H.P.42

The Handley Page H.P.42 was a four‑engine biplane airliner built in Britain during the late 1920s and operated by Imperial Airways until the outbreak of World II. Designed as a luxurious replacement for the earlier H.P.18, the H.P.42 first flew on 30 June 1930 and entered service in 1931. Its wooden, fabric‑covered airframe featured a stout, rectangular fuselage with a spacious cabin that could seat up to 38 passengers in a combination of lounge, promenade and sleeping compartments, while the crew were accommodated in an enclosed cockpit for the first time in a Handley Page transport. Powered by four Rolls‑Royce Eagle IX V‑12 engines mounted between the wings, the aircraft could cruise at 115 mph with a range of roughly 550 mi, a respectable performance for its size and construction. The H.P.42’s most distinctive characteristic was its elegant, hand‑carved interior and the “squared‑off” tailplane that gave it a stately silhouette. Although limited by low speed and relatively high operating costs, the type became an icon of early inter‑continental travel, symbolising reliability and comfort and influencing the design philosophy of later British airliners. Its retirement in 1939 marked the end of an era for the classic biplane airliner.