largest payload option will slow the plane to a crawl

History

The Handley Page Hampden was the last and fastest twin-engined bomber of the "trio" during the Phoney War. It was designed to meet Air Ministry Specification B.9/32 which called for a faster, heavier, and more powerful bomber that would replace the existing Bristol Blenheim and the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. The designer, G.V Vokert, designed an interesting prototype, designated HP.52. This plane was originally powered by Napier Sabre Dagger engines, but switched to the more powerful Bristol Pegasus radial engines. Originally the Hampden had two Vickers K gun in ventral and dorsal positions, which proved to be inadequate for daylight defence. This was then switched to two Vickers K guns with modifications. The Hampden had many nicknames, because of the slim, compact and cramped fuselage it was nicknamed the "Flying Suitcase". It was oddly similar in role and appearance to the German fast day-bomber Do 17, which had the nickname "Flying Pencil".

RAF Squadron No.49 was the first to receive their new Hampdens. Bearing the brunt of early bombing raids on Europe. The Hampden proved no match for Luftwaffe fighters. It was subsequently switched to various night time operations, such as mine-laying, bombing raids on German soil, propaganda and torpedo bombing. Despite having great speed and manoeuvrability, the Hampden was declared obsolete and retired from service in 1942.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Hampden Mk I from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance