My Uncle was a mid-upper gunner in an RCAF Halifax, he did 31 missions over occupied Europe from England. Got shot up a few times but survived, He passed away a few years ago at 91 years old. He said he was trying to live longer to make up for his Pals who didn't. It's nice to see both the plane and the men remembered.
My Uncle (and Godfather) was a flight officer on a Halifax bomber during WW2 and survived all of his missions flying with the RAF. He was a great guy, moved to the USA, and lived to 95.
My physics teacher was a rear gunner in a Halifax. He sometimes told us little stories about his experiences when we asked him, but in hindsight I realise that he was suffering from ptsd. All the students respected him and never misbehaved in his class, he was a real hero to us.
I went to see this with my Dad not long after the restoration was completed and it was on display. He flew in a Halifax IIIB from late 1943 to summer 1946.He was in tears and so was I. His name is on the Memorial Wall in the hanger since he left us in 1998. He used to say the Halifax was like the Hurricane playing second fiddle.
My Dad flew in one of these beauties in WW11. F.O. Norman Gillen, RCAF, 429 SQ. He and his crew made 32 missions against the enemy. They all earned their Operational Wing..My Dad was the last of his crew to pass, he was 91..My respects to all Air crew..Our side, and theirs..
I’m a RAFA Committee member in Cheltenham on the 26th August 2024 we are holding a dedication to the aircrew who sadly lost their lives eighty years ago. We are the holding it at the crash at the site on Cleeve Hill near Cheltenham. Many relatives are travelling from Canada. For further information pease google MZ311 Lest we forget.
My dad was a mechanic specialising on the hydraulics, repairing damaged Halifaxes for Handley Paige near York, during the war. Although over-shadowed by the Lancaster, it played its own essential part in victory over Germany. Well done to all those who brought this giant of its day back to life. My dad would have been very pleased.
My father was a Halifax pilot in 102 Squadron based in Pocklington just down the road from this air Museum. He flew both MkIIIs and MarkVIs and loved the aircraft. Thanks for this. Gives great insight
I saw this aircraft at Elvington museum some years ago now. It's a fantastic achievement and I believe that from the rear of the cockpit forwards is mainly new build. As an ex aircraft industry worker I really appreciate the work the guys put in. Beautiful.
My Uncle Malcolm Davis was a Halifax pilot in Squadron 578 & did a lot night flying. I never met him as he died before I was born in the 50s. He is my hero.
How refreshing - a video clip NOT about the Lancaster. I realise that the Lanc was the workhorse of RAF bomber command, but there were other bombers still pulling their weight.
My Uncle, F/Sgt Walter Buckwell, was a pilot with 419 Sqn RCAF, he was lost with most of his crew over Dalen NL on 13 May 43. He was only 21 at the time of his death.
Friend of the family, Fred Maltas was an Engineer on Halifax Bombers. He did 28 missions (20 as path finders) before they were shot down and taken prisoner. He was a prisoner at Penamunde and watched the V2 rocket testing! What a hero!
4:24 how it must have looked in real life during WW2. Here we are nearly 80 years later at displays like this as part of Remembrance of the lads who gave us our freedom.
Only just seen this. Nice vid well done. Always wanted to get aboard when I visited YAM but never done it. My research into an Uncle who was lost in 1944 aboard a Hali lll took me there. And he flew his last op of 17 from Pocklington just down the road! I think it is shameful none of these aircraft were preserved after the war. So many crews flew on these and loved them. From memory 1673 were built. This one was reconstructed by honourable volunteers and apprentices from the aircraft industry. It is truly amazing. Elvington used to hold an awesome airshow weekend, and I was fortunate to be there when they wheeled out thier Hali to stand next to two Lancasters who had flown in. Many people shed a tear that day. In memory of Wireless Op/AG Sgt Robert Leyland. KIA 25/7/1944. 102 Squadron RAF Pocklington. Aged 20. x
Memories of my late Dad, Flt Lt John Charles Davies RAFVR who flew as a navigator with No 102 (Ceylon) Squadron from Pocklington, 13 operations 1944-45. Dad very much enjoyed a personal tour of this aircraft a few years before he passed in 2010 aged 86, with sincere thanks to YAM. I was thrilled to find a previously unseen photo of Dad in the hangar on a Cooks’ Tour in 1945. RIP Dad, love you and miss you always xxx
@@2989andyd1 yes he was, RNZAF assigned to 102. He died in 2016 aged 95. Managed to get to the 2007 Squadron reunion and to the Bomber Command memorial opening in London in 2012.
@@Nesretepm I have a fragment of squadron records showing that your brave father flew Halifax MKIII MZ 694 'A', one of 13 aircraft detailed to attack Wanne-Eickel on 2-3 February 1945. Crew was Burt (nav), Monksfield (AB), Millar (WOP), air gunners Griffiths, Montgomery & Amey and Siddall (Eng).
My mum and dad met in the Rootes factory at Speke, Liverpool. "The Aircraft factory". She was something to do with riveting the pilot's seat and he was on inspection. .. Romance bloomed..
My Brother , who flew with the RAAF 460 Sdn, in Lancaster's for over 2 yrs, was transferred to 100 group , 199 Sdn, and flew in Mk 3 Halifax's from August 1944--till his death, 2/5/1945. over Kiel North Germany. THEE last heavy bombing mission on Germany, 5 days from wars end. Officially, the cause was a collision between two Halifax's, after one, it is claimed, had been fired on, by a JU88 night fighter. Of the combined crew of 16, only 3 survived.
