Hampden TB Mk I (USSR)

▂Hampden TB Mk I

▂Hampden TB Mk I

USSR

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.7	1.7	2.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Bomber

Torpedo bomber

Purchase:1 370

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This page is about the Soviet medium bomber Hampden TB Mk I (USSR). For other uses, see Hampden (Family).

Description

The ▂Hampden TB Mk I UTK-1 is a premium rank I Soviet medium bomber with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB/RB) and 2.0 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai".

The Hampden TB is a premium, lend-lease, Soviet rank 1 bomber of British design, and plays much as standard tree Soviet bombers do. Its good performance and respectable payload can destroy a bombing point in one go, and still have some to spare. It can also carry a torpedo, making it an effective anti-carrier craft. However, it is not well equipped to defend itself, and as such suffers in up-tiers.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 6,250 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
382	366	9,400	35.4	36.0	6.9	6.9	326
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 6,250 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
436	406	9,400	32.6	34.0	14.5	9.3	326

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	X	X	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
???	???	???	~??	~?

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< ???	< ???	< ???	> ???

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
?,??? m	??? hp	?,??? hp

Survivability and armour

• 9.5 mm Steel plate in front of pilot, top of fuselage.
• 9.5 mm Steel plate behind the dorsal gunner.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Hampden TB Mk I (USSR) is armed with:

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

The four machine guns are arranged in bundles of two mounted on the underside of the upper wing. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire with each other until empty.

Suspended armament

The Hampden TB Mk I (USSR) can be outfitted with the following:

• 6 x G.P. 250 lb Mk.IV bombs (1,500 lb total)
• 2 x 500 lb bombs (1,000 lb total)
• 4 x 500 lb bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 4 x G.P. 1,000 lb Mk.I bombs (4,000 lb total)
• 1 x 18 inch Mk.XII torpedo
• 6 x 500 lb bombs (3,000 lb total)
• 4 x G.P. 1,000 lb Mk.I bombs + 2 x 500 lb bombs (5,000 lb total)

Defensive armament

The Hampden TB Mk I (USSR) is defended by:

• 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, dorsal turret (400 rpg)
• 1 x 7.7 mm Vickers K machine gun, nose turret (500 rpg)
• 2 x 7.7 mm Vickers K machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

Usage in battles

This bomber is strictly that; a bomber. With a mediocre defensive armament and only a single offensive 7.7, engaging enemy aircraft is an absolute last resort. The lack of defensive capabilities, combined with the thin tail and wings, make the Hampden TB a fragile aircraft. Upon spawning, climb at a very shallow angle to increase your speed and altitude at the same time. When the bomb points are in range, level off and drop your load. This will make you significantly lighter and allow you to return to base extremely quickly. During this time, one must take care to avoid aircraft that will now be at your altitude. A shallow dive will allow a boost in speed, and a corkscrew over the airfield will let you drop the remaining altitude without ripping due to speed.

Specific enemies worth noting

Any vehicle with an offensive armament of more than machine guns will shred the Hampden. Flak can be very dangerous due to the fragility of the aircraft, and the large glass nose almost always results in your forward gunner dying when engaging enemy units. All in all, avoid any contact with enemy vehicles.

Counter-tactics

For its BR, the Hampden is quite fast at altitude. It can turn well at lower speeds, but this feature should not be utilized if you're being engaged. The most effective method of escaping combat is to run, ditching your bombs if absolutely necessary. Its bottom and forward gunners can deal with unarmored aircraft, but will struggle against anything with a small amount of armor. There is, however, a Berezin UB machine gun in the top rear turret that can effectively deal with most fighters if needed.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		Turret 7 mm	Offensive 7 mm	MBC-B
II		Compressor	Airframe		New 7 mm MGs	MBC mk.III
III	Wings Repair	Engine		New 7 mm MGs (turret)	Turret 12 mm	TSC mk.II
IV		Engine Injection	Cover		New 12 mm MGs (turret)	SBC mk.II

• As the Hampden TB is a premium, all modules come pre-researched.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Carries a large payload for rank I aircraft
• Offensive Machine gun can be useful for killing soft ground targets and fighters
• Top rear gunner makes short work of low tier planes
• Good speed and overall maneuverability for a bomber
• Can carry a torpedo for anti-shipping runs

Cons:

• Roll rate is to be expected of a fast bomber
• Cannons obliterate the airframe easily
• Vickers K machine guns lack accuracy
• British torpedoes require a low drop speed

History

The Handley Page Hampden was the last and fastest twin-engined bomber of the aircraft 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 equipped with 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 defense. This was then switched to two Vickers K gun with modifications. The Hampden had many nicknames because of the slim, compact, and cramped fuselage. It was often nicknamed the "Flying Suitcase". Oddly similar in role and appearance to the German fast day-bomber Do 17, which had the nickname the "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 maneuverability, the Hampden was declared obsolete and retired from service in 1942.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

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

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on aircraft;
• other literature.