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  • jeepman

Halifax transporter

Was thumbing through the IWM photos of Spitfires to find a late Spit IX fighter-bomber with universal “c-type” clipped wings and broad chord pointed rudder. Not much luck -save for a possible 73 Sqn example in Yugoslavia.

However found an interesting picture of a Halifax in North Africa which had been modified to carry a Spitfire fuselage below the bomb-bay. Presumably this was to facilite transport to and from an MU for repair.

Does anybody know more?

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By: CeBro - 29th December 2009 at 18:15

Anything similar carried beneath any aircraft not designed for that purpose would look less than aerodynamic.:rolleyes:

Cees

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By: Arabella-Cox - 29th December 2009 at 17:58

It looks like that’s what gave them the idea for the freight container and paratechnicon used on the Halifax freighters.
The airdropped Jeeps were supported by a frame under their chassis which took all the loads of the parachutes and stoppped the Jeep from snapping in two.
[ATTACH]180091[/ATTACH]
This is a page from the AP I have covering the rigging of a Jeep and Six Pounder showing their less than aerodynamic carriage on the Halifax (it was even worse on the Hastings)

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By: jeepman - 29th December 2009 at 16:38

that’s the one – presumably there was a fairing at the front during flight

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By: Bruggen 130 - 29th December 2009 at 15:59

This might be what your talking about.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/Bruggen/Picture1075.jpg

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By: jeepman - 29th December 2009 at 15:43

I bought a pic of a Halifax airlifting a jeep, many years ago, through mail order. I’m not at home, but give me a few days and I’ll see about scanning it.

thanks – I miust be the owner of virtually every Jeep book ever produced and I think I know the series from which your picture possibly came. One of the carrying/parachute trays for the jeeps has survived in France. They were secured by attachments which seem to lock into the driver/passenger cutouts in the sides.

The IWM picture seemed to show a lightweight box-type structure which enveloped the Spitfire fuselage which was suspendedfrom the bomb-bay.

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By: SADSACK - 29th December 2009 at 15:23

re;

I bought a pic of a Halifax airlifting a jeep, many years ago, through mail order. I’m not at home, but give me a few days and I’ll see about scanning it.

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