O/100

The Handley Page O/100 was the first successful British heavy bomber, designed and built by Handley Page Ltd during the First World War. First flown in June 1915, it entered service with the Royal Naval Air Service in early 1916 and later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. The aircraft featured a twin‑engine, biplane layout with a wooden frame and fabric covering, powered by two 250‑hp Rolls‑Royce Eagle V12 engines mounted between the wings. Its wingspan of 73 ft 6 in (22.4 m) and a maximum take‑off weight of over 9,000 lb gave it the capacity to carry up to 2,000 lb of bombs, a payload unprecedented for the time. Defensive armament consisted of three .303‑in Lewis guns positioned in nose, dorsal and ventral gun‑positions, allowing some protection against enemy fighters. The O/100’s operational record demonstrated the viability of strategic bombing, influencing the development of later heavy bombers such as the Handley Page O/400 and the Vickers Vimy. Though only a few hundred were built before being superseded, the O/100 established the concept of long‑range, high‑payload bombing missions and helped shape post‑war bomber design philosophies.

Handley Page

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification