Friday the 13th at Elvington

Halifax re-visited.

I personally have liked this marvellous recreation of a Halifax from a myrad of lumps and bits garnered from all over and using Hastings lumps ,to put together what we see here in pics. Friday the 13th looks absolutely superb and so do the night shots and Aircrew re-enactors. Well done to all involved, you’ve got my applause and respect. So here’s my version of a Halifax re-creation, one that I can fly (from a desk ) with my m8’s on line. It’s just great to line her up for take off, do the mission, (insult your oppo’s as to their flying ability 😀 ) get back and land it OK.

Flight Sim is the old Microsoft CFS-3,but with the ETO Expansion 1.20 added, (Halifax in here ). Nearest I’ll ever get to flying a Halibag, but more than good enough. Salute to YAM guys and the Halifax veterans.

Bill T.

…..
The undercarriage from Freddy is made from a steel structure with fibreglass covering due to the lack of original castings, being made from magnesium alloy is not very well for survival decades of neglect.
….
Cees

I would appreciate clarification here, I was under the impression that the replica’s u/c has custom-made magnesium alloy castings and that there was confusion about whether or not the castings would be paid for. So the question is can someone confirm how the u/c is actually constructed in this case.

I enjoyed this account of the night shoot,having the Mosquito shown was also a good move..
http://www.aeroresource.co.uk/articles/2015/yam-halifax-nightshoot/

Paul,
The rear fuselage from HR792 was restored at BAe Brough and would have the bomb bay structure restored, but I am not sure about that, although that structure is quite complicated. the Hastings centresection used does not have a bombbay, can anyone confirm?
57 Rescue located several sets of original wooden bombdoors at a monastry. A set was used on NA337.
The undercarriage from Freddy is made from a steel structure with fibreglass covering due to the lack of original castings, being made from magnesium alloy is not very well for survival decades of neglect.
The video YAM made about the recreation or the book Home is the Halifax are recommended.
Cheers
Cees

And the Stirling…….
Cees

Very true Cees….. Wellington, Hampden, Whitley……. The list goes on… Still those of us on this forum understand the valuable contribution of the “other” types and their flyers.. Its just a shame the modern media doesn’t understand this. Now where is that lottery win when I need it!

Back to the thread…. Anything is possible regarding the bomb doors, except that YAM’s Friday doesn’t have any. If they had loads of dosh they could be recreated with an alternative operating mechanism. I guess that it is theoretically possible also for the engines to be plumbed in and run also. I doubt if she could taxi as I am not sure how the undercart (being replica units) could stand up to it……. But just imagine the night shoot…. Four Halibag Hercs turning, HJ711 with two Merlins, the Dakotas Cyclones… And even Lindy could give us some nice Conway jet noises.

And the Stirling…….
Cees

Poor. Very, VERY poor.

They have ‘paid’ already. The HARD way.

OOp’s I think my post was taken the wrong way….. I was trying to make the point of how important the Halifax is to the veterans… Just take a look at the displays around the hanger and the “sponsored” bricks. It was not in any way meant as a slight against the volunteers!

The veterans had just turned up and seeing the door open went to blag their way on board!…. You try stopping a 90 year old! They had a good day because the Nimrod crew took them round the Nimrod!

The Halifax even in its current state and imperfections is so important. Telling the future generations that there was more than just the Lancaster. Even though the BBMF Lanc is a national treasure and the veterans love it, they do still feel it that their chariot is almost forgotten.

I am reminded of the stress in the photos of crews,makes me ponder the incredible resolve to keep going.They were sleep deprived often, took drugs which today would be banned for aircrew and still put in the effort. In Awe of them all.

I’d say these lads had plenty to age them prematurely.

Andy

I have to say that I always felt that in WWII images young aircrew looked much older than young folks today. The age of a bomber aircrew might have ranged from 19 to 22 years of age. Looking at pictures I’d say that most of them looked much older.

I also always felt that this is where “Memphis Belle” (1989) failed. Though all actors did a most superb job – they all looked too young. I think that this is where the modern Elvington image stands out: the crew looks just like the crews did in 1944; stressed, tired, worn-out and scared. I wonder how old the re-enactors in this image are – no doubt they are way beyond 19 – 22.

Peter

It was normal to open bomb doors prior to shut down – for various reasons !

Even on Canberras ! – and then the Ground Crew would have to Hand Pump them shut if the aircraft was being parked outside !

Poor. Very, VERY poor.

They have ‘paid’ already. The HARD way.

And are you suggesting that YAM doesn’t know that? What nonsense.

A paid tour contributes to the running of the museum that is set up to remember these guys. I don’t think ‘very poor’ is fair at all.

Kicking off people who had booked a tour and contributed to the museum would be poor and I’m sure they would have accommodated the vets if they returned. It sounds like the nimrod guys did their best too. Also the people onboard may not have been aware of the vets presence as when you are in these aircraft often you don’t hear much of the outside world particularly if you are upfront.

People get outraged so easily. The team at YAM work tirelessly and one thing results in them being termed as ‘very poor’. Without them there would be no Halifax to see in the first place!!

As we are doing pictures here are some 578 squadron Veterans trying to blag their way aboard May 2013. They couldn’t get in as there was a paid tour going on.

Poor. Very, VERY poor.

They have ‘paid’ already. The HARD way.

I don’t think it’s about taking pressure off the hydraulic system – the pilots notes has a statement that they should be opened because it takes a lot of manual pumping to open it once the engines are shut down.

Thanks for that.

You would be surprised how many younger reenactors there are. Just not on this particular shoot.

This just appeared on my Facebook 😎

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If only we has such recreations of the Stirling, Whitley and Wellington.

Excellent photo and such a true statement. Marvelous though the Lanc is, future generations need to know that there were others….. BTW. My only criticism of the re-en actors is their age…. It would be even more sobering if the crew was a group of men just out of their teens.

What is your Facebook name, I’ll go and like it straight away!!! (Edit: Found your facebook, liked and shared with my other Haliphile friends).

Just to get back to the original question. “If Friday the 13th” were a “runner”, would the bomb doors be open when the
aircraft was at rest, similar to the Lancasters ? Presumably to take the pressure off of the hydraulics ?

Even if they could make Friday 13th a runner which is theoretically possible the bomb bay and its doors have not been built so the answer would be no the doors would be closed.

Just in case being in the Airshow Photos section meant it got bypassed…
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?134246-YAM-Nightshoot

Just to get back to the original question. “If Friday the 13th” were a “runner”, would the bomb doors be open when the
aircraft was at rest, similar to the Lancasters ? Presumably to take the pressure off of the hydraulics ?

I don’t think it’s about taking pressure off the hydraulic system – the pilots notes has a statement that they should be opened because it takes a lot of manual pumping to open it once the engines are shut down.

I know a chap who was involved, go onto the Facebook group “1940s world”