My farther was flight engineer AC PHILLIPS His station was Eastmoor he was shot down Feb 1944 in a Halifax survived taken prisoner at Hue Belgium badly treated by germans . Flew with 432 squadren RCAF.. he joined age 19 was shot down age 20 member of the Catterpiller club ALL VERY BRAVE MEN wonder if the youth of today would do the same
Our vet at the farm was a navigator on those bombers he survived god bless those who did not greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 we have visited the Yorkshire air museum a wonderful visit
My late father worked on these and the Stirling and Lancaster during the war as ground crew. I will have to make a trip to see this, what a wonderful job the restorers have done. Wish he was still here to see it
My great uncle was a rear gunner. sgt Robert Baptist Halifax 3 LW546. They left snaith 51 squadron to bomb the railway network at Hazebrouck northern France. Returning from there mission the 62 bombers were hit by heavy flak fire. Out of the 62 bombers my uncles was the only one shot down. There last transmission was asking for a route back across the channel. That was leaving Amiens. There was reported crew from other plains said they seen a downed aircraft in the channel with red flares however this was dismissed and all aboard were labelled missing presumed dead.
Such a beautifully restored warbird. The look on these guys faces said it all. For a brief moment in time they were transported back in time to those desperate days of such an epic struggle. Thanks for sharing with us.
My late Uncle, F/Sgt Alf Stokes, was a Rear Gunner on 158 Sqn at Lissett in 1944. His usual crewmates were: Flt Lt Stan Rees (Pilot), Roy Tungatt (Flt Eng), Les Speakman (Nav), Bill Wiggins (W/Op), Phil Crisp (Bomb-aimer), & 'Phez' Partridge (Mid-Upper Gunner). Although most of their ops were flown in D-Dog, they did fly a daylight op to Le Havre in 'Friday the 13th' on the 11th Sept 1944. They all survived the war, but are, of course, now all gone.
I’m ex-462SQN RAAF, post war, and a mad Halifax nut, I hope to see one in the air before I die! 462 flew Hali’s during the war, first in Nth Africa and then Europe, I’ve met many veterans over the years and for them too, I hope someone gets a Halifax back in the air!
My dad flew in the Halifax 428 Squadron Middleton st George as a WOP and air gunner glad he saw this aircraft before he passed away 2019 aged 96 , he was shot down on his 29th op over Belgium spent 2 days on the run before captured , pity this old bird will never take to the skies
It's s small world, my paternal Grandfather was an airframe fitter at RAF M St G, he'd been a coach builder before the war so his carpentry skills were far too 'valuable' for them to let him go aircrew and he worked in the Heavy Repairs flight so fixed up the properly bashed up planes of all the stations Sqns. He did however get smuggled into an aircraft for one mission to bomb Germany, something he laughed about and said he was bloody stupid to do as he was scared senseless from take off to touch down! He would have been 100yrs old on 24 May this year, I have his service medals mounted on a wall next to mine. Even though I have four times as many as him his seem much more impressive than mine!
@@JammyDodger45 small world true , dad had a lot of time for the ground crew kept them safe with good maintenance, your grandfather possibly worked on his aircraft got beaten up a few times , have a photo of it patched up to hell !
My father, Lenard Raynsford Flight Lieutenant DFC, was a navigator in the RCAF. He was in RCAF 426 Squadron with Lancaster 11 and was in RCAF 429 with the Halifax. He never said anything about his service beyond a couple of things. I have some photos of him and his crew in their flight uniforms before an operation.
On this day November 11 I would like to observe the loss of my Uncle Pilot officer Gunner Gordon Justine Rude, he served in the 415 squadron in Halifax MZ922 which was lost with all crew in a daylight raid Mar 31/45. We will Remember them we will Remember.
Un magnifique Halifax magnifiquement restaurer! j'Ai souvent entendu d'anciens résistants qui avait été parachuter en territoire occupé à bord de ce type d'appareil! Merci pour le partage, un abonné de France
Bonjour Christophe, Mon père qui avait 20 ans en 1953 travaillait dans une entreprise parisienne. Il avait pour collègue un monsieur d'âge respectable, employé comme courtier et magasinier. Dépressif,on le trouvait quelquefois prostré ou sanglotant, accroupi à l'abri des regards. Mon père a réussi à le faire parler. C'était un ancien mitrailleur d'un groupe lourd,le 346 ou 347 sqdn en 1944/45. Il avait effectué un tour d'opération complet,donc environ 30 missions. Cet homme n'a jamais pu oublier ce qu'il avait vécu. Traumatisé,il racontait un peu à mon père. En ce temps là,pas d'assistance psychologique après la démobilisation. Un jour, tout le monde dans l'entreprise cherchait ce brave type devenu introuvable. On l'a trouvé pendu dans le grenier/réserve de la compagnie. Il n'avait JAMAIS pu apparemment s'adapter à une vie normale et s'en voulait d'avoir survécu. Cordialement.
Just like the Supermarine Spitfire got all the Glory while the Hurricane did the majority of the work during the battle of Britain, the Handley Page Halifax, the majority of which flew out of Yorkshire airfields when Britain took the war back to Germany were a tougher, much more survivable aircraft than the Avro Lancaster that flew predominantly out of Lincolnshire (the so-called "bomber county). The Lanc to this day gets the headlines and the Halifax barely gets a mention even though the 55,000 aircrew lost in action were split between both aircraft. Im sorry but it boils my p#%s sometimes.
