It was a derivative of the Handley Page W.8 airliner, having been originally envisioned to perform additional roles such as transporting troops and coastal patrol duties.

In addition to its use in Britain, an export arrangement was sought by the Belgian aircraft company SABCA, but this was rejected to the supposed involvement of the Soviet Union.

Potential overseas sales were complicated due to the Hyderabad being placed on the Secret List, making it difficult to share any information on the aircraft.

[2] While this proposal was not acted upon at this time, two years later, tenders were sought for Specification 31/22, a replacement night bomber for the Airco DH.10 Amiens and the Vickers Vimy.

During service trials of the prototype undertaken by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A & AEE) at Martlesham Heath, it was evaluated against the rival Vickers Virginia.

Handley Page also received an official reprimand for sharing detailed drawings of the Hyderabad with the Italian press, as the aircraft had been placed on the Secret List.

[6] During 1928, a final batch of eleven Hyderabads, however some of these were equipped with Bristol Jupiter VIII radial engines and separately designated as the Handley Page Hinaidi instead.

The pilots, which were seated in a tandem arrangement in separate cockpits, both being forward of the wing and provided with a favourable all-round external view.

[5] In terms of its armaments, it could carry a pair of 550 lb bombs, or a larger number of smaller munitions; a self-defense capability in the form of three Lewis guns mounted on Scarff rings positioned at the nose, mid-upper fuselage, and a rear-firing ventral location.

[6] Deliveries of the type were slow, while attrition losses through multiple accidents were relatively high, a combination of factors which delayed the formation of the second squadron, No.