How many Halifaxes are left

paul · Leading Aircraftsman

How many Halifaxes are left

Pigeonbird · Air Commodore

Dear Paul:

For some stupid reason, the Twits that be decided, at the end of the war, to destroy all Halifaxes. To my knowledge, there was not one flyable model left.

There are several around that are from certain sites, and what is left of them is for display purposes. There is a rebuilt model at the Yorkshire Air Museum, one unrepaired at the R.A.F. Air Museum Hendon, one rebuilt model at the Trenton Museum, and one under the sea off the Hebrides (LW170) that Karl Kjarsgaard is proposing to raise, and bring to Alberta. See www.57rescuecanada.com on this.

There are a few others that have heen raised fron their crash sites, but too ruined to save.

-- Edited by Pigeonbird at 20:08, 2008-10-30

William Heron · Group Captain

Hi Paul, The one that John refers to at the Yorkshire Air Museum in England has the noseart "Friday the Thirteenth" on it and from all accounts it was put together with bits and pieces from other aircraft therefore could not not be properly identified as a complete MK. III or Mk V.

However, the one at Trenton Ontario, "National Air Museum of Canada" NA337 which belonged to R.A.F. 644 Sqdn. based at Tarrant Rushton was on special Op's when it was lost. Although not ALL of the aircraft survived its 60 years at the bottom of a Norwegian lake (there was some fire damage) a good part of it was salvaged. and brought back to Canada, where after ten years of dedicated volunteer work help from various industries and financial help it was restored to its present condition and now sits in its own hanger in Trenton she is a magnificent piece of work and to stand beside it is quite overwhelming.
See the attached for the writeup regarding her unveiling and story Nov. 5th 2005. And John is probably correct there are likely still a few more around, apart from those already mentioned who knows where. According to reports, it is the hope that the one John refers to as LW170 that Karl and his team are hoping to recover will be able to take to the air once again and should they be successful it could be the ONLY Halifax in the world able to fly. we wish Karl and his team the best of luck with the recovery.
"Lest We Forget - Remember" by yours truly.
Bset of luck, - Bill Heron/Niagara/Canada

paul · Leading Aircraftsman

A big thanyou to john and bill for the info on Halifax bombers.

Cheers guys theres a pint awaiting you if ever your over here.

Paul

Pigeonbird · Air Commodore

Paul, thanks a lot for the offer, but I may have to pass as they won't let me on Transat with my oxygen bottle. But, if you can package up a pint of your best Bitters, and ship it, I'll toast the lot of you.

However, I think the idea of LW170 ever flying again, after 63 years in 5000 feet of sea water, is a bit hard to swallow. I have been with Karl since the beginning, with some revenue from my book to help his cause, and I have a full collection of his progress reports. I feel a static display at Nanton Lancaster Museum, where it is destined, is the most we can expect.

Besides, all of us old Veteran Airmen are too long in the tooth to ever climb into the ****pit again, and we don't trust the flying of it to Kids. We remember the original Kids who did, and look what happened to them.

paul · Leading Aircraftsman

Hi john,
Thanks again for the info. What is the title of your book. I guess thats a picture of it under your name but I cant just work out the title.

Cheers
Paul

Halifaxbomber · Flight Lieutenant

Hi Paul, My fave WW2 Aircraft is the Halifax, I live about 20 minute drive from Elvington, Where the halifax is kept, but also right next to what was York Airfield during WW2, now its mostly a shopping centre, you can still see some runway and an E pen, but unfortunately mostly gone now.

This airfield was a Halifax repair base and halifax's were flown here to be repaired during the war, but after the war it was basicly a scrapyard, so the poor old girls were flown back here to be decommissioned and scrapped, now why on earth did a few not get saved????

I know at the end of WW2 base metal was scarce so materials had to be sourced from somewhere, but just the thought of all those fantastic aircraft being lost forever!!!!!

lets hope a few more are waiting to be brought up from lakes around the world

Jim

paul · Leading Aircraftsman

Thanks for your info Jim,

'if only they had saved one or two aircraft.'

I live in brighouse near Huddersfield.

Ive had a walk around Tholthorpe last summer. There are still a few things to see there.

Cheers

Paul

-- Edited by paul at 08:22, 2008-11-03

Halifaxbomber · Flight Lieutenant

Well Paul let me know if your ever in the area and if i'm free at the time we could take in an airfield or two, I was at Riccall not long ago lots still surviving amongst the wildlife reserve, kep meaning to get my metal detector up there sometime.

Jim

William Heron · Group Captain

Hi Jim, We here in Canada have asked the same question regarding the Lancasters why in gods name did NO one have the forsight to hang on to a few. Monies can be found for many other insignificant things like politicians jaunts to foreign countries i.e. with no return for investment. insn't hindsight a wonderful thing. (if only)
Bill Heron/Niagara/Canada

paul · Leading Aircraftsman

Ok Jim will do

Cheers
Paul

Halifaxbomber · Flight Lieutenant

Hi William, you have the best Halibag of all don't you mate, is it true that it can taxi We have a good one here, but i'm not even sure if the engines have any insides to them, Oh to see one fly again, such a shame some multi millionaire has not got the passion that we have, i have the passion but not the cash.

Jim

Pigeonbird · Air Commodore

Hi Paul:

Sorry I'm so late answering your question, but I wrote out one, but before I could send, it disappeared. I'll try again now.

The title of my book is "Bless You, Brother Irvin" and is the story of the Caterpillar Club. Besides this there are many stories of Men and Women who have saved their lives by Parachute, including mine. Also in the book is instructions of how a Caterpillar can get a free Magnum of Shiraz (Grapes and Caterpillars), a little moralizing (Who Packed your Parachute?) and a dedication to a lovely Lady who made my landing a little softer.

More information can be found on the website www.bombercrew.com/neal.htm. This also lists my other book "The Lucky Pigeon" which is the story of my career in the Royal Canadian Air Force. The prices listed have been increased by $5.00 to allow for increased postage. All copies of Lucky Pigeon are at home, but Bless You is also here and at the publisher, General Store Publishing House in Renfrew, Ontario.

All I need is a cheque and an address, and just ask for mine first.

John Neal

Pigeonbird · Air Commodore

Pigeonbird wrote:

Hi Paul:

Sorry I'm so late answering your question, but I wrote out one, but before I could send, it disappeared. I'll try again now.

The title of my book is "Bless You, Brother Irvin" and is the story of the Caterpillar Club. Besides this there are many stories of Men and Women who have saved their lives by Parachute, including mine. Also in the book is instructions of how a Caterpillar can get a free Magnum of Shiraz (Grapes and Caterpillars), a little moralizing (Who Packed your Parachute?) and a dedication to a lovely Lady who made my landing a little softer.

More information can be found on the website www.bombercrew.com/neal.htm. This also lists my other book "The Lucky Pigeon" which is the story of my career in the Royal Canadian Air Force. The prices listed have been increased by $5.00 to allow for increased postage. All copies of Lucky Pigeon are at home, but Bless You is also here and at the publisher, General Store Publishing House in Renfrew, Ontario.

All I need is a cheque and an address, and just ask for mine first.

John Neal

William Heron · Group Captain

Hi Jim, Sorry to be so long in replying but I've out of the country for a couple of weeks. The Hali at Trenton is totally static, while NA337 is a remarkable restoration effort of some ten years in the making the engines do not run and therefore to answer your question it does not taxi. BTW I had some correspondence from Karl regarding LW170 and because she is laying deep in salt water it is highly unlikely that this one (if they can get her up) will fly either.
Regards, Bill.