I don't really like the Lancaster all that much really. It was a well performing aircraft but it had its issues. The Halifax on the other hand was a workhorse and very under appreciated. Although I'm American and prefer American bomber aircraft of the Second World War, I will always hold the Halifax near to my heart because my great-grandfather was a navigator on one and whilst on a training exercise in 1943, His Halifax went down because of bad weather, all on board were killed.
Saw this a/c in year 2000. Painted up as a particularly famous Halifax that is no longer extant (and why not.) RAF Elvington well worth a visit, haunted control tower is a bonus, nice long concrete airstrip which IF i remember correctly can be hired for land yachting or similar shenanigans...?
After gaining his wings under the Empire Air Training Scheme in North America in '42 as an RAFVR pilot my Dad was seconded to the USAAF basic pilot training base at Waco , Texas as an instructor for all of '43 , part of a small group of RAFVR instructor pilots giving primary flight training to American pilots (on Stearmans and Vultee Valiants). Two great RAFVR instructor chums with him were twin brothers. On transfer back to England at the beginning of '44 they were all sent for multi-engine conversion training ready for bomber squadron posting. Dad trained on the Lancaster while his two twin brother friends were sent for Halifax training. End of '44 they were all posted to their separate squadrons embarking on bombing ops. Dad made it through his 26 ops. The two brothers were both killed piloting their Halifaxes six weeks apart in the first few months of '45 , one over Denmark and other over the North Sea. All lost in both crews.
The Bristol Hercules engines were a drawing board requirement for the Halifax but, at that time, all Bristol Hercules were intended for the Short Stirling and so Halifax's had to make do with the reduced power Rolls Royce Merlin's. Also later Halifax's were fitted with 2 x 0.5 calibre machine guns in the rear turret which replaced the 4 x 0.303 machine guns......
Pity we can’t hear those Hercs burst into life and give the much neglected Halifax 3 the credit it deserved, thanks to all those who did such a good job On her.
@@colinbooth502 The most complete Halifax survivor is the R C.A.F. one recovered from a Norwegian lake into which it crashed just weeks before the war ended with the loss of all but one of its crew (who'd survived the crash-landing but not the freezing water of the lake). The other surviving Halifax was also pulled from a lake but remains in a damaged and corroded condition.
...sensacional!!! Incríveis maquinas que ajudaram o esforço de guerra para combater o eixo. Verdadeiros heróis voaram nesses aparelhos. Minhas congratulações!!!
It is interesting to note that the Halifax was updated during the war, but the Lancaster was not. The removal of the front turret was a great idea; to the best of my knowledge, no German night fighter ever attacked from the front, so the front turret was superfluous and simply added weight. Those lucky Halifax crewmen often managed to escape their burning aircraft, unlike Lancaster guys who were very lucky if they found a way out of their Roman candles.
'Within 5 miles it was a bullseye'. 'Very true' said a fellow veteran. Those two short comments took you right back to the reality of bombing in those days - certainly in the early stages of the war. Though I met a Belgian civilian in the '50s who said he was amazed at the accuracy of RAF bombing, avoiding civilians and targeting the enemy with pin-point precision. Perhaps more with the Mosquitos than these lumbering old Halifaxes though.
Of the 6,176 Halifaxes built, only three complete planes remain. During the type's service with Bomber Command, Halifaxes flew 82,773 operations and dropped 224,207 tons of bombs. 1,833 aircraft were lost. - Wiki
My great uncle used to part of a Halfax crew and flew 78 missions before war ended THEN in 1985 he and family did a tour of Europe and ended up in Germany It was here that the manager of his hotel asked him if he had been to Germany before HE REPLIED NOT IÑ DAYLIGHT
Noticeable how the fuselage is much less obstructed than a Lancaster by the wing spar which made it much easier to get out and hence a higher crew survivability rate.
@@garethonthetube absolutely I think crews were fiercely loyal to the type of aircraft which they flew as being the better. Generally the Lancaster I think had the slight edge but the late Halifax wasn’t that far behind and certainly showed great versatility.
I read that the higher drag on the Halifax was due to an early miscalculation on the angle of the wing that couldn’t be corrected. Handley-Page was really annoyed about it and peeved that this error let Avro get all the glory with the Lancaster. Post-war, he made sure the design of the Victor was perfect so it would out-perform the Vulcan.
@@snorkythepig5954 that’s interesting you may well be right. What has always struck me as odd is the Radial Bristol Hercules pretty much saved the Halifax and made it much more effective, but in the Lancaster the MK II was considered inferior. On the other hand the Merlin Beaufighter was not a big success and considered much inferior to the Hercules versions. I do know that Official Spec pretty much killed the Stirling due to the requirements for a short wing to fit RAF Hangers and other parts of the spec resulted in the overly tall and clumsily undercarriage and the limited bomb bay size. Shorte wanted to rectify It with a super Stirling but were never permitted to do so. Sydney Camm was once quoted as saying “follow the Official Specification and you are dead.” The Air Ministry thought the future of fighters was the twin engined Whirlwind and turret Defiant, not the initially semi private spec Hurricane and Spitfire. Furthermore if it had been down to the Air Ministry the superlative Mosquito would probably have never been built and was largely due to the determination of Geoffrey De Havilland and Air Marshall Freeman. it was even called “Freeman’s folly” before it demonstrated its flight performance and then became the “wooden wonder” instead.
