HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX
The Halifax initially had a 103-foot wingspan and was powered by four Rolls Royce Merlin engines.
The first Halifax flew in October 1939. Due to some performance problems several modifications
were later made to the design of the Halifax Mk III including replacing the Merlin engines with the
more powerful Bristol Hercules engines.
The Halifax was the second of the four-engined heavy bombers to enter service with the Royal Air
Force in November 1940 when #35 squadron began operations. The huge Stirling was already flying
operations and the prototype Lancaster had yet to fly. As the war progressed, the Halifax became
overshadowed by the Lancaster which appeared capable of carrying ever-increasing bomb loads
without serious degradation of its performance and handling capabilities. The Halifax, however,
operated successfully in Bomber Command operations until the end of the war and was clearly
superior to the Lancaster in its multi-role capability. The Halifax was a sturdy and reliable aircraft and
was generally well liked by its crews with very few expressing any desire to change to the Lancaster.
At the peak of its service with Bomber Command, some 34 squadrons operated Halifaxes in Europe
and four squadrons in the Middle East. Coastal Command also operated nine squadrons for anti-
submarine, meteorological and shipping patrols. Transport Command used Halifaxes for transporting
personnel, casualties and freight. Two squadrons used Halifaxes to drop special agents and supplies
in enemy territory. The aircraft was also used to tow the large Hamilcar glider and others for the
invasion of Sicily and Normandy.
A total of 6,176 Halifaxes were built and a few remained in service with the RAF and RCAF until
1947.
CAPTIONS PROVIDED UNDER PHOTOS WHERE AVAILABLE
DESIGNING THE HALIFAX WIND TUNNEL TESTING OF A HALIFAX MODEL
.
H2S SCANNER
TECHNICIAN CHECKING BOMB AIMER’S PANEL
INTERIOR OF BOMBER POSITION 408 SQN RCAF
429 SQN RCAF
427 SQN RCAF REAR GUNNER SGT ALFY SHAW, CRESTON, BC HALIFAX BEAM GUNS FIRED FROM STAGGERED POSITIONS
428 SQN RCAF PILOT WO2 FORSBERG, RICETON, SK, BACK AT 405 SQN RCAF F/L W.H. SWETMAN, KAPUSKASING, ON,
CONTROLS AFTER ESCAPING FROM A POW CAMP 16 JULY 1942
426 SQN RCAF
424 SQN RCAF 429 SQN RCAF
329 SQN RAF 17 JANUARY 1945
426 SQN RCAF 426 SQN RCAF
426 SQN RCAF 419 SQN RCAF
427 SQN RCAF
301 POLISH SQN RAF HALIFAXES FROM 415, 426, AND 432 SQNS AND TWO LANCASTERS
FROM 408 SQN ON RCAF PARADE
420 SQN RCAF AT THOLTHORPE
405 SQN RCAF ARMOURER WHEELING 1000 POUND BOMB UNDER
HALIFAX LQ-Q AT POCKLINGTON, YORKSHIRE, 1 AUGUST 1942
425 RCAF SQN
429 SQN RCAF
425 SQN RCAF 425 SQN ARMOURERS LOADING 454 KG GENERAL PURPOSE
BOMB AT EAST MOOR 2 FEBRUARY 1945
425 SQN RCAF 148 SQN IN ITALY
429 SQN RCAF - TUBBIE AND GILLIE 429 SQN RCAF - WILLIS IN MID UPPER TURRET
427 SQN RCAF 427 SQN RCAF
420 SQN RCAF
434 SQN RCAF CHECKING MERLIN ENGINE ON HALIFAX
MEMBERS OF THE "W-DEBS", A TOURING RCAF ENTERTAINMENT
UNIT AT 429 SQN RCAF, ENCOURAGING (L TO R) LAC MORLEY
COULING, BRANDON, MB; LAC BILL YARSHANKO, MAPLE CREEK,
SK; AND LAC JOHN MCINTOSH, SYDNEY, NS
434 SQN RCAF -CPL FISHER EXAMINING BULLET HOLE 429 SQN RCAF
434 SQN RCAF (L-R) CPL FEED FISHER, TORONTO; LAC AURELE 419 SQN RCAF -F/O CHICK MCINTOSH, PILOT, WINNIPEG; MB
POIRIER, MONCTON, NB; AC1 RICHARD NEVEU, BROWNSBURG, F/O LARRY NOBLE, REAR-GUNNER, PRINCE ALBERT, SK; SGT.
