Have a look over on the Halifax website for the latest news and how you can help recover another Halifax bomber for restoration.
Halifax lw170
The Directors of Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada), including yours truly, have been very busy on several fronts in promoting the Halifax Project.
On August 20th Jim Blondeau, Father Harry Schmuck, and myself attended the exciting and moving dedication ceremonies of the Bomber Command Memorial Wall at the Nanton Lancaster Society Museum at Nanton, Alberta.
You may remember Father Harry, who was a mid-upper Halifax Air Gunner on RCAF 432/426 Squadrons, and post-war became a priest of the Catholic Church. Not only did we enjoy this dedication of “THE Wall” memorial to our bomber crews, which of itself puts Nanton in a class of its own for Canadian tributes to our bomber crews, but our own Jim Blondeau wrote a song of dedication just for this event. Father Harry spoke of his comrades whose names are on this Memorial Wall and introduced Jim to the dignitaries and crowd, who sang a truly moving song of tribute to the 10,000 plus fallen of the RCAF on that wall.
We were very pleased to support this special event and be a part of the ceremony. We cannot thank and compliment the Nanton executive and members of the Nanton Museum enough for all their hospitality and efforts for this wonderful Memorial. We are very pleased to be partners with Nanton on the Halifax Project and believe they are the best Bomber Command memorial in all of Canada. They officially ran the rebuilt starboard-inner Merlin of their Lanc for the first time in over 50 years at the ceremony and it was a real treat to hear that “music” again.
On a personal note, yours truly is in the final stages of a move from Ottawa to Nanton as my home, as we progress with the Halifax Project. I felt that with the support and encouragement of the Nanton people along with all the possiblities in Alberta that I had to show my allegiance to them and our mutual aims. I am looking forward to helping make Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada) an integral part of this great memorial to our bomber crews. I will advise everyone when I have changed addresses but for the immediate future all Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada) addresses and phone numbers remain the same.
Fund raising is progressing well. In fact, author John Neal’s new book “Bless You, Brother Irvin”, all about exciting bail-outs using the parachute, has been printed and is for sale from John through this website. For every copy of “Bless You, Brother Irvin” sold, John Neal will be donating funds to the Halifax Project for recovery of LW170. Please look at our special promo page (on our website title page under the heading “NEW – BLESS YOU, BROTHER IRVIN – SALE” all about the book and where to purchase a copy. This would make a great gift for a veteran or family member. Remember every copy sold will add funds and support our project. I am counting on all members and supporters to pass this book sale info on to all interested parties! The cost is $ 25.00 per copy.
Further to fundraising, I am pleased to announce that after much hard work to prepare the painting of RCAF Halifax LW170 we are finally ready to go to the printers next week. After scores of hours of collaboration with artist Michael McCabe a beautiful and detailed painting of LW170, depicted on her 26th op in July,1944, will be released soon for sale as a true collectors painting. After printing next week yours truly will be travelling from New Brunswick to B. C. with all the LW170 prints (500) to have them personally signed by the artist and 10 to 12 men who actually flew LW170 in combat in the RCAF in 424 Squadron.
This could be the most unique painting of a RCAF Halifax ever to be offered to our members and the public. It took us hundreds of hours of research to find all these LW170 crewmen still alive whose average age is 82 years old. This must be one of the very last signed limited-edition aircraft prints ever to be offered for general sale. Russell Earl of Estevan, Saskatchewan will be the high-time signer of the print as he flew LW170 no less that 11 times in 1944!! To say he is enthusiastic to get his hands on a print of his old “Item” is an understatement.
Please remember there will be only 500 signed prints available so stay tuned to the website and keep in touch with me to be advised when the prints come available. We estimate that the prints will be ready for sale Novemebr 15th, 2005. The price for a signed print will be $150.00 ($Canadian $) plus postage (to be announced). Final details will be forthcoming on this website before the sales officially begin.
To get the ball rolling on announcing the Halifax Project to official organizations, and promoting sales of “Bless You, Brother Irvin” and the painting of LW170, John Neal and I made a special trip to Red Deer, Alberta for the annual convention of the Air Force Association on October 6th to 8th. (see above photo of John and Karl at their convention display booth) We greatly enjoyed the selling of books, promoting the painting of LW170, handing out data and information all about Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada). Not only was I able to speak to the national assembly of the Association for 7 minutes about our group but also spoke with the Chief of the Air Staff, General Lucas, about the Halifax Project. He is now fully aware of our objectives and aims.
Also, an avid supporter of our project is Laurie Haan, (RCAF ret.), an investments executive in Edmonton. He and I did meet at this convention and were able to discuss ways and means of gathering financial support in Western Canada for the location and recovery of RCAF Halifax LW170 to the Nanton Museum. As Project Manager these contacts in high level circles are taken very seriously and we do believe we have a wonderful opportunity to raise our financial suport needed in the near future. Please standby for more on these developments in my next report.
Considering the potenial funding that will come in from the book and LW170 prints, we do believe in taking the initiative to raise money on our own. We certainly believe we should receive backing from government and corporate sources, considering the great historic nature of our project. With the right meeting of minds, those with visiton and fortitude, soon we will have the support we need.
On the United States front, as you already know, we have had great initial support from quite a few Americans who have become members of our group. This included several American veterans who, in 1940-1941 over 7000 strong volunteered for the RCAF before Pearl Harbour, and fought for Canada’s freedom. I visited the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C. in the summer of 2005 and gave a full briefing to our Canadian military attaches’ of our Halifax Project. I tried to stress the importance of this historic project to them and the significance to all the American people. When I showed them the names and hometowns of over 700 U.S. citizens killed-in-action in the RCAF, the majority killed while in combat on the Halifax, they said they would try to help us in our quest.
I am very pleased to announce that on Nov.11th at the Canadian Embassy, at their special Remembrance Day ceremony, several family members of Tom Withers an American in RCAF 405 Squadron who was killed-in-action in 1942, have been especially invited for this ceremony. Chris Charland and myself as Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada) Directors will travel to Washington D.C. to be in attendance to further our cause in the USA. Further to this, with all the press and VIP’s invited, Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada) will be allowed to have a display and promote the Halifax Project with all those interested. This is a great help to us to tell of those Americans who fought for Canada in the RCAF as this story has never been fully passed on to our American neighbours. We know we will be able to raise support from this opportunity and we thank Ambassador Frank Mckenna and all his staff for their assistance in our historic quest.
Let us keep our eyes on the target.
Press on Regardless…
Sincerely
Karl Kjarsgaard
Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada)
Registered Charity No. 84586 5740 RR0001
website: http://www.57rescuecanada.com
email: [email]57rescuecanada@rogers.com[/email]
By: HP57 - 27th October 2005 at 18:40
I think it was at 600 feet. Although the condition is bit battered look what has been done to here now. So any substantial wreck could be used for restoration.
Cheers
Cees
By: Mark12 - 26th October 2005 at 18:17
How deep was the Hampden that the Canadians recovered some years ago?
Best wishes
Steve P
…not deep enough. 🙁
A shot I took in Vancouver shortly after they recovered it.
Mark
By: EHVB - 26th October 2005 at 15:38
the Hellcat that used to be at Pima survived well in the Californian Pacific depths – but it was incredibly deep!
Last time I saw it, in the early nineties or so, the engine had been falling from the airframe. After that, I never saw it again. Any idea where it is today, or was it scrapped (can hardly believe that)? BW Roger
By: steve_p - 26th October 2005 at 13:43
How deep was the Hampden that the Canadians recovered some years ago?
Best wishes
Steve P
By: David Burke - 26th October 2005 at 12:57
Rlangham – The rebuild of the Hendon Halifax could easily be done.The cost I guess at
8 million. The money can be raised to do rebuilds it just needs determination of the kind the Canadian’s have and we lack! As for the state of LW170 – the depth appears to be the secret – the Hellcat that used to be at Pima survived well in the Californian Pacific
depths – but it was incredibly deep!
By: DaveM2 - 25th October 2005 at 23:56
Karl also told me that LW170 could be at a depth of about 1 km, which could lesson the risk of corrosion. But I tried to talk him into looking for some Halifaxes in Norway (same raid as W1048) of which one crashed in the Trondheimfjord (where the Kondor was recovered from and now under restoration) but he insisted on LW170. I hope he succeeds.