I agree there is more room in the Halifax yet the Lancaster spar was raised into the fuselage so it could carry a larger bomb & bomb load. Surely it's not a competition Lancaster verses Halifax as some people replying on here think it is.. They were both great warbirds & survived huge damage & still kept flying & the men who flew them were extremely brave. I have had the privilege of being on a Taxy ride on Just Jane, The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre's Lancaster & loved it & would one day love to be in a running Halifax. I have also been on a tour inside of Sally B - Boeing B17 & would dearly love a flight in her. Must admit i have a special place in my heart for the Lancaster but equally admire the Halifax. Pretty much the same solution to the same problem?
Not many Halifaxes were saved after the war. Most were scrapped. None are flying today but a Canadian Museum is trying to rebuild one to flying condition using original parts sourced from around the world.
Because it is such a rare beast I believe this aircraft is made up of numerous bits of various Halifax aircraft, a bit of a mongrel, but someone went to the trouble to collect the bits for future generations to admire. We are not all experts in the field of WW2 bombers but it is a good representation.
@@barryrudge1576 I only know about the bomb racks from an Airfix model I had as a child. I asked one of the staff at Elvington why the bomb racks weren't there and he explained about the Hastings wings.
If memory serves me right, this Halifax was fished out of a lake somewhere. It made the news around 90/91 as it was the only one left in existence. What happened to all the others and why wasn't even one preserved? 🤔
There’s Halifax W1048 on display in an unrestored condition at the Imperial War Museum in London, it was salvaged from a Norwegian lake in the 70s after being shot down in 1942 during an attack on the German battleship Tirpitz. Another Halifax, NA337 was salvaged from a Norwegian lake in 1991 after being shot down in 1945 and fully restored in Canada. HR792 at Elvington is a “composite” aircraft, assembled from various Halifax parts rescued from crash sites and scrap yards. It also features Hastings wings which are identical to the Halifax items. The project was an amazing feat and must’ve been a real labour of love.
Same, my gramps flew one from 44-45. We have one recently restored in Trenton, Ontario, Canada. Quite a site to see, such a massive plane. Lest we Forget.
Same here :) my grandpa was from Regina Sask 1 incident buzzed the tower coming in after a devastating bomber run got his wings clipped became a navigator same aircraft was shot down liberated in 45
RCAF Museum at Trenton . Ontario has one fully restored on display . Pulled from bottom of Lake in Norway and rebuilt by team of volunteers. With a million more spent on it It could be airworthy .. The tail gunner who survived the crash in 1945 on to frozen lake asked if his thermos of coffee was still on board . It was but the coffee had gone cold .
Wonder how they'd have faired with 4 Centaurus instead of Hercules. They were heavier but almost the same diameter - and about twice the power even in the earlier models.
I think the Halifax was a little easier to 'live with' than a Lancaster, a bit more space, easier to get out of in a hurry. I believe the toilet facilities were better too.
Not true, but it is not the original marking for what was most of the aircraft you see. Details are at Elvington of what came from where and the re-manufactured bits.
@@davidpeters6536 As a memorial to the young men who flew, fought, were scarred for life, and often died in this aircraft type, it's close enough. Besides, it's not hard to imagine that many of these planes which flew recurrent missions did so after being repaired, patched up or rebuilt due to damage sustained from enemy action, forced landings from fuel depletion or mechanical failure or crashes during bad weather.
My uncle was a rear gunner on 1 of these. He was 23 and sadly died in 1944... its amazing to see. Thankyou❤
My Uncle was a mid-upper gunner in an RCAF Halifax, he did 31 missions over occupied Europe from England. Got shot up a few times but survived, He passed away a few years ago at 91 years old. He said he was trying to live longer to make up for his Pals who didn't. It's nice to see both the plane and the men remembered.
God Bless all those brave Canadian pilots who gave their lives for the Commonwealth and the freedom Europe. RIP
@@dryflyman7121Why don't you say god bless all of those brave airmen as they all did the same job.
My Uncle (and Godfather) was a flight officer on a Halifax bomber during WW2 and survived all of his missions flying with the RAF. He was a great guy, moved to the USA, and lived to 95.
My physics teacher was a rear gunner in a Halifax. He sometimes told us little stories about his experiences when we asked him, but in hindsight I realise that he was suffering from ptsd. All the students respected him and never misbehaved in his class, he was a real hero to us.
I went to see this with my Dad not long after the restoration was completed and it was on display. He flew in a Halifax IIIB from late 1943 to summer 1946.He was in tears and so was I. His name is on the Memorial Wall in the hanger since he left us in 1998. He used to say the Halifax was like the Hurricane playing second fiddle.
My Dad flew in one of these beauties in WW11. F.O. Norman Gillen, RCAF, 429 SQ. He and his crew made 32 missions against the enemy. They all earned their Operational Wing..My Dad was the last of his crew to pass, he was 91..My respects to all Air crew..Our side, and theirs..
My Uncle was a mid upper gunner with 429 for 31 missions, Lomer Ouellette, He passed away at 91 too.
WW Eleven! Thank you for his service.
@@carlcushmanhybels8159 b,@q shed prices
Shed prices at wicks
I’m a RAFA Committee member in Cheltenham on the 26th August 2024 we are holding a dedication to the aircrew who sadly lost their lives eighty years ago.
We are the holding it at the crash at the site on Cleeve Hill near Cheltenham. Many relatives are travelling from Canada. For further information pease google MZ311
Lest we forget.
My dad was a mechanic specialising on the hydraulics, repairing damaged Halifaxes for Handley Paige near York, during the war. Although over-shadowed by the Lancaster, it played its own essential part in victory over Germany. Well done to all those who brought this giant of its day back to life. My dad would have been very pleased.
