A Halifax mystery

CeBro, you said the last complete Halifax was scrapped in Argentina in 1971?

Do you have any more details on this aircraft? I (wrongly) thought until the discovery of W1048 the last known complete Halifax was PN323 in the UK

It was filmed using the Hubble telescope which looks back in time.

Sweet dreams, guys… the world seams to be too small place for such wonder happen 🙂

Happy New Year to all of you!

Btw… don’t worry, my English is not 100% correct but I (still) understand jokes. However, no matter of language, we all (aviation) enthusiasts have something in common which makes conversation easy 🙂

I feel a little bit embarrassed now because I “run out” in front of you with unchecked info. I have to find out the way to open the clips first and then see if that plane was really “caught” during 1971 (which I doubt) or the clip was attached into the documentary serial from much earlier time.

Btw, 1971 “erupted” mass movement in Croatia (see more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatian_Spring)

No need for embarrassment or apologies ! As has been said such mysteries are made to be solved and are a fascinating part of this forum !

Hopefully we will be able to find out a bit more about the film and where it came from…Just the images alone never mind the possibility that there was a Halifax flying around make the search worth while, And we wouldnt have known about it if you hadnt posted !

dont mind the jokes they arn’t meant to offend or anything !

Happy New Year all, You envious Sassenachs dont know how to celebrate New Year properly , not like the Celts here !

i will just grab my hat and coat before the Lions roar !

Next to a hangar full of Merlins in their original packaging.

Laurence

It was in transit to China……where it now sits in a hangar at a remote airfield parked next to the Stirling. 😀

No problem! It would be good if you find out more. Take your time.
Happy New Year

Laurence

I feel a little bit embarrassed now because I “run out” in front of you with unchecked info. I have to find out the way to open the clips first and then see if that plane was really “caught” during 1971 (which I doubt) or the clip was attached into the documentary serial from much earlier time.

Btw, 1971 “erupted” mass movement in Croatia (see more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatian_Spring)

Aha! After all this, we must try to solve the mystery. Let us know when you get more information.
Where was this film clip from? Why was it linked to this 1971 Zagreb thing? What, indeed, was the event in Zagreb?

Last time I was in Zagreb I certainly did not see a Halifax, but admittedly it was post 1971!

Laurence

To be honest, me neither… I have no reqired program installed yet 😮

Some guy on our local aviation forum open the thread few days ago. He direct us on the links above, attached that “frozen frame” from the footage and asked if anyone know “what’s this plane flying above the crowd on May’71 meeting in Zagreb”. I tried to cointact him via PM to check whether some WWII shoots incorporated in footage, but still waiting on his reply 🙁

I agree. It is always fun to get to the bottom of these mysteries. Equally, I cannot read those links!

Laurence

No need to apologise, it was a facinating find and it would be interesting to see where they found it !

Unfortunately i cant view anything on the attached links, what is shown on them?

… I am afraid that this might just be old footage that ended up grafted in to the film in some way…

I think you’re right
http://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|931tg|438904816|Hrvatsko.Proljeae_e-Vi__eglasja.PDTV.XviD-RAKiJA.part3.rar|110405
http://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|888tl2|438898321|Hrvatsko.Proljeae_e-Vi__eglasja.PDTV.XviD-RAKiJA.part2.rar|204472
http://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|907l34|438891168|Hrvatsko.Proljeae_e-Vi__eglasja.PDTV.XviD-RAKiJA.part1.rar|204472

Seams I wasted your time… sorry guys 🙁

It has to be old footage inserted into the documentary. It looks to have RAF style fin flashes and possibly a roundel, but no squadron codes visible, and it doesn’t seem WW2 style night bomber camouflage, more a matt greyish effect.
I think we’d all like to know where the documentary producers got the footage from, and what else they might have!!

Reckon the grey colour could be down to various factors, the film used,the age of the film now, light levels etc. There seems to be a lighter colour or colours (possible standard camo?) on the top & i think there might be a rear turret?

zishelix, dont get me wrong it would be fantastic if there was a Halifax still flying in the 70’s and even better if it could be found now but I am afraid that this might just be old footage that ended up grafted in to the film in some way.

Can you tell us if the programme can be viewed through the stations web- site or what date it was broadcast ?

Ohh and well done for spotting it !

I’ll try to provide more details soon…

Thanks for your kind willing to help my quest

Firstly, there doesn’t seem any possibility of a Halifax flying in 1971. Even allowing for it to be the last off the production line it would have to be 25 or so years old, and who would have been providing maintenance and spares since the end of WW2?
Secondly, the larger square fins were retrospectively fitted to Halifaxes, so a MkII could have these fins (especially as I understand the torque effect was most noticeable on the Merlin engine variants).
It has to be old footage inserted into the documentary. It looks to have RAF style fin flashes and possibly a roundel, but no squadron codes visible, and it doesn’t seem WW2 style night bomber camouflage, more a matt greyish effect.
I think we’d all like to know where the documentary producers got the footage from, and what else they might have!!

I owe you an explanation: Few weeks ago, the national TV (HRT), broadcast documentary serial about Croatian national movement from ’71. Among other, there was a footage of big meeting occured in May same year on the capital of Zagreb main square. During filming the crowd, in one moment the camera “catched” unknown plane flying over the city.

Now I’m trying to find out the backup story… if there’s any.

The original frame;

But the fins look like the square version of the III, rather than the forward pointy ones of the II.

It seems impossible that this was a Halifax flying in Croatia in 1971.

Laurence

I agree, it looks to be a Mk II series 1a

The last complete Halifax was scrapped in 1971 in Argentina.

Cees

Agree with Scouse.

Any chance of putting up more info/footage? Looks older than 1971, I am surprised its not colour.