Handley Page O/400

[Ruediger LANDMANN]

Been browsing around and can't find an answer...

Is the first part of the designation the letter "O" or the digit "0"? What
does it mean?

[Chris Percy]

"Ruediger LANDMANN" > wrote in message
...
> Been browsing around and can't find an answer...
>
> Is the first part of the designation the letter "O" or the digit "0"? What
> does it mean?

O/400 is simply the Handley-Page type designation and yes, it is an O
('Oh'), not 0 (nought). The H.P. designation letters eventually went up to
'X4b' (however, there were a few X-bomber projects in the 1920's-'30's),
although there was some overlap with this alpha/numeric series and the
later, more familiar H.P-whatever number dsignations (for e.g. H.P.53, the
Hampden). The X4b was a modified D.H.9a, one of the many aircraft used for
leading-edge slat trials. A comprehensive HAndley-Page history is: Barnes,
C. H. (1987) (2nd ed.) Handley Page Aircraft Since 1907. Putnam Aeronoutical
Books, London.

[robert arndt]

The Handley-Page O/400 bomber was (along with the Gothas) a giant
bomber for its time... but take a look at the Linke-Hoffman R.II 55/17
under construction at the end of WWI:

http://www.overthefront.com/issues/01_4.html

Rob