Handley Page W.8
Handley Page · United Kingdom · first flew 1919 · airliner
The Handley Page W.8 was a British biplane airliner of the early 1920s, derived from Handley Page's wartime bomber designs and used by Imperial Airways and its predecessors on European routes.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 18.06 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane airliner derived from WWI Handley Page bombers
- Three Napier Lion or Rolls-Royce Eagle engines
- Open cockpit with enclosed passenger cabin below upper wing
Recognisable as a large biplane with an enclosed passenger saloon, an open cockpit above and ahead of the cabin, and engines mounted between the wings.
Specifications
- The Handley Page W.8 has a length of 18.06 m (59 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 22.86 m (75 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 168 km/h (104 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The W.8 flew in 1919 and entered service with Handley Page Transport in 1921 on the London–Paris route; it represented a direct evolution of the successful O/400 bomber into commercial aviation and was among the most capable European airliners of its era.
Variants
Developed into the W.8b with two or three engines in various configurations, and further evolved into the W.9 and W.10 for Imperial Airways.
Where you'll see it
Operated by Handley Page Transport and later Imperial Airways on European cross-Channel routes until the late 1920s; a significant early British airliner.
Related aircraft
- Handley Page Type W
- Handley Page V/1500
- Handley Page H.P.20
- Handley Page O/400
- de Havilland DH.16
- Farman F.60 Goliath
- Farman F.61 Goliath
- Farman F.68 Goliath
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