Hudson I

The Lockheed Hudson I was a twin‑engine light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft developed in the late 1930s as a military adaptation of the commercial Model 14 Super Electra. First flown in 1938, the type entered service with the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces just before the outbreak of the Second World War. Powered by two Wright R‑1820 Cyclone radial engines delivering 1,050 hp each, the Hudson I could reach 246 mph at 13 000 ft and carried a useful payload of up to 1 500 lb of bombs, depth charges, or a combination of ammunition and fuel. Its reinforced wooden floor, glazed nose, and dorsal turret gave crews good visibility for anti‑submarine patrols, while the retractable landing gear and all‑metal fuselage provided robustness on rough airfields. Over 1 400 Hudsons were built, serving in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific theatres, where they proved invaluable for maritime patrol, convoy escort, and transport missions. The aircraft’s reliability and adaptability helped shape early Allied air‑sea strategy, demonstrating the effectiveness of converting civilian designs for wartime needs and influencing subsequent Lockheed transport and patrol aircraft such as the C‑130 series throughout the war.

Lockheed Corporation

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Design & Classification