PQ; LAC BILL JENSON, LAFLECHE, SK AND LAC PURVIS DANIEL, ROD HABCOCK, BOMB-AIMER, LONDON, ENGLAND; F/O KEN
PRINCETON, ON. HARROLD, NAVIGATOR, TORONTO, ON, EXAMINING PHOTO OF
THE 14 BOMBS THEY DROPPED ON THE SCHNIEDER
ARMAMENT FACTORY.
420 SQN RCAF JEC-AUSTIN-AND-CREW .
405 SQN RCAF 425 SQN RCAF
76 SQN RAF 429 SQN RCAF
95TH BOMB TALLY ADDED TO 429 SQN HALIFAX LV993.
IT HAD 96 MISSIONS, THE MOST OF ANY RCAF BOMBER.
429 SQN RCAF 427 SQN RCAF
428 SQN RCAF - CHURCH SERVICE
433 SQN RCAF REAR GUNNER SGT. JOE ZAREIKIN, MONTREAL, 424 SQN RCAF AIR GUNNER SGT PETER ENGBRETCH, WINNIPEG, MB
PQ HELPING, WIRELESS AIR GUNNER SGT JIMMY PAUL, LATER RECEIVED CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY MEDAL.
MONTREAL, PQ, OUT OF THE HATCH AFTER A DAYLIGHT
MISSION OVER FRANCE
419 SQN RCAF COMMANDER S/L E.C. HAMBER, HAMILTON, W/C J.E. FAUQUIER, CO 405 SQN RCAF, DSO AND 2 BARS DFC
ON, 8 FEBRUARY 1944 FLEW 93 COMBAT MISSIONS
405 SQN RCAF CO W/C LYNN FRASER, DFC., OF 432 SQN RCAF NAVIGATOR F/O COLIN HAY, DSO, WINNIPEG, MB,
VANCOUVER, BC - 12 OCTOBER 1942 LANDED HIS HALIFAX IN ENGLAND AFTER PILOT WAS WOUNDED
420 SQN RCAF
431 SQN RCAF 434 SQN RCAF
405 SQN RCAF
408 SQN RCAF HALIFAX II, OCTOBER 1942
408 SQN RCAF HALIFAX VII, JULY 1944
415 SQN RCAF HALIFAX MK VII, PN 239 7 MARCH 1945
425 SQN RCAF
426 SQN RCAF SEPTEMBER 1944.
432 SQN RCAF 26 MAY 1944
433 SQN RCAF SKIPTON AUGUST 1944
KING GEORGE WITH 420 SQN RCAF KING GEORGE VI SPEAKS WITH W/C JOE LECOMTE, ACTON VALE,
PQ, OFFICER COMMANDING 425 SQN RCAF 11 AUGUST 1944
WINSTON CHURCHILL INSPECTING A HALIFAX AT AN RAF 419 SQN RCAF
STATION, 6 JUNE 1941
431 SQN RCAF 431 SQN RCAF
431 SQN RCAF
78 SQN RAF HALIFAX TOUCHING DOWN
LOW LEVEL “BEAT UP” OF ELVINGTON BY 77 SQN RAF DELIGHTS GROUND CREW
HALIFAX TOWING GLIDER VIEW OF A HALIFAX TOWING FROM NOSE OF A HAMILCAR GLIDER
CARRYING SOLDIERS OF THE FIRST CANADIAN PARACHUTE BATTALION
TO GERMANY 24 MARCH 1945.
429 SQN RCAF HALIFAX AL-A 35 SQN RAF
428 SQN RCAF
76 SQN RAF
405 SQN RCAF
45 SQN RAF AIR GUNNERS PAINTING BY RUTHERFORD
1658 HCU HALIFAX - SINGLE ENGINE TESTING 10 SQN RAF
HALIFAX ON FIRE PHOTO TAKEN BY 426 SQN RCAF
ONE OF 111 RCAF HALIFAXES BOMBING OIL REFINERY IN THE
RUHR, 12 OCTOBER 1944
78 SQN RAF OVER FRANCE RCAF HALIFAX BOMBING V-1 SITES IN FRANCE JULY 1944
35 SQN RAF BOMBING GERMAN BATTLESHIPS AT BREST, HALIFAX BOMBING TARGET OVER MIMOYECQUES, NEAR
FRANCE, 18 DECEMBER, 1941 MARQUISE, FRANCE,5 JULY, 1944
6 JUNE 1944
OXFORD STREET LONDON; JULY 1945
102 SQN RAF
51 OR 578 SQN RAF
DAMAGED INTERIOR OF HALIFAX
518 SQN RAF LW170 DITCHED 10 AUGUST 1945.
NOW IN RCAF MUSEUM AT TRENTON, ON
