Handley Page aircraft books - history, types and construction

Bloody Paralyser : The Giant Handley Page Bombers of the First World War

In 1915, the biggest plane ever seen in Britain took flight for the first time, a twin-engine monster with a 100-foot wingspan, designed to be a 'Bloody Paralyser' to the Germans.

This book tells the story of the largest British bomber of the First World War and the men who flew them. Operating mainly at night, the Handley Page bombers attacked German and German-occupied towns and cities, disrupting the enemy's industry and crippling its war effort.
The men that flew in the 'Bloody Paralysers' were the forerunners of the crews of Bomber Command in the Second World War and now their story is told in their own words. The book contains a wealth of unpublished material and photographs documenting these mighty bombers.

Product details

Author:	Rob Langham
Details:	208 pages, hardback
Illustrations:	39 b&w photos
Publisher:	Fonthill Media (GB, 2015)
ISBN:	9781781550809

Handley Page - Forty Years on 1909-1949

Handley Page began manufacturing aeroplanes in a small factory in Barking, Essex in 1909. Handley Page Limited was founded by Frederick Handley Page (later Sir Frederick) as the United Kingdom's first publicly traded aircraft manufacturing company.
Sir Frederick declined to allow his company to be merged into the two large 'forced marriages' of aircraft manufacturing companies in the 1960s. It failed to survive alone, and went into voluntary liquidation and ceased to exist in 1970.

During the First World War Handley Page produced a series of heavy bombers for the Royal Navy to bomb the German Zeppelin yards, with the ultimate intent of bombing Berlin in revenge for the Zeppelin attacks on London. Handley Page had been asked by the Admiralty to produce a "bloody paralyser of an aeroplane".
These aircraft included the O/100 of 1915, the O/400 of 1918 and the four-engined V/1500 with the range to reach Berlin. The V/1500 only just reached operational service as the war ended in 1918.

The real success of the Company came during the Second World War with the magnificent and robust Halifax bomber. In all, more than 6,000 of them were produced, or more than 40 per cent of Britain's total heavy-bomber power. In the bombing operations alone, approximately 76,000 sorties were flown and nearly a quarter of a million tons of bombs were dropped on to enemy targets. Bomber Command had no less than seventy-six Halifax squadrons in action at the time of its peak strength.

This is the first modern edition of what was originally the 1949 Handley Page corporate marketing book.

Product details

Author:	Handley Page Limited
Details:	112 pages, 23.5 x 16.5 x 0.9 cm / 9.25 x 6.5 x 0.35 in, paperback
Illustrations:	145 b&w photos
Publisher:	Fonthill Media (GB, 2012)
ISBN:	9781781550076

Handley Page Halifax Manual (1939 onwards) - An insight into the design, construction and operation (Haynes Aircraft Manual)

The Halifax became the second of the new generation of four-engine heavy bombers to enter service with RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War. It flew its first offensive operation in March 1941 and by 1944 it had become the exclusive equipment for Bomber Command's 4 Group and 6 (Canadian) Group, as well as being used in smaller numbers by 100 (Bomber Support) Group.

The RAF's four-engine Halifax bomber flew on most of the main raids over Germany in the Second World War, as well as in operations from Italy, in North Africa and the Far East, and after the war on the Berlin Air Lift.

Jonathan Falconer reviews the design and operation of the Halifax and offers a detailed close-up look at its construction. Fascinating insights into the recovery and restoration of Halifax airframes include the RAF Museum's Mk II (W1048) and the superb A Mk VII (NA337) in the National Air Force Museum of Canada.

Product details

Author:	Jonathan Falconer
Details:	192 pages, 27.5 x 21.5 x 1.5 cm / 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.59 in, hardback
Illustrations:	numerous b&w and colour photos
Publisher:	Haynes Publishing (GB, 2016)
Series:	Haynes Aircraft Manual
ISBN:	9781785210679

More information on the Haynes Aircraft Manuals