Every now and then I come across an artwork featuring this H-P O/400 with the ‘LAST DAYS’ signwriting:
However, an internet search seems to reveal nothing about when, how or why.
Is this just an artists impression, or did this actually exist?
If it did exist, to what did the signwriting refer?
I doubt that the WW1 armistice was signalled sufficently far ahead that someone could come up with the concept, get their hands on the aircraft, and complete the work well enough in advance of 11/11/1918 to make the whole thing worthwhile.
Possibly it is not a war reference at all, but some sort of advertising – a stage show or a movie perhaps?
But that would mean that F3750 flew in civilian ownership, and Jackson makes no mention of that aircraft in his coverage of H-P civilian history.
(F3750 was one of a batch of 20 aircraft F3748 – F3767 built by H-P at Cricklewood).
By: flyernzl - 2nd March 2016 at 20:23
I don’t have access to that book, sorry.
By: Trenchardbrat - 1st March 2016 at 10:08
If you have the Handley Page Aircraft since 1907 the revised edition on page 107 has a few lines on this aircraft and its flight round UK
By: flyernzl - 1st March 2016 at 09:49
Interesting that the aircraft commander on that flight is given as Major K R Park, RAF.
Presumably Sir Keith Park, who was (of course) a New Zealander!
By: Lazy8 - 1st March 2016 at 08:16
It certainly did exist. Windsock DataFile 121 on the O/400 has a photograph, as well as artwork similar to that which you posted. I’m sure I’ve seen photos elsewhere too, but can’t put my finger on them right now. The aircraft was painted thus in April 1919, the implication being, perhaps, that the ‘LAST DAYS’ in question were those of it’s parent unit, No.1 School of Navigation and Bomb Dropping. F3750 flew a record-breaking circuit of Britain, as recorded in Flight for 15 May 1919:
https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%200633.html
(sadly the piece is without a photo so no confirmation of whether it wore ‘LAST DAYS’ for that flight).
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March 1, 2016 at 2:35 am