Handley Page Halifax in Colour

[@Wrongsideofnow]

My dad’s cousin Cyril Peters flew the Halifax. He won the DFC for flying one home on two engines, with full rudder to keep stability, and landing it safely. He survived the war to become a teacher. I salute all those young men who were not so lucky

[@dannylaloo6846]

Wonderful to see in colour, thank you for posting. My Granddad was a Rear Gunner in the SOE: 138 Squadron, dropping spies (often female) and special forces at night over occupied and enemy territories. He flew 25 sorties and survived to become a Cabinet Maker. RIP and eternal thanks to him and all those who were not so fortunate to survive the war.

[@kennethwebb6657]

I was thrilled to return to this clip for two reasons. This clip has a commentary. I had two uncles - each a brother of my father and mother respectively. Their deaths in 1943 and 1945 was the catalyst that enabled my parents' romance to blossom in 1949 and thus I and my sisters are here and our families. The two families lived just 1.5 miles apart, and we've often wondered how conversations might have gone between Ken and Harry in post war years when alone. Then, of course, had they survived I doubt that my parents would have met. The other reason? Sgt-Plt Ken Webb RAF VR 1315766, on 76 Sqdn, flew the Halifax Mk V DK165 MP-E on his last Op on 16-17 April 1943, to the Skoda Works in Plzn. FS Harry Marshall RAF VR 1337884 flew Halifaxes and he and his crew 'The Payne Crew' RCAF transferred to 405 (City of Vancouver) Squadron RCAF. Harry, being RAF, was seconded to the RCAF - a source of immense pride in my family. But to hear 405 in the commentary stopped me in my tracks. Suddenly, so much of the wartime RAF and RCAF family archive material I have here came fully into focus. On his last op to Zeitz on 16-17 January 1945, the crew had transferred to the Avro Lancaster PB402 LQ-M flying from RAF Gransden Lodge. In 1982, as a serving junior officer in the RAF VR I had the privilege to meet MRAF Sir A Harris. We stood chatting with cups of tea, both in dress uniform, and I admit that for me, it was simply surreal. But what taught me so much was Sir Arthur's incredible attention to detail, his knowledge of the raids in question, his explanations. That afternoon I called in to see my parents. I must have been mumbling, because Dad, Ken's brother, said, "sorry Ken, I thought you said Bomber Harris..." 'I did Dad!" "What?!?" and there was a very long silence. My parents sat quietly; taking it in, and it was for them a very, very important moment. Despite my being an ATC sqdn cdr, it did not stop my father reminding me ... "Ken, you met the commander-in-chief of both your uncles! Don't ever forget this privilege!" | Thank you so much to Aviationvideosdvd for showing this clip. There is peace here, as I write this. I think of the 126,000 aircrew, the 55,573 who didn't return, and of the lifetime that all these men lived without recognition until most of them had returned to the skies. And I think of the even greater number of dedicated groundcrews without whom not a single plane would have flown, and without whom we would most certainly have been defeated in 1940. KInd regards. Ken Webb Jnr.2020-10-8 UK

[@colinmartin2921]

The Halifax had one fantastic attribute - crews could get out in an emergency, unlike the Lancaster which trapped crews in a burning coffin. Both planes had another major flaw in that their service ceiling was too low, making them extremely vulnerable to flak.

[@daveb1268]

Great to see this. My uncle was a flight engineer on Halifax mk7's,( Bristol hercules engines ) & completed a full tour of ops. He had nothing but praise for the aircraft.

[@ratchetman3606]

Great plane - my father was a pilot in 428 Squadron WW2 and flew the Halifax NA-U DK-270. He always said the Halifax is second to none !!

[@andrewmontgomery5621]

My uncle Ted was a tail gunner in one of those bombers in No 10 Squadron unfortunately he was missing in action on a bombing raid on Essen.

[@lindalardner3745]

My uncle George Such was pilot on bombing raid over Hamburg and was shot down after jettisoning his bombs in July 1943. 22 years of age . Washed ashore and buried in cemetery. My grandmother never got to visit his grave but some kind soul forwarded a photo to my daughter a year ago all thanks to social media .

