Handley Page V/1500
Handley Page · United Kingdom · first flew 1918 · bomber
The Handley Page V/1500 was Britain's largest aircraft of the First World War, a four-engine biplane strategic bomber designed specifically to reach Berlin from bases in eastern England. It arrived just as the war ended and saw no operational bombing service.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 19.51 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four engines in push-pull tandem pairs between the biplane wings
- Designed to bomb Berlin from British bases — arrived too late for WWI service
- Largest British aircraft of the First World War
An enormous biplane with four engines in two push-pull pairs mounted between the wings, twin tail booms, and a substantial biplane tail unit — the largest British aircraft of WWI and visually imposing even by 1920s standards.
Specifications
- The Handley Page V/1500 has a length of 19.51 m (64 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 38.4 m (126 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 166 km/h (103 mph).
- Typical crew: 6.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed from 1917 to meet the RFC's requirement for a true strategic bomber capable of attacking Berlin, the V/1500 first flew in May 1918 and three were ready for the Berlin mission when the Armistice was signed on 11 November 1918. It did see service in the 1919 Third Anglo-Afghan War, with one aircraft flying the first Kabul airlift of civilians.
Variants
Only a small number were built; no significant production variants. The V/1500 was quickly made redundant by the post-war drawdown.
Where you'll see it
A handful operated briefly with the RAF after the Armistice and one served in the 1919 Afghan War; the type was rapidly retired as the RAF contracted to a peacetime footing. Genuinely British in origin and service.
Related aircraft
- Handley Page Type W
- Handley Page W.8
- Handley Page O/400
- Handley Page H.P.20
- AEG G.V
- Airco DH.10 Amiens
- Blackburn Kangaroo
- Bristol Braemar
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