Aircraft

A selection of pictures of aircraft seen at Croydon throughout it's history

Handley Page

Frederick Handley Page first experimented with and built several biplanes and monoplanes at premises in Woolwich, Fambridge and Barking Creek. His company, founded on the 17th of June 1909, became the first British public company to build aircraft. In 1912 Handley Page established an aircraft factory at Cricklewood after moving from Barking. Aircraft were built there, and flown from the company's adjacent airfield, known as Cricklewood Aerodrome, which was also used by Handley Page Transport. The factory was later sold off to Oswald Stoll and converted into Britain's largest film studios Cricklewood Studios. The company, based at Radlett Aerodrome in Hertfordshire, was noted for its pioneering role in aviation history and for producing heavy bombers and large airliners. It went into voluntary liquidation and ceased to exist in 1970.

HP Heyford

(above) Handley Page Heyford. RAF visitor to Croydon 1936.

HP W8

(below) HP W8. RAF visitor to Croydon in 1922

(above) a Handley Page W.8b inherited from 'Handley Page Transport' when 'Imperial Airways' was formed

(above and below) 'Prince Henry' an 'HP W8B'

(above) 'HP W8b'. 1924

KLM Fokker F.VII - H-NACL + Handley Page W.8. 1925

(below) Sabena. HP W8B

(above) 'Handley Page W8F' of Sabena at Croydon. 1926

(above) 'Handley Page HP W8G'. 'Hamilton'

HP32

(above) HP32 Hamlet. October 1926

HP42

(above and below) Handley Page H42E. 'Hannibal'

HP45

(above and below pictures) 'Hengist' and 'Horatius'. Handley Page 45's of 'Imperial Airways'. in 1932

(above) 'Horatius' preparing for a night flight

(above) G-AAXE 'Hengist' an 'HP45' of Imperial Airways

(above) ' Horatius.

(above) 'HP 45 Horatius' and a 'DH80 Puss Moth'.

(above) 'HP45' Heracles. 1939.

(above) 'HP45' Helena.

(above) 'Lioré et Olivier LéO 21' 'Golden Ray' with 'HP45 Horatius' behind.

HP3 Dart Herald

(above) Handley Page 'HP3 Dart Herald'. 1958