YAM's Halifax

I’ve never understood how anyone could class it as a replica. It has (I think) 30 feet of original Halifax fuselage, which probably make’s it more original than some airworthy warbirds.

I would agree with that…

Ken Ellis calls it a recreation.

Cees

That would be the easiest option regarding the scarcity of Hercules XVI’s.

Here’s to hoping.

Cees

Please let it be a merlin Halifax!

LW170, if found and salvagable, is destined for Canada.

This sound very interesting; a Halifax at Duxford would be a fantastic thing to behold.

Err. no

Cees

Two Halifax projects? I’d heard for the serach for LW170, is this one of them?

Having been to Duxford last saturday (pics to follow later) I saw a Hastings and the fuselage the Hermes so a Halifax is missing from that collection. The possibility could present itself soon when perhaps two Halifax projects could be available, one of which could be a real boost to the IWM and the cockpit of PN323 would be very useful. Such a project (of years) taking place at Duxford would be a real crowdpuller as well.

Cees

Knowing the condition she was in when she left Southend and having seen the recent pictures I would imagine that a cockpit must be the least of your worries at present.
I still think it very sad that no one over here was prepared to give her a home at any point after she left Southend and I am sure RF342 would be no more had she not gone to Australia.

Had the nose remained with it, I’m sure someone would have stepped up to save it. As it was, a noseless Lincoln was not that attractive (except to Mark!!)

Having been involved with the restoration of that nose, it was in very good shape, and the damage to it was largely superficial. Its now an excellent exhibit.

Bruce

Just back to the Halifax, to be honest I would like the nose of PN323 to go to the YAM, and the new build nose go to IWM to act as a walkthrough exhibit.

I do believe the nose of PN323 is an important exhibit, and personally would prefer to see it on the front of a hybrid Halifax rather than having members of the general public walk through it. Just my opinion.

I realise the chances of PN323 ever leaving the IWM are nil, so I’m just always hoping that some more components of a Halifax will turn up in a lake, or someone’s garage, and end up at YAM. You never know

Knowing the condition she was in when she left Southend and having seen the recent pictures I would imagine that a cockpit must be the least of your worries at present.
I still think it very sad that no one over here was prepared to give her a home at any point after she left Southend and I am sure RF342 would be no more had she not gone to Australia.

No, she’s not in good condition but that is mainly the wing centre-section and inboard trailing edge aft of the rear spar, the wings from the rear spars forward are fine, as are the fuselage sections. currently she is still in temporary storage but undercover while we continue to collect parts.

regards

Mark Pilkington

Knowing the condition she was in when she left Southend and having seen the recent pictures I would imagine that a cockpit must be the least of your worries at present.
I still think it very sad that no one over here was prepared to give her a home at any point after she left Southend and I am sure RF342 would be no more had she not gone to Australia.

RF342 …the best option was to restore her as far as possible to represent the time she spent with Napier on icing research.
Having lost the Lancaster cockpit it must be far more difficult to restore her again in any form..

Australia had a number of RAF test bed Lincolns operate at Woomera, and the type is well known for that role, had we got the cockpit I would have been strongly supporting it being presented in the Napier configuration too even though its not a direct link to Australian operations.

With the cockpit long gone there is the opportunity to acquire one of two Lincoln cockpits still surviving elsewhere, or building a replica cockpit.

If a complete existing cockpit was acquired, then I would prefer to see that remain intact, and probably result in the aircraft adopting that cockpits identity (while still retaining and acknowledging RF342’s provenance).

If a cockpit wreck was acquired, then I would prefer to see that option explore the possibility of creating a RAAF long nose Mk 31 outcome, to effectively fill a hole not covered by the Cosford or Argentine examples.

The construction of a replica cockpit could follow that same outcome too.

A problem for the future!

regards

Mark Pilkington

Time for a full size Stirling mock-up/model/reproduction/replica/reconstruction to materialize to represent this important type to be later joined by the finished forward fuselage of the Stirling Project.
:rolleyes:
Cees

Sounds like a great idea, one of Peter Jacksons plastic “Lancasters” and a large fibreglass “Stirling” replica both at YAM with the “Halifax” would make that a Bomber Command Mecca, regardless of the status of the “aircraft”.

regards

Mark Pilkington

Ric,
The outcome will be described as RF342 and will be entitled to claim that provenance, but it will be far short of that aircrafts condition and authenticity in its heyday or even arrival into preservation in 1967.

Regards

Mark Pilkington

RF342 was far from an original Lincoln when she first came into preservation having acquired a Lancaster nose and lost her turrets long ago.
There was a lot of discussion over restoration options when she was at Southend and the conclusion at that time was that the best option was to restore her as far as possible to represent the time she spent with Napier on icing research. A couple of wing sections were acquired which were going to be attached with a mock up icing rig but the wing sections landed up tied against the wire netting fence and nothing was ever fitted.
Having lost the Lancaster cockpit it must be far more difficult to restore her again in any form.

As far as the Halifax goes I would rather be able to walk through the IWM cockpit and get an idea of the conditions the crew worked in than have that cockpit way off the ground attached to the YAM Halifax.
I also have a lot of respect for those who built Friday the 13th. It may not be a complete original airframe but they have done an excellent job with what was available to them and, as others have said, they have given everyone the closest any of us in the UK is likely to experience to a complete Halifax on it wheels.

could they use your halifax cockpit? lol

Well,

We bang our heads against the same protrusions the wartime ones had.
YAM haven’t requested the use of the Halifax cockpit,……yet.:rolleyes:
Cees

Don’t you just love those Halifax threads, I do;)

The radiation situation was six or seven years ago, the cockpit is fully open with reproduction instrument faces fitted. It’s a great way to view the conditions the young airmen went to war in.

Cees

could they use your halifax cockpit? lol

I personally think all old aircraft should be scrapped and melted down to make Toyotas……………

Time for a full size Stirling mock-up/model/reproduction/replica/reconstruction to materialize to represent this important type to be later joined by the finished forward fuselage of the Stirling Project.
:rolleyes:
Cees