Handley Page Night Bombers 0/100, 0/400 & V/1500

The Handley Page 0/100, 0/400 and V/1500 were the first true heavy bombers of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force during the First World War, giving Britain the long-range striking power needed for strategic bombing deep into Germany. Designed initially with a 114ft wingspan (later 100ft), folding wings, armour protection and twin engines, the early 0/100s were underpowered and slow. Performance improved dramatically with the arrival of Rolls Royce Eagle engines. Bomb capacity also grew from six 100lb bombs to loads of sixteen 112lb, and eventually to 230lb, 250lb, 550lb, 1,600lb and even 3,360lb weapons. After successful trials, the 0/100 entered service and was refined into the 0/400, which crews regarded highly. These aircraft enabled the RFC/RAF to take the air war to the enemy, but demands for even greater range led to the creation of the enormous V/1500, capable of reaching Berlin. The war ended before such a raid could be flown, and the type saw little operational use.

After the Armistice, surplus 0/400s were converted into civil transports, becoming the O/7, O/10 and O/11 variants. They were used in early commercial aviation and exported to countries including Argentina, Australia, China, India and South Africa. One 0/400 even carried T. E. Lawrence during his return from the Versailles Conference, though the aircraft later crashed without injuring him. By 1922 most Handley Page bombers and their civilian derivatives had disappeared, but they had already laid the foundations of long range military and civil aviation.

Warpaint 153 follows the usual format telling the full history of the development and service, and includes a walkaround compiled from original images of aircraft in service, and colour profiles and plans by Sam Pearson.