Fairey Hendon

The Fairey Hendon was a British twin‑engine bomber developed in the early 1930s by the Fairey Aviation Company. Conceived as a replacement for the aging Handley‑Page Heyford, the Hendon first flew on 21 March 1933 and entered limited service with the Royal Air Force the following year. Powered by two Rolls‑Royce Kestrel IX liquid‑cooled V‑12 engines, the aircraft featured a high‑mounted wing, a spacious, fully enclosed crew compartment for pilot, navigator, and gunner, and a retractable undercarriage—advanced traits for its time. Its bomb load, carried internally beneath the fuselage, could reach up to 2,000 lb, while defensive armament comprised dorsal and ventral machine‑gun positions. Only 15 production Hendons were built before the type was superseded by more modern monoplane bombers such as the Handley‑Page Hampden. Although its operational career was brief, the Hendon represented a transitional step from biplane to all‑metal monoplane designs, influencing subsequent Fairey projects like the Swordfish and Fulmar. The aircraft thus holds a modest yet important place in the evolution of British pre‑war strategic bombing capability. Its relatively quiet flight characteristics and sturdy construction also made it suitable for early night‑ bombing trials, providing valuable data for RAF doctrine.

Fairey Aviation Company

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Design & Classification