Real reason for RAFM's Halifax status?

It should also not be forgotten that Miles was similarly disliked by Whitehall Mandarins for not doing as they were told. Handley Page “rescued” Miles only for both of them to go down the tubes! Two birds with one shot!!!
Resmoroh.

The wikipedia entry dosen’t ‘stack up’. Most war time bombers were scrapped to extinction with no thought of any preservation, even into the 1950s. Halifaxes can be ranked along with Stirlings, Bombays, Albermarles, and Hampdens as extinct types. Its by luck that we even have a Wellington, Blenheim and Beaufort complete. Lancasters didn’t fair much better either, the late RAF ones were scrapped and it was mainly due to film usage, the civilian, French and Canadian operators that they survive in any number.
I don’t see it as an anti Freddie thing as suggested. Also the comment ‘more prominance given to the Vulcan over the Victor’ just dosen’t make sense.

There was one Halifax (serial in the RG=range IIRC) that was airworthy
up till 1954/1955 and then unceremoniously scrapped. Pic appeared in a 1984/1985 issue of Flypast.

And what about the Stirling then, was Short Brothers so disliked by the Air Ministry that they scrapped all examples as well as the drawings?
Cheers

Cees

Aside from the recovered examples, which was the ‘last’ complete Halifax to be scrapped and when…?

I’m guessing ultimately is was of the PAF examples as they appeared to have operated a few examples up to 1961..?

But which and when was the last UK one…?

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I’m totally discounting ‘PN.323’, as it was without engines or it’s real ‘Twin-Fins’, so can hardly be described as “complete”

No doubt someone will come up with a later time (in RAF service) ?

But, for now, the latest I can find is No.224 Sqdn (Coastal-Command), who were using their Handley-Page Halifax (Met.Mk.VI’s) until March 1952

Apparently, their replacements, were Shackleton Mk.1’s, which had started to supplant & then replace the Halibag’s, starting from July 1951.

The ‘retiring’ airworthy 224 Sqdn Halifaxes were sent to No.48 M.U. for dismantlement/scrapping, so March ’52 were the last RAF one’s I know of

Interestingly, the serial-block on one airframe (‘ST.804’) is considerably higher/later, than I previously seen before !

(BTW, Thanx to Firebird for the heads-up on the Pakistan examples)

David,

I agree PN323 probably was the most complete of any remaining “above water” at that time. Even ‘323 wasn’t actually “complete” at the stage when (the majority of) it was scrapped (the nose survives). The standard empenage had previously been removed and the twin fin arrangement replaced by a single fin / rudder for use in static tests. Maybe a PAF example or a Halton was the last truly complete one given the chop?

Tim

Halifax PN323 readily springs to mind.

So, CAN’T see the earlier WW.II types affected (preservation-wise)

Agreed, bearing in mind that just about all the Halifax’s had already been scrapped before the Vulcan and Victor had even entered service.

Aside from the recovered examples, which was the ‘last’ complete Halifax to be scrapped and when…?

I’m guessing ultimately is was of the PAF examples as they appeared to have operated a few examples up to 1961..?
But which and when was the last UK one…?

Hardly suprising (your quote drawn from Wikipedia)

Fredrick Handley Page wasn’t (at all) willing to comply with the amalgamation of the other “major-players” into what became B.A.C. (British Aircraft Corporation), thereby making himself as popular as a pork-pie at a barmitzvah, as far as the (then) British Gov’t were concerned.

IIRC, Handley-Page went into recievership in 1970

Seem to recall as well, it all having an impact on the ‘Jetstream’ project/sales

That’s as far as I can recall & without resorting to look up any reference on either the ‘net, or any books (dangerous thing, “firing from the hip”, or, quoting from memory alone), but no-doubt, someone will elaborate.

Must admit ; I never knew it’d had any bearing on preservation of Halifax(es)

In fact, thinking about it – I find that VERY unlikely.

I wasn’t aware of any previous “unease” between F.H.P. & the Air-Ministry (tho’ no-doubt someone here will explain ?)

Remember, ONE Handley-Page Hampden HAD (previously) been earmarked for preservation (& was stored/crated)…….. yet, it was (deliberately) broken-up in 1955…….. (apparently the Station-Commander wanted his hangars back !).

So, CAN’T see the earlier WW.II types affected (preservation-wise)

Yet, I CAN imagine bias being shown towards the Vulcan over the Victor, given that THE ‘amalgamation’ (B.A.C.) would be well inside (chronologically/during) the lifespan of both of those swept-wing a/c