Halifax III Rear Turret: Cupola Frame

Hey there Paul,

You’re right! It is a great reference. I purchased the CD-ROM several months ago and it is very helpful. It is especially handy for visually depicting the mechanics of the turret. For example, the control mechanisms which elevate and depress the guns.

I notice that the program has now been updated to “Version 2.” I wonder what extra features/material is included…?

Good luck finding your coat. hahaha

What an interesting project.

It might be worth trying to find someone involved at Canadian Warplane Heritage back in the day, too. For a time in the early 1980s, there was a partial tail turret and cupola, very beat-up, stored in Hangar #4 where the Lancaster initially resided after its 1979 arrival from Goderich. The turret was said to be the tail turret from a Halifax. It certainly wasn’t a Lanc unit. Very few Halifaxes were ever in Canada, but among those which were there were five Mk.Vs that were instructional airframes at the RCAF tech school at St.Thomas; quite sensible, since so many 6 (Canadian) Group squadrons operated Hallies and their complement of “erks” would benefit from experience on the type…anyway, one or more of those Halifaxes were scrapped postwar by metals dealer Cam Logan at Scotland, Ontario, who (seemingly paradoxically) was an aircraft enthusiast and early member of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society. I can’t be sure, but I’ve surmised that Mr Logan may have kept this turret from one of the ex-tech school Hallies he processed postwar, and that it later passed to CWH at Mt.Hope, not far away. I have not seen the turret in about thirty years and have no idea of its eventual fate; I’m confident it was not lost in the 1993 Hgr#3 fire, as such a relic would not have been kept in what at the time was the museum’s active maintenance bay…perhaps someone else on here knows what became of it…

S.

Hi Eddy,

I would also suggest getting hold of the PC/CD: The Halifax Explored. It has lots of photographs and technical information. This is a great project. All power to those who break free of the Spitfire/Lancaster Snobbery (I’ll get my coat).

http://www.flyingzonedirect.com/halifaxcdrom/halifaxindex.htm

Best,

Paul.

Hi Zidante,

Thanks to you also for the help and encouragement. The Yorkshire Air museum was also an excellent suggestion. I will investigate further into the National Air Gunner Association Archives.

Both these museums you and Cees mentioned have a lot to offer. I guess they were the obvious places to start looking, but, being a rookie in this environment, I had no idea. I guess I have homework to do now. haha.

I am still in the early stages of my model build and I greatly enjoy discussing it. This gives me the extra motivation I sometimes need when I get “builders block.” Thanks.

Hi there Cees,

Thanks for the reply…I appreciate the encouragement! This project has already proven to be quite the learning curve for me… but it’s definitely been worth it already.

This will be a 1:2 (half) scale model…approximately. Once complete, I would like it to be able to rest on an end table… or better yet, high up on a wall.

I am using RC components and a transmitter to control the movements… with a few extra special features.

Is this the 57 rescue restoration of which you speak? I was fortunate enough to visit the Restoration shop at the National Air Force Museum of Canada. The gentlemen there let me take some photos of the blueprints they still had from their restoration. Though… this was several years ago now.

Thanks for the RAF museum tip! Turns out they have several publications that could be helpful. I will message them and see how to get a hold of some of that required research material.

Looking forward to more conversations. Especially since, (as Zidante states) you are the “go to” man.

Regards,
Eddy

ps. If I’d ever seen a HPH turret as a Garden Cloche, I probably would have spent more time gardening 😉

Hi Eddy,

Great project! You might want to ask The Yorkshire Air Museum too if you haven’t already, the Air Gunner’s collection there might be useful, plus any info from their restoration’s turret that may exist.

You will already have gathered that Cees is a ‘go to’ man for things Halifax too!

Hi Eddy,
Welcome to the forum, and what a great first post. Very nice project. Will it be a full size or scale model?
There are original type E turret cupola’s about. They were used as garden cloches. Recentely one was picked
up from the UK and will be used in a Halifax reconstruction in Canada. You can try the RAF Museum as they
have most manuals, you can look at their navigator tool on the website.
I’m a huge Halifax fan so will follow this.
Cheers
Cees