[@XcmxMccqx]

My grandfather did two tours as a navigator for the rcaf out of Linton on Ouse in this aircraft

[@steveoatway7001]

My father Wally Oatway was the Deputy Bombing Leader in 434 Squadron at War's end from Feb 45 on. He had already done a Tour of Ops at 424 Sq on Halifax III's and won the DFC for his accurate Bombing. 434 Squadron had suffered bad casualties so that's why they transferred him there but in a letter to my mother he really just wanted to come home. He was in uniform until Sep 5 and ready to join Tiger Force. What these men went through every operation would scare the pants off any of us.

[@MrDaiseymay]

true

[@normannokes9513]

Sadly, the illustrated mark 2 with Merlin engines experienced rudder overbalance when an engine was shut down. The pilot lost control with fatal consequences for the crew. The remarkable Captain Eric Brown flight tested and corrected the problem. Tailfin for mark 3 was altered. Just staying alive was a constant challenge for the brave lads.

[@joylunn3445]

I consider this to be the best looking version of the Halifax.

[@paulpaxtop1580]

I’ve read an unofficial log book of one lucky Halifax crew who survived the war, on their first trip to Germany they shot down two enemy fighters and narrowly escaped being shot down themselves … they quickly learned that shooting their guns gave away their position, far better to dive erratically out of danger.

[@em6577]

Wow great to see. My uncle was a rear gunner in 1 of these and died after it suffered engine failure... he was 23, sq 76. 1944..may all who gave the ultimate for our freedom forever rest in peace.❤

[@richardbroad3618]

My uncle, James Broad Robinson, R.A.F., flew this version of the Halifax with Ceylon Squadron from bases in Yorkshire. He survived the war & joined B.O.A.C.. He flew Merlin engined Argonaut aircraft, Comets, & finally VC 10's.

[@martinramsdale99]

After reading some of the messages I feel it is a shame that their sadly isn't a airworthy Halifax bomber clearly a sad loss to future generations of people to see and hear at air shows

[@tonywright7875]

My heart goes out to those that lost their life flying these old war horses. Being x bomber command I salute you all.

[@googlegoogle-kd6zm]

Thank you. My uncle's brother served on an HPH but he did not come home.

[@MrDaiseymay]

My half brother , Kenneth N J Croft. flew in a Mk 3 Halifax , Sqn 199, from North Creake , Norfolk , 2/3 May, 1945. This was part of a massive formation----target, Kiel Northern Germany. It was the last punitive bombing raid of the war. Two Halifax's collided over the target, RG 375 and RG 373 ( my bros plane). Of the total crew of 14, only 3 survived, neither, was my Brother. He was 22 years old, and had been flying since he joined, age 18. and had been married for 6 months. The war ended 5 days later. A couple of years ago, I was given copies of a report , written by a Luftwaffe Pilot, who flew his Junker's 88 night fighter on that night, and had fired at a Halifax bomber over Meimersdorf near Kiel. He states that the flying controls of one were damaged, and that the bomber, then collided with another. That was also, HIS last flight entry in his logue, for the war. It took a year, before the RAF confirmed Kenneth's death. How cruel can fate be.

[@Wettonbunker]

So cruel but at least you got to know the information

[@graham2631]

Yes there's that my grandad shot down in'43 HR905 over 300 pages on his training ect and other letters lot of info kept by RCAF

[@michaelengel3407]

I hope always the guilty had been punished by punitive bombing. However I am sorry that your young brother was killed in combat. Fortunately those times are gone.

[@MrDaiseymay]

@@michaelengel3407 ''The Guilty'' as you put it, does that include ALL Airforces ? They ALL, did it for their countrymen. Punitive means, non surveilance/ Photography, but bombing, which is what Bomber's---are made for.

[@MrDaiseymay]

@@Wettonbunker yes---70 years later, after much research

[@nigelcracknell2885]

A relative of mine Sgt Micheal Fuller was a WOP on Halifax's he was killed on a mission to Düsseldorf in 1944, volunteered for the trip after a full crew couldn't be found, he was stationed st RAF Gravelely

[@MrDaiseymay]

@Iain Botham W. Op. (Wireless Operator )

[@rpm1796]

My cousin 'Jock' Patton, 401 Sqn, RCAF, out of Biggin, went down with his Spit V/ Y OJ, June 2nd, 42', off Le Havre, age, 21. Bless em' all.

