A walk through the Handley Page "Halifax" in Elvington

[GraemeStokes1980]

Thank you for the video, a relative of mine was a wireless operator in 138 squadron on Hally's, he flew out of Churchill's most secret airbase RAF Tempsford. Flight Sergeant Arthur Stokes DFM was KIA on Operation Bronze 1943 all crew lost Pilot that sad day was Sqdn Ldr Gibson a relative of the famous Dambuster, Arthur and his colleagues are buried at Durnbach in Germany. The secret missions they went on included dropping SOE's Special Operations Executives including the famous Violette Szabo.

[Poopingbotham]

Does anyone know why Pilot Officer Bazarab has a 'Air Gunner' badge on his jacket?

[RCAF432Sqn]

Great Grandpa was Radio Operator Sgt. Roger Chartrand with 432 Sqn (Leeside) RCAF. He has 33 combat flights in his log from July to December '44. He inspired me to get my PPL, and will always be remembered by me as the most generous and genuine person I have ever known. His pilot was "Jeff" Jeffery, who helped with the rescue of NA 337.

[CommunistPenguin1]

The Halifax has got to be the roomiest Allied bomber I have ever seen! Great video by the way!

[duncan3623]

My father's last squadron was 77 Squadron who flew out of Full Sutton. His name was Duncan Graham and he was a pilot officer. I wonder of anyone out there also has relatives who flew at Full Sutton and might have known him