Operation Gardening - HP.52 Hampden w/ figures

The prototype of the Handley Page HP.52 Hampden bomber made its maiden flight on June 21, 1936, and entered service with the RAF in September 1938. The design of the HP.52 Hampden was unusual for its time: the aircraft featured an extremely narrow fuselage—only 90 centimeters wide—which, while providing excellent aerodynamics, resulted in very cramped conditions for the four-man crew. Due to its distinctive shape, it earned the nickname "Flying Suitcase."
At the start of World War II, the aircraft was used for daytime missions; however, its weak defensive armament made it an easy target for German fighter aircraft. Consequently, operations were gradually shifted to night missions starting in December 1939. A significant chapter in its operational history was its role in "Operation Gardening"—the codename for a campaign to lay magnetic mines in enemy waters, primarily in bays and near harbors.
During the winter of 1939–40, several Hampdens were specially modified to carry mines in their bomb bays; the first mines were laid off the Norwegian coast on the night of April 14, 1940.
The objective of the operation was to mine German coastal waters, estuaries, and harbors that were inaccessible to British naval forces. Operation Gardening proved highly effective: by the end of 1940, HP.52 Hampdens had laid 703 mines. Loss rates during these minelaying missions were significantly lower than those experienced during bombing raids on industrial targets in Germany. The Hampden continued to be used for minelaying until 1942, when it was replaced in this role by heavier, four-engine RAF bombers.
Plastic model kit

• Includes 3 pilots, 2 ground crew members
• Magnetic mine on trolley
• Detailed cockpit, engines, and interior

1:48 scale

unbuilt / unpainted

Paint and glue not included