[@amandafreeman64]

My Great Uncle Jack Olliffe : Squadron 434 Sgt. Jack Olliffe was serving as Wireless Operator/Air gunner on board Halifax Mk.V LK649 coded WL-X during an operation to Berlin on January 28/29, 1944. The aircraft departed Croft at 2359hrs but failed to return, all of the crew rest in the Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. The crew consisted of: Name Service Trade Hometown Age F/Sgt Russell Stanley RCAF Pilot Toronto, Ontario 21 Sgt Stanley Groucott RAFVR Flight Engineer Brocton, Staffs. 21 F/O Richard Crompton RCAF Navigator - - Sgt Donald Rose RCAF Bomb Aimer - - Sgt Jack Olliffe RAFVR W/Op/AG Hemel Hempstead, Herts. 22 Sgt David Silverman RAFVR M/U Gunner Brixton, London 19 Sgt Joseph Leduc RCAF Rear Gunner Cornwall, Ontario -

[@MrDaiseymay]

Hi--can you tell me where ''Croft'' is ? I'm not alluding to my name, I just haven't heard of this place. I have entered my half brother's death in a Halifax, above. 20/02/2018.Thanks

[@ObltKG4]

Chop squadron.

[@billygillan821]

Truly wonderful video of our greatest generation,and beautiful airplanes they used,god bless all there souls

[@joylunn3445]

My uncles were on Halifaxes. Watching this with Benny Goodman and Begin the Beguine on the headphones.

[@mikebain140]

These aircraft have an interesting state of modification. The nose turret has been replaced with the glazed nose and the mid-upper turret has been replaced with the later style, but the tailfins have not yet been replaced with the later style. Usually you only see pictures before modification, or with the mid-upper turret removed and nose turret faired over, or completely modified.

[@Oligodendrocyte139]

A B Mk2 srs 1a waiting for its tail modification? This squadron formed in the summer of 1943, and I would guess the clip shows a fighter affiliation exercise around that time, which is also the period when the tail mods were being done. I'm looking at a picture of a 78 Squadron aircraft in the same state (Halifax and Wellington by Bowyer and van Ishoven).

[@blzbob7936]

Very sad to think that none of these Halifax aircraft were preserved, in flying condition, since the war. Some obviously were adapted and utilized after the war, as were many Lancs, but most were just scrapped. The veterans who trusted their lives to these planes (and their families) should have been able to see these old aircraft at airshows. I hope the Canadians do manage to rebuild one, and we will again see what a fine aircraft it was.

[@maxwellfan55]

Bill I hope so too.

[@rickmoore3730]

I have seen it several times and saw it during restoration. They did a fantastic job . A must see .

[@joylunn3445]

Freddie Laker started his airline with 12 Halifaxes post war.

[@KaptenMacTavish]

Love the Halifax!

[@joylunn3445]

Good looking aircraft.

[@graham2631]

HR905 with 405 pathfinders RCAF my grandad was on his second tour in '43.....

[@lancelot1953]

On 11 June, 1944 on a mission to bomb the Versaille/Matelot rail-yards in support of Operation Overloard, the Halifax no LW684 WL-O repelled a first attacker shooting it down. Later she was shot down and crashed near Villacoublay airfield killing P/O Doran's entire AirCrew 85. Part of the crew was a young 24-yo Pilot Officer training to get his own crew named Joseph Yvon "Jerry" Nowlan. Jerry had already been credited with two aerial "victories" when he met his fate. Two months later, Jerry's 28-yo cousin Fernando Nowlan, who was fighting in the hills of Italy, got his head blown off when his armored vehicle took a German 75 mm Pak 40 round. May you rest in Peace, dear uncles and give me the strength, courage, and honor to be a good officer, your nephew, Ciao L

[@jamestalbot2350]

Wonderful reading all this. My father, james Talbot, was chief test I lot at Handley. Sadly died on my christening day, dec2 1945, whilst testing the prototype Hermes. We know that Sir Frederick H.P. never got on with Bomber Harris so he had to fight to get the plane properly engained. For the crews it was a safer aircraft than the Lancaster. A shame that we cannot see the both flying at the same time.

