HANDLEY PAGE HAMPDEN, AIR MINISTRY Type 5D/655 BOMB SELECTOR CONTROL UNIT

When the Handley Page Hampden was first introduced into service in 1938, RAF pilots were quick to praise its agility after discovering that they could throw it around the sky like a single engine fighter.

They also enjoyed its excellent visibility with the pilot perched high in the cockpit enabling tight turns and steep climbs to be executed with relative ease.

The British Air Ministry also had high hopes for the Hampden as their primary fighter/bomber during the early months of the War, given it was really their first venture into introducing a monoplane dual purpose combat aircraft.

Initially the Hampdens were used for armed aerial reconnaissance as they observed the build up of German naval activity and troop movements during daylight missions, but in March 1940, Hampdens participated in the first deliberate bombing of German territory in a nighttime raid upon the seaplane hangars and slipways in Hörnum, Sylt .

Unfortunately daylight missions proved to be disastrous as whilst the Hampden was fast and highly manoeuvrable, it had poor defensive armament and when faced with the new generation of advanced Luftwaffe fighters such as the Bf 109, it’s losses in combat began to escalate dramatically.

In response to these overwhelming losses, Bomber Command switched the Hampdens to night time only operations and by the middle of 1940, Hampdens of 5 Group had conducted 123 night time operations with the loss of just one aircraft.

The night time bombing raids continued over Germany with Flight Lieutenant Rod Learoyd of 49 Squadron being awarded the Victoria Cross for a low-level attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal on 12 August 1940 where two of five aircraft failed to return.

On 25 August 1940, Hampdens also participated in the RAF's first night bombing raid on Berlin. Sergeant John Hannah was the wireless operator/air gunner of an 83 Squadron Hampden and was awarded the Victoria Cross on 15 September 1940, when he fought the flames of the burning aircraft, allowing the pilot to return it to base. 

By early 1942, and now with the introduction of the 4 engine heavy Avro Lancaster bomber it had become becoming pretty obvious that the Hampden’s conventional bomber role was no longer required so many of the Hampden Squadrons were transferred over to Coastal Command where they were modified for mine laying and torpedo bombing.

In its Coastal Command role the Hampden TB Mk I carried a Mk XII torpedo in an open bomb bay and a 500-pound (230 kg) bomb under each wing. Elements of some of these Coastal Command Hampden were also posted to the Russian North Sea port of Murmansk to help safe guard the Arctic Convoys.

In its original bomber configuration however, the Hampden could carry up to a 1,800 kg bomb load which could include 14kg incendiary bomblets (carried in the Small Bomb Container SBC) together with 230 kg and 450kg general purpose High Explosive (GP/HE) bombs. 

Whilst the Hampden was fitted with the Mark III bomb sight (shown here on the right) and later, the more advanced and stabilised computer-controlled Mk XIV Bomb sight (shown here at bottom left) - which assisted the bomb aimer in accurately marking the target, he still had some extensive and time-consuming work to do in preparing the release of the Wellington’s bomb load. He did this on his Air Bomber's Control Panel which consisted of three separate Control Units:

• 16 x switch, Type F5D/655 Bomb Selector Control Panel
• Type VII 5D/1065 Bomb Release Timer Distributor Unit
• 5D/1063 Bomb Preselector Unit

The first of these Control Units - the 16 x switch, Type F5D/655 Bomb Selector Control Panel was mounted just in front of the Hampden's Type VII 5D/1065 Bomb Release Timer Distributor Unit high on the starboard wall of the bomb aimer’s position. 

The 16 switches of the F5D/655 related to 16 stowage points in the aircraft’s bomb bay and the bomb aimer used the  to select which bombs or combination of bombs would be released over the target and which bombs might be retained for a later attack on a secondary target.

The knurled silver knob at the top right of the unit was rotated to activate pre-programmed settings which would appear in the small perspex window showing either: ‘Container Distributor’ - allowing for the release of the Small Bomb Containers or SBCs; ‘SAFE’ Except for Jettison’ - rendering the bomb load secure from release except for an emergency jettison; and ‘Singe & Salvo’ - enabling group release and ‘Stick’ bombing of targets.

The Unit also featured a Master Safety Jettison Handle with its chain-mounted, metal Safety Cover. When removed, the bomb aimer could jettison the entire bomb load in an emergency such as prior to a crash landing, aircraft fire or fighter attack. The pilot also had a Jettison Switch and Pull Handle mounted on his main flying panel in case the bomb aimer was immobilised.

The second unit on the Air Bomber's Control Panel was the Type VII 5D/1065 Bomb Release Timer Distributor Unit which the bomb aimer used to pre-set the timing interval and order of the ordinance to be dropped. This was particularly useful if the Hampden was attacking a long, spread out target such as a railway terminus, bridge or transport hub and needed to drop its bombs in a 'stick' formation along the target. 

The metal pointers in the middle of the unit were rotated to preset any of the possible 32 bomb combinations whilst the small, silver rotary dial below was used to set the timing interval. A small bulb, behind a swivelling coloured/clear window would then indicate their activation.

The third Unit on the Air Bombers Control Panel was the 5D/1063 Bomb Preselector which was programmed to ensure the bomb releases did not destabilise the aircraft’s flight characteristics during the attack (Seen here on the left). Carrying over 1800 kg of ordinance, without a balanced drop, the Hampden could suddenly find its nose pitched violently upwards, hurtling it into the path of another aircraft in the bomber stream. 

This Air Ministry stamped 16 x switch, Type F5D/655 Bomb Selector Control Panel is an original WWII veteran Bomber Command Unit.
 
With its Air Ministry AM & Crown markings, this is a rare piece of RAF aviation history with all switches operational and the hinged, drop-down panel revealing the complex wiring for the unit. It also comes complete with its chain attached, removable Arming Safety Cover and original rotating 'Dial In' Arming Programs’

Mounted in its 100 yr old mango wood display stand with engraved plaque and highly detailed, custom built 1/72, or super detailed 1/48 scale model of this iconic aircraft perched above on its removable magnetic arm, this original Recovery Curios WWII aviation collectable also comes with a full colour, laminated Fact Sheet featuring photos of the instrument in situ with details on its operation and the aircraft’s history.

This Handley Page Hampden Instrument comes complete with detailed Scale Model, Mango Wood Stand & Plaque plus Printed Fact Sheet featuring photo of instrument in aircraft cockpit.

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