CheersCees
Cees
I would think at a depth of 1 km the wreck would be in a lot better condition corrosion wise due to lack of oxygen, than something from Trondheim..the Kondor was / is a mess.
Dave
By: Rlangham - 25th October 2005 at 19:19
Yeah it would be nice, when i first saw Friday the 13th i thought she was a full scale model, and in my eyes she still doesn’t seem to be a ‘proper’ Halifax, not sure why. Apparently restoring the RAFM Halifax would cost too much, a shame really, but still it’s better than nothing!
By: jonny956 - 25th October 2005 at 19:06
Thanks chaps. Yup….I am aware, that is why I put ‘genuine’ and ‘restored’. Great airframes though the aforementioned are, the UK still lacks the real thing ‘up on its legs and fully clothed’ and sitting in a national museum. I still wonder about the rationale of the RAFM leaving their Halifax on a bed of gravel when superb things can be done (as exampled by the Trenton guys and gals).
By the way, saw NA337 last month. Take’s your breath away!!
By: HP57 - 25th October 2005 at 18:40
Not sure if your aware of it, but theres already a complete Halifax in England – Halifax B.III ‘Friday the Thirteenth’ at Yorkshire Air Museum, made of different Halifaxes, it’s a fantastic rebuild. Theres also the complete wreckage of one (as far as i’m aware, main parts missing are undercarriage and perspex, and bent prop blades) at the RAF Museum Hendon sitting on it’s belly
And don’t forget the complete cockpitsection of Halifax VII PN323 at the IWM Lambeth. I will be going to London again just before Christmas and guess where I will be visiting as well :rolleyes:
Now to tell the wife (again).
Cheers
Cees
By: Rlangham - 25th October 2005 at 18:36
Not sure if your aware of it, but theres already a complete Halifax in England – Halifax B.III ‘Friday the Thirteenth’ at Yorkshire Air Museum, made of different Halifaxes, it’s a fantastic rebuild. Theres also the complete wreckage of one (as far as i’m aware, main parts missing are undercarriage and perspex, and bent prop blades) at the RAF Museum Hendon sitting on it’s belly
Edit – the Yorkshire Air Museum is a mark II, as is the Hendon example – however the Hendon is the early variant with a turret at the front. There are photos of the YAM Halibag here;
http://www.museum-explorer.org.uk/show.php?page=exhibit&q=search^choice=AEOM^textfield=halifax&e=128&t=5
And heres one of the Hendon example
By: jonny956 - 25th October 2005 at 18:34
Fellas,
Once this worthy project has been completed (and I am keeping my fingers crossed), are there any plan to recover a Halifax for the UK? There appears to be a lot of support being generated in blighty for the various RAF/RCAF Canadian projects but its about time we got a restored, genuine example back to the shores of its origin.
Jon
P.S. The above is not a critism of the fantastic job that you/those chaps are doing!
By: HP57 - 25th October 2005 at 17:39
It is in salt water but the location where she is at, the bottem is very deeply silted so hopefully she is well protected.
Karl also told me that LW170 could be at a depth of about 1 km, which could lesson the risk of corrosion. But I tried to talk him into looking for some Halifaxes in Norway (same raid as W1048) of which one crashed in the Trondheimfjord (where the Kondor was recovered from and now under restoration) but he insisted on LW170. I hope he succeeds.
Cheers
Cees
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 25th October 2005 at 17:01
Well Pete, I hate to be cynical but i doubt what is left is much cop…talk to the Stirling Boys, the Channel is rough but the North Atlantic – well thats a different ball game…
Unless you are looking for a relic a’la Crete JU52….and no the Hurricane at MAM doesnt count – a) was in a kinder clime and b is a lot smaller!
Good luck!
TT
By: Peter - 25th October 2005 at 16:29
It is in salt water but the location where she is at, the bottem is very deeply silted so hopefully she is well protected.
By: Bruce - 25th October 2005 at 09:51
Do we have any images of the wreck yet??
Slightly dubious.
Bruce
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 25th October 2005 at 09:17
But Peter this is a SALT water recovery right…?
TT
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October 24, 2005 at 8:28 pm