[@rpm1796]

Sad for you James. Interesting to hear your views on the Hali. I heard that the exhausts on the Halifax would burn bright blue and was a dead giveaway for the night fighters?

[@pascalchauvet7625]

Just consider the absurdly heavy loads the Lancasters sometimes hauled. I guess that's the reason why in public perception the Lanc overshadows the Halifax so much. Yet, the Halifax heavies were a perfect supplement in the sense that the later 1943 Mk.III used the powerful Bristol Hercules engines so they didn't interfere with Merlin availability. especially important because the Lancaster BII variant with Bristol Hercules engines was not considered a success, only 300 of these being built.

[@pascalchauvet4230]

One of the most interesting facts about the Halifax was that Sir Handley-Page himself hated the Merlin engine when everybody else seemed to want it dearly. He wanted the Bristol Hercules sleeve-valve engines, already fitted on the Short Stirling, but for all early Halifaxes was forced to take the Merlin instead. In principle he was right, since early Hercules engines offered more power than early Merlins and, typical of air-cooled radials, could sustain more battle damage than liquid-cooled V12s. Early Halifaxes suffered from fatal crashes due to handling vices. Aerodynamically revised later Halifaxes all had the much-desired Hercules and were quite successful. In contrast, Lancasters fitted with the Herc radials were not considered a success. Compared to the Lancaster, the Halifax had two drawbacks: a lower ceiling, making it more vulnerable to enemy Flak. Development of high altitude fighter engine supercharger design had been of great benefit to the Rolls-Royce Merlins. Second, it didn't have the unobstructed extra large bomb bay like the Lancaster. Therefore it could not drop large single bombs like the Tallboy which sank the German battleship Tirpitz

[@ordinis_helenium]

The Halifax is the most beautiful heavy bomber if WW2

[@joylunn3445]

I agree, this version, even with the rubbish Merlins and the triangular tail booms was the best looking bomber, never was a fan of the Lancaster, or the Vulcan for that matter.

[@andypandywalters]

Superb footage

[@HarborLockRoad]

Leslie Nielsen was an RCAF bomber tailgunner in ww2, its how he damaged his hearing. Any idea what type he flew in?

[@bluesrocker91]

The Halifax was really a victim of poor timing, being the middle child of the RAF heavies... It had been designed around four Bristol Hercules engines, but the Air Ministry had expected the Short Stirling to form the backbone of Bomber Command and prioritized it for Hercules production, meaning the early Halis had to make do with four Merlin engines, making it somewhat underpowered. That, plus the troublesome arrowhead vertical stabilisers gave the early Marks a bad reputation... By the time the problems were fixed and the Hercules engines became available, the Lancaster had already won favour with crews and commanders, meaning the Halifax was destined to always be overshadowed.

[@joylunn3445]

That Spitfire in the film had a better Merlin than those Halifaxes.

[@Kabul81]

Love the Halibag!👍🏿 Jman👀

[@allgood6760]

Thanks for this 👍🇳🇿

[@naardri]

Are these the Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engine powered square wing tip B.V model?

[@bonnie6501]

Beautiful looking aircraft , personally prefer it to the Lancaster

[@rodrigodovis304]

Beatiful!!!

[@oliverbradley592]

YEAH, yet lancaster took the fame away from the Halifax the REAL backbone of the Royal Airforce !! Give all who served on halifaxes a MEDAL and Fast

[@joylunn3445]

They were the real work horses.

[@stephenhobbs1052]

@@joylunn3445 They weren't, they couldn't carry nearly as big a payload as the Lanc or fly as well. The Lancaster was simply a much better design.

[@colinkelly5420]

@@stephenhobbs1052 Halifaxes were never the backbone or workhorses of the RAF. Other than perhaps a very brief period in 1941-1942, there were more Lancs on ops than Halifaxes, and as the war went on FAR more Lancs than Halifaxes in service. The Merlin Engine Halifaxes also suffered a much higher loss rate than Lancasters, only the Mk III which began showing up at the start of 1944 made the design comparable to the Lanc in some ways, and even then its bomb carrying capabilities wasn't as adaptable as the Lanc.

