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1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Handley Page HP42 (cropped): American Colony (Jerusalem). Photo Dept., photographer. G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection.· Public domain
what is it?
The Handley Page H.P.42 and H.P.45 were four-engine biplane airliners designed and manufactured by British aviation company Handley Page, based in Radlett, Hertfordshire. They held the distinction of being the largest airliners in regular use in the world on the type's introduction in 1931. The H.P.42/45 were designed in response to a specification issued during 1928 by the British flag airline Imperial Airways.
How to recognise it: 4 piston engines with propellers · 39.6 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 96 years ago, in 1930.
- Wingspan of 39.6 m: about 9 cars parked nose to tail.
- Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 2 African elephants (~6 t each).
piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1930-11-14
- introduced
- 1931
- retired
- 1940
- status
- retired
- number built
- 8
- role
- civilian airliner
- makers
- Handley Page
- engines
- 4× Bristol Jupiter XIF
- crew
- 4
- passengers
- 24
- length
- 28.1 m
- wingspan
- 39.6 m
- height
- 8.2 m
- max take-off weight
- 12.7 t
- top speed
- 193 km/h
- cruise speed
- 161 km/h
- range
- —
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q1326565, Wikipedia: Handley Page H.P.42 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.