My father was a Halifax pilot in 102 Squadron based in Pocklington just down the road from this air Museum. He flew both MkIIIs and MarkVIs and loved the aircraft. Thanks for this. Gives great insight
I saw this aircraft at Elvington museum some years ago now. It's a fantastic achievement and I believe that from the rear of the cockpit forwards is mainly new build. As an ex aircraft industry worker I really appreciate the work the guys put in. Beautiful.
It would be fantastic to get the engines running & taxying.
My Uncle Malcolm Davis was a Halifax pilot in Squadron 578 & did a lot night flying. I never met him as he died before I was born in the 50s. He is my hero.
How refreshing - a video clip NOT about the Lancaster. I realise that the Lanc was the workhorse of RAF bomber command, but there were other bombers still pulling their weight.
Imagine this old girl flying again .............😘😘
@@andypreston1524 Oh, if only...
1st: Avro Lancaster
2nd: Handley-Page Halifax
3rd: Short Stirling
My Uncle, F/Sgt Walter Buckwell, was a pilot with 419 Sqn RCAF, he was lost with most of his crew over Dalen NL on 13 May 43. He was only 21 at the time of his death.
Friend of the family, Fred Maltas was an Engineer on Halifax Bombers. He did 28 missions (20 as path finders) before they were shot down and taken prisoner. He was a prisoner at Penamunde and watched the V2 rocket testing! What a hero!
4:24 how it must have looked in real life during WW2. Here we are nearly 80 years later at displays like this as part of Remembrance of the lads who gave us our freedom.
My father was an apprentice at the factory that made the Bristol Hercules aero engine the Halifax used. Rovers at Solihull.
Only just seen this. Nice vid well done. Always wanted to get aboard when I visited YAM but never done it. My research into an Uncle who was lost in 1944 aboard a Hali lll took me there. And he flew his last op of 17 from Pocklington just down the road!
I think it is shameful none of these aircraft were preserved after the war. So many crews flew on these and loved them. From memory 1673 were built. This one was reconstructed by honourable volunteers and apprentices from the aircraft industry. It is truly amazing. Elvington used to hold an awesome airshow weekend, and I was fortunate to be there when they wheeled out thier Hali to stand next to two Lancasters who had flown in. Many people shed a tear that day.
In memory of Wireless Op/AG Sgt Robert Leyland. KIA 25/7/1944. 102 Squadron RAF Pocklington. Aged 20. x
Memories of my late Dad, Flt Lt John Charles Davies RAFVR who flew as a navigator with No 102 (Ceylon) Squadron from Pocklington, 13 operations 1944-45. Dad very much enjoyed a personal tour of this aircraft a few years before he passed in 2010 aged 86, with sincere thanks to YAM. I was thrilled to find a previously unseen photo of Dad in the hangar on a Cooks’ Tour in 1945. RIP Dad, love you and miss you always xxx
Andy my father was on 102 Squadron at the same time as a pilot. FO William Petersen
@@Nesretepm Hi Mark, was he a New Zealander?
@@2989andyd1 yes he was, RNZAF assigned to 102. He died in 2016 aged 95. Managed to get to the 2007 Squadron reunion and to the Bomber Command memorial opening in London in 2012.
@@Nesretepm I have a fragment of squadron records showing that your brave father flew Halifax MKIII MZ 694 'A', one of 13 aircraft detailed to attack Wanne-Eickel on 2-3 February 1945. Crew was Burt (nav), Monksfield (AB), Millar (WOP), air gunners Griffiths, Montgomery & Amey and Siddall (Eng).
My mum and dad met in the Rootes factory at Speke, Liverpool. "The Aircraft factory". She was something to do with riveting the pilot's seat and he was on inspection. .. Romance bloomed..
My Brother , who flew with the RAAF 460 Sdn, in Lancaster's for over 2 yrs, was transferred to 100 group , 199 Sdn, and flew in Mk 3 Halifax's from August 1944--till his death, 2/5/1945. over Kiel North Germany. THEE last heavy bombing mission on Germany, 5 days from wars end. Officially, the cause was a collision between two Halifax's, after one, it is claimed, had been fired on, by a JU88 night fighter. Of the combined crew of 16, only 3 survived.
My farther was flight engineer AC PHILLIPS His station was Eastmoor he was shot down Feb 1944 in a Halifax survived taken prisoner at Hue Belgium badly treated by germans . Flew with 432 squadren RCAF.. he joined age 19 was shot down age 20 member of the Catterpiller club ALL VERY BRAVE MEN wonder if the youth of today would do the same
Our vet at the farm was a navigator on those bombers he survived god bless those who did not greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 we have visited the Yorkshire air museum a wonderful visit
For me , the most beautiful British heavy bomber .
My late father worked on these and the Stirling and Lancaster during the war as ground crew. I will have to make a trip to see this, what a wonderful job the restorers have done. Wish he was still here to see it
My great uncle was a rear gunner. sgt Robert Baptist Halifax 3 LW546. They left snaith 51 squadron to bomb the railway network at Hazebrouck northern France. Returning from there mission the 62 bombers were hit by heavy flak fire. Out of the 62 bombers my uncles was the only one shot down. There last transmission was asking for a route back across the channel. That was leaving Amiens. There was reported crew from other plains said they seen a downed aircraft in the channel with red flares however this was dismissed and all aboard were labelled missing presumed dead.
Such a beautifully restored warbird. The look on these guys faces said it all. For a brief moment in time they were transported back in time to those desperate days of such an epic struggle. Thanks for sharing with us.
beautiful aircraft...