[@DMCard-ts4rg]

F/O RK.Card D.F.C 432nd Leaside SQDRN. 33 sorties. My Grandfather, he preferred the mark 7 and didnot like Lancs

[@Cyberpuppy63]

"After reading some of the messages I feel it is a shame that their sadly isn't a airworthy Halifax bomber clearly a sad loss to future generations of people to see and hear at air shows". There might be a damaged or un repaired Halifax in some out of the way place. There's also the "rare" chance someone could build a replica - with equivalent parts. Not saying it would be 'authentic' and antique, if you know what I mean.

[@chiselcheswick5673]

It also a shame there were no Short Stirlings saved at all. It would be brilliant to see all three British WW2 four engined heavies lined up.

[@Cyberpuppy63]

@@chiselcheswick5673 Time to get the blue prints - and some pre-formed parts stamped out. Are there any surviving parts left?

[@Cyberpuppy63]

To re-build a Sterling "reproduction") frame, you would need to build a tube-body; 85' feet long, with a mix of Steel [4 units] and aluminum [48 units], estimated at $150 per tube [48], and $250, per tube [4]. Frame cost = $8,500 in raw materials. (Body only)

[@jameswebb4593]

I once knew an ex Halifax pilot who was awarded the DFC for successfully crash landing the aircraft with two engines shot out in 1944. The MK 5 Halifax was considered by some to be superior to the Lancaster in speed, rate of climb and handling.I am not to sure about this but the Halifax crews had a better chance to bail out than those in a Lanc.

[@riflemanalex3202]

Air chief Marshall Arthur Harris heavily criticized the Halifax because of its smaller bomb load compared to the Lanc, on average 100 tons were dropped by a Halifax in its lifetime compared to 154 tons by a Lanc, also it wasn't able to carry the 4000lb cookie bomb which was an integral part to Harris's fire-bombing tactics. Like you said the Halifax did have higher crew survival rates but that didn't alter his opinion. The Halifax flew 82,773 operations and dropped 224,207 tons of bombs with a loss of 1,833 aircraft, The Lancaster flew around 156,000 operations and dropped 608,612 long tons (618,378 tons) of bombs with a loss of 3,249 (in action). Only 35 Lancaster's completed 100 operations the most successful completing 139.

[@oliverbradley592]

Arthur Harris wasn't Up there at 20000FT fighting to survive over German Occupied Territory though was he? Of course he Loved the lancaster he was involved in its creation right from the start and the Halifax's name was left to rot!

[@jameswebb4593]

oliver bradley Sadly many crews came to grief through the omission of a belly gun. The Germans exploited that weakness to the fullest extent.

[@riflemanalex3202]

Arthur Harris was the man leading bomber command the man who made the decisions to the way in which the bombing campaign would be carried out therefore he was heavily invested in choosing the best aircraft to carry out the job and that was the Lancaster because it could carry more and was therefore able to deliver more ordnance to the target than any other RAF bomber, this was the priority because the strategy was the destruction of city's. Bombers during the war where nothing more than flying dump trucks and the one that could deliver the most weight was king end off. Arthur Harris was a major advocate in the development of strategic bombers for the RAF as a whole and pressured the Air Ministry to create specifications for new bombers and succeeded i.e Avro Manchester, Halifax and Stirling, he championed the development of all strategic bombers from the start including the Halifax, but the Lancaster as i said before was the best aircraft to carry out the strategy he wished to undertake and therefore he naturally preferred it.

[@jameswebb4593]

RifleManAlex Every thing you say is true, but that doesn't necessarily say he was right. Air Vice Marshal Don Bennett the founder of the Pathfinders force calculated that one Mosquito was worth ten Lancaster's. His reckoning took in consideration, manning, loss rates, bombs delivered per aircraft. There are two sides of a coin.

[@joylunn3445]

I love the nonchalance of the Spitfire, however, FACT, the Halifax and the Mosquito had to make do with reconditioned and obsolete Merlins.

[@gregtheausgman1164]

Interesting, these are the rare Merlin Halifaxs

[@bobbyfuller3118]

See the movie, 'The Great Excapest'

[@joylunn3445]

Play Artie Shaws' Begin the Beguin over this and relax. This is the best looking and worst version of the Halifax. Dig the Spitfire just flopping in and out at will.

[@tacticalbattledroid]

:-)

[@NoTaboos]

Fake sound so obvious.