Actually the turning of a radial engine propellor prior to starting was to ensure that no oil lock would occur in the lower cylinders caused by the oil draining down to the lowest point.

A hydraulic lock could do really serious damage to a cylinder. The plugs would have to be removed and the oil drained from the cylinder. The easy solution to back the prop up, while it would get rid of the lock, when the engine started it would suck the oil from the intake manifold and really do a number on the cylinder!

I was in the Waterbeach ASF in the early 50’s and I recollect that when 253 was formed they had some NF-2s, later these were replaced with NF-3s.

I do not recollect any flying accidents, they certainly had a towing accident when another Land Rover ran into the wing of a Venom being towed back from the end of the runway. Unfortunately all the guys in the Land Rover were killed.

I left the RAF in Jan 56 and the NF-3s were shortly replaced with Javelins and 253 was renumbered 25.

Peter, you are right! Unfortunately the official public viewing deadline was fast approaching and it was anticipated that many vets would want to take what might be their last opportunity to see the interior of a Halifax, so, in some cases, corners were cut!

Sorry don’t know. I will have to ask Guy,(The instrument/cockpit guy.) what he is doing with it.

As I explained to Cees, we each worked on different parts and did not really see the details in the other sections of the aircraft.

As Cees mentioned, detail work is continuing.

Taken out of the Navigator’s window?

When Ian Foster recovered the bomb doors for NA 337 from the monastery up by Brackla he also placed an advertisement in the local area newspapers as he had heard that lots of Halifax parts had been distributed around the area and rumours of nose glasses used as cold frames were mentioned.

Unfortunately nothing turned up!

We eventually had to have a commercial outfit mould one for us, as everything we tried did not work out.

Hi Tom. When I saw your original post I sent a quick note to our curator at the National Air Force Museum to ask what she had planned in recognition of this important event. (I am hiding in Florida, since it is kind of wintery up there!)

I have been rewarded with a stony silence!

I can only assume that the date was not recognized.

We do have the Harvard II fuselage on it’s wheels in the display area and the Anson fuselage could have been rolled in for the event.

It seems that a few years ago they used to sell a calendar in the various aviation museum shops that listed every important aviation date, is this calendar no longer around? If it was, I could get her one for next Xmas!

Keep on shoveling!

I was at St Athan in the early ’50s and I remember them ground running them.

As to the clipped props I was told that an overenthusiastic fitter allowed the tail to get up and the props hit the ground!

Can anyone add the actual details?