2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Handley Page Heyford: British Official Photographer· Public domain
- 2. Handley Page Heyford ExCC: Wikimedia Commons· Public domain
what is it?
The Handley Page Heyford was a twin-engine biplane bomber designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Handley Page. It holds the distinction of being the last biplane heavy bomber to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Heyford was developed in response to Specification B.19/27 for a new heavy night bomber.
How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · biplane · 22.9 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.
- Top speed is 1.8× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
- Wingspan of 22.9 m: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1930-06-12
- introduced
- 1934
- retired
- 1941
- status
- retired
- number built
- 125
- role
- heavy night bomber
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- makers
- Handley Page
- engines
- 2× Rolls-Royce Kestrel II-S
- crew
- 4
- length
- 17.7 m
- wingspan
- 22.9 m
- height
- 5.3 m
- max take-off weight
- 7,666 kg
- top speed
- 228 km/h
- range
- —
- ceiling
- 6,401 m
- wings
- biplane
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q1499781, Wikipedia: Handley Page Heyford (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.