My late Uncle, F/Sgt Alf Stokes, was a Rear Gunner on 158 Sqn at Lissett in 1944. His usual crewmates were: Flt Lt Stan Rees (Pilot), Roy Tungatt (Flt Eng), Les Speakman (Nav), Bill Wiggins (W/Op), Phil Crisp (Bomb-aimer), & 'Phez' Partridge (Mid-Upper Gunner). Although most of their ops were flown in D-Dog, they did fly a daylight op to Le Havre in 'Friday the 13th' on the 11th Sept 1944. They all survived the war, but are, of course, now all gone.
A very well done job of restoration.
I’m ex-462SQN RAAF, post war, and a mad Halifax nut, I hope to see one in the air before I die! 462 flew Hali’s during the war, first in Nth Africa and then Europe, I’ve met many veterans over the years and for them too, I hope someone gets a Halifax back in the air!
My dad flew in the Halifax 428 Squadron Middleton st George as a WOP and air gunner glad he saw this aircraft before he passed away 2019 aged 96 , he was shot down on his 29th op over Belgium spent 2 days on the run before captured , pity this old bird will never take to the skies
It's s small world, my paternal Grandfather was an airframe fitter at RAF M St G, he'd been a coach builder before the war so his carpentry skills were far too 'valuable' for them to let him go aircrew and he worked in the Heavy Repairs flight so fixed up the properly bashed up planes of all the stations Sqns.
He did however get smuggled into an aircraft for one mission to bomb Germany, something he laughed about and said he was bloody stupid to do as he was scared senseless from take off to touch down!
He would have been 100yrs old on 24 May this year, I have his service medals mounted on a wall next to mine. Even though I have four times as many as him his seem much more impressive than mine!
@@JammyDodger45 small world true , dad had a lot of time for the ground crew kept them safe with good maintenance, your grandfather possibly worked on his aircraft got beaten up a few times , have a photo of it patched up to hell !
I love these video’s.
Well done mate.
My father, Lenard Raynsford Flight Lieutenant DFC, was a navigator in the RCAF. He was in RCAF 426 Squadron with Lancaster 11 and was in RCAF 429 with the Halifax. He never said anything about his service beyond a couple of things. I have some photos of him and his crew in their flight uniforms before an operation.
On this day November 11 I would like to observe the loss of my Uncle Pilot officer Gunner Gordon Justine Rude, he served in the 415 squadron in Halifax MZ922 which was lost with all crew in a daylight raid Mar 31/45. We will Remember them we will Remember.
Un magnifique Halifax magnifiquement restaurer! j'Ai souvent entendu d'anciens résistants qui avait été parachuter en territoire occupé à bord de ce type d'appareil! Merci pour le partage, un abonné de France
Bonjour Christophe,
Mon père qui avait 20 ans en 1953 travaillait dans une entreprise parisienne.
Il avait pour collègue un monsieur d'âge respectable, employé comme courtier et magasinier.
Dépressif,on le trouvait quelquefois prostré ou sanglotant, accroupi à l'abri des regards.
Mon père a réussi à le faire parler.
C'était un ancien mitrailleur d'un groupe lourd,le 346 ou 347 sqdn en 1944/45.
Il avait effectué un tour d'opération complet,donc environ 30 missions.
Cet homme n'a jamais pu oublier ce qu'il avait vécu.
Traumatisé,il racontait un peu à mon père.
En ce temps là,pas d'assistance psychologique après la démobilisation.
Un jour, tout le monde dans l'entreprise cherchait ce brave type devenu introuvable.
On l'a trouvé pendu dans le grenier/réserve de la compagnie.
Il n'avait JAMAIS pu apparemment s'adapter à une vie normale et s'en voulait d'avoir survécu.
Cordialement.
Just like the Supermarine Spitfire got all the Glory while the Hurricane did the majority of the work during the battle of Britain, the Handley Page Halifax, the majority of which flew out of Yorkshire airfields when Britain took the war back to Germany were a tougher, much more survivable aircraft than the Avro Lancaster that flew predominantly out of Lincolnshire (the so-called "bomber county). The Lanc to this day gets the headlines and the Halifax barely gets a mention even though the 55,000 aircrew lost in action were split between both aircraft. Im sorry but it boils my p#%s sometimes.
I don't really like the Lancaster all that much really. It was a well performing aircraft but it had its issues. The Halifax on the other hand was a workhorse and very under appreciated. Although I'm American and prefer American bomber aircraft of the Second World War, I will always hold the Halifax near to my heart because my great-grandfather was a navigator on one and whilst on a training exercise in 1943, His Halifax went down because of bad weather, all on board were killed.
Saw this a/c in year 2000. Painted up as a particularly famous Halifax that is no longer extant (and why not.)
RAF Elvington well worth a visit, haunted control tower is a bonus, nice long concrete airstrip which IF i remember correctly can be hired for land yachting or similar shenanigans...?
Lovely footage thanks for sharing
Brilliant! Nice to see the skills are still around to make this possible!. Well done to all! Another piece of our important history represented.
My father Fl/lt McAdam DFC was pilot of Friday 13th, he cut the seat to make a pouch for his Lyer Dyce, I still have it.
An amazing achievement, congratulations to all concerned!
After gaining his wings under the Empire Air Training Scheme in North America in '42 as an RAFVR pilot my Dad was seconded to the USAAF basic pilot training base at Waco , Texas as an instructor for all of '43 , part of a small group of RAFVR instructor pilots giving primary flight training to American pilots (on Stearmans and Vultee Valiants). Two great RAFVR instructor chums with him were twin brothers. On transfer back to England at the beginning of '44 they were all sent for multi-engine conversion training ready for bomber squadron posting. Dad trained on the Lancaster while his two twin brother friends were sent for Halifax training. End of '44 they were all posted to their separate squadrons embarking on bombing ops. Dad made it through his 26 ops. The two brothers were both killed piloting their Halifaxes six weeks apart in the first few months of '45 , one over Denmark and other over the North Sea. All lost in both crews.
The Bristol Hercules engines were a drawing board requirement for the Halifax but, at that time, all Bristol Hercules were intended for the Short Stirling and so Halifax's had to make do with the reduced power Rolls Royce Merlin's. Also later Halifax's were fitted with 2 x 0.5 calibre machine guns in the rear turret which replaced the 4 x 0.303 machine guns......
Magnificent
For some reason I have always preferred the Halifax over the Lanc.
Pity we can’t hear those Hercs burst into life and give the much neglected Halifax 3 the credit it deserved, thanks to all those who did such a good job
On her.
WOW! This a truly stunning achievement. I'm dumbstuck for words. Hope to see it one day when i get back to England.
My all time favourite of the British heavies...so much better looking than the Lancaster...shame it does not get as much attention....
I didn't know that there was a surviving "Hally-bag" 🙂 amazing. Great video. Fine tribute to the lads who flew them
Part Restoration, Part Reconstruction. Wholly Wonderful.
We have one in the RCAF museum in Trenton Ontario , came from a lake in Norway, incredible restoration.
@@colinbooth502 The most complete Halifax survivor is the R C.A.F. one recovered from a Norwegian lake into which it crashed just weeks before the war ended with the loss of all but one of its crew (who'd survived the crash-landing but not the freezing water of the lake). The other surviving Halifax was also pulled from a lake but remains in a damaged and corroded condition.
...sensacional!!! Incríveis maquinas que ajudaram o esforço de guerra para combater o eixo. Verdadeiros heróis voaram nesses aparelhos. Minhas congratulações!!!
Very very nice must visit.
It is interesting to note that the Halifax was updated during the war, but the Lancaster was not. The removal of the front turret was a great idea; to the best of my knowledge, no German night fighter ever attacked from the front, so the front turret was superfluous and simply added weight. Those lucky Halifax crewmen often managed to escape their burning aircraft, unlike Lancaster guys who were very lucky if they found a way out of their Roman candles.
There's a Halifax cockpit section in The Imperial War Museum in London
'Within 5 miles it was a bullseye'. 'Very true' said a fellow veteran. Those two short comments took you right back to the reality of bombing in those days - certainly in the early stages of the war. Though I met a Belgian civilian in the '50s who said he was amazed at the accuracy of RAF bombing, avoiding civilians and targeting the enemy with pin-point precision. Perhaps more with the Mosquitos than these lumbering old Halifaxes though.
4:25 勇士の並んで歩く姿カッコ良すぎる…
My Grandpa was a pilot of Friday 13th
Never seem to get the bright lights as her big sister the Lancaster
Of the 6,176 Halifaxes built, only three complete planes remain. During the type's service with Bomber Command, Halifaxes flew 82,773 operations and dropped 224,207 tons of bombs. 1,833 aircraft were lost. - Wiki
Holy moly how many sorties was this old girl on?
My great uncle used to part of a Halfax crew and flew 78 missions before war ended THEN in 1985 he and family did a tour of Europe and ended up in Germany It was here that the manager of his hotel asked him if he had been to Germany before HE REPLIED NOT IÑ DAYLIGHT
You can’t beat the Mk3 for looks😀
What a tremendous achievement in building this amazing recreation
I didn't know there were any remaining.
Noticeable how the fuselage is much less obstructed than a Lancaster by the wing spar which made it much easier to get out and hence a higher crew survivability rate.
That's true, but the result was more drag which meant the Lancaster was more economical on fuel. What price 7 lives?
@@garethonthetube absolutely I think crews were fiercely loyal to the type of aircraft which they flew as being the better. Generally the Lancaster I think had the slight edge but the late Halifax wasn’t that far behind and certainly showed great versatility.
I read that the higher drag on the Halifax was due to an early miscalculation on the angle of the wing that couldn’t be corrected. Handley-Page was really annoyed about it and peeved that this error let Avro get all the glory with the Lancaster. Post-war, he made sure the design of the Victor was perfect so it would out-perform the Vulcan.
@@snorkythepig5954 that’s interesting you may well be right. What has always struck me as odd is the Radial Bristol Hercules pretty much saved the Halifax and made it much more effective, but in the Lancaster the MK II was considered inferior. On the other hand the Merlin Beaufighter was not a big success and considered much inferior to the Hercules versions.
I do know that Official Spec pretty much killed the Stirling due to the requirements for a short wing to fit RAF Hangers and other parts of the spec resulted in the overly tall and clumsily undercarriage and the limited bomb bay size. Shorte wanted to rectify It with a super Stirling but were never permitted to do so. Sydney Camm was once quoted as saying “follow the Official Specification and you are dead.” The Air Ministry thought the future of fighters was the twin engined Whirlwind and turret Defiant, not the initially semi private spec Hurricane and Spitfire. Furthermore if it had been down to the Air Ministry the superlative Mosquito would probably have never been built and was largely due to the determination of Geoffrey De Havilland and Air Marshall Freeman. it was even called “Freeman’s folly” before it demonstrated its flight performance and then became the “wooden wonder” instead.
I agree there is more room in the Halifax yet the Lancaster spar was raised into the fuselage so it could carry a larger bomb & bomb load. Surely it's not a competition Lancaster verses Halifax as some people replying on here think it is.. They were both great warbirds & survived huge damage & still kept flying & the men who flew them were extremely brave. I have had the privilege of being on a Taxy ride on Just Jane, The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre's Lancaster & loved it & would one day love to be in a running Halifax. I have also been on a tour inside of Sally B - Boeing B17 & would dearly love a flight in her. Must admit i have a special place in my heart for the Lancaster but equally admire the Halifax. Pretty much the same solution to the same problem?
Good Lord! Imagine trying claw your way out of _that_ obstacle course against centrifugal force in the dark while wounded and wearing bulky clothing!
If you have seen the inside of a B-17, it was even more cramped inside.....
@@balsumfractus But usually not dark.
True, true......I wouldn't want to try either scenario, and have awesome respect for the young men that crewed those bombers......
@@balsumfractus Me too. The sheer gut-wrenching nerve it must've took to go back up again and again and again...
Very true, but reputedly much easier than getting out of a Lancaster.
Dident know there were any Halifax left
My grand father flew wellingtons in the war and died of his wounds after the war
Not many Halifaxes were saved after the war. Most were scrapped. None are flying today but a Canadian Museum is trying to rebuild one to flying condition using original parts sourced from around the world.
It's a Halifax fuselage with HP Hastings wings. There are no bomb racks inboard of the engines, something that the Halifax had.
Because it is such a rare beast I believe this aircraft is made up of numerous bits of various Halifax aircraft, a bit of a mongrel, but someone went to the trouble to collect the bits for future generations to admire. We are not all experts in the field of WW2 bombers but it is a good representation.
@@barryrudge1576 I only know about the bomb racks from an Airfix model I had as a child. I asked one of the staff at Elvington why the bomb racks weren't there and he explained about the Hastings wings.
My uncle flew in Wellingtons in the war. He said they made his feet too hot and kept slipping off the rudder pedals...
If memory serves me right, this Halifax was fished out of a lake somewhere. It made the news around 90/91 as it was the only one left in existence. What happened to all the others and why wasn't even one preserved? 🤔
There’s Halifax W1048 on display in an unrestored condition at the Imperial War Museum in London, it was salvaged from a Norwegian lake in the 70s after being shot down in 1942 during an attack on the German battleship Tirpitz. Another Halifax, NA337 was salvaged from a Norwegian lake in 1991 after being shot down in 1945 and fully restored in Canada. HR792 at Elvington is a “composite” aircraft, assembled from various Halifax parts rescued from crash sites and scrap yards. It also features Hastings wings which are identical to the Halifax items. The project was an amazing feat and must’ve been a real labour of love.
@@madisntit6547 It certainly would have saved the museum's and air enthusiasts a lot of time and trouble if only a few were spared from the scrapyard.
@@madisntit6547 I live nearby in Toronto. I was at CFB Trenton for the first big quarantine last year but the air museum was closed.
My grandad flew one of these beasts, I hope I get to see one
Same, my gramps flew one from 44-45. We have one recently restored in Trenton, Ontario, Canada. Quite a site to see, such a massive plane. Lest we Forget.
Same here :) my grandpa was from Regina Sask 1 incident buzzed the tower coming in after a devastating bomber run got his wings clipped became a navigator same aircraft was shot down liberated in 45
@@shaneupham705 that's incredible!!
Ha. "If it were within 5 miles, it was a bullseye". Brilliant.
who designed the hatch for getting in
wee Georgie Wood.
Just wondering if thats the only halifax still around today?
RCAF Museum at Trenton . Ontario has one fully restored on display . Pulled from bottom of Lake in Norway and rebuilt by team of volunteers. With a million more spent on it It could be airworthy .. The tail gunner who survived the crash in 1945 on to frozen lake asked if his thermos of coffee was still on board . It was but the coffee had gone cold .
..and one in the RAF museum in original recovered condition.
Shame its not a complete actual Halifax, the only one is in Canada
I have this model 1:200.
Wonder how they'd have faired with 4 Centaurus instead of Hercules. They were heavier but almost the same diameter - and about twice the power even in the earlier models.
Possibly have upset the weight distribution to the extent that it was unflyable
@@robertcook2572 That's what fuselage plugs are for :) (and maybe a bit more bombs /fuel).
I think the Halifax was a little easier to 'live with' than a Lancaster, a bit more space, easier to get out of in a hurry. I believe the toilet facilities were better too.
I was surprised at the cheerful light teal paint on the forward interior! Not everything must be olive drab or plain aluminum.
@@carlcushmanhybels8159 Zinc chromate primer/undercoat to stop corrosion of the aluminium. (spelling)
The greatest generation 🫡
F/O J C Pearson RCAF Missing North Sea Mar 1945 1664 Conversion Unit
dad flew with np-l 158sqn lissett
Was your sound editor on holiday?
ruclips.net/video/1AhlFZdqIX4/видео.html Halifax 186 lost over Koblenz
most of it is replica
Have some respect, this is an extremely high-quality restoration.
Not true, but it is not the original marking for what was most of the aircraft you see. Details are at Elvington of what came from where and the re-manufactured bits.
@@davidpeters6536 As a memorial to the young men who flew, fought, were scarred for life, and often died in this aircraft type, it's close enough.
Besides, it's not hard to imagine that many of these planes which flew recurrent missions did so after being repaired, patched up or rebuilt due to damage sustained from enemy action, forced landings from fuel depletion or mechanical failure or crashes during bad weather.
@@madisntit6547 Not to a degree, its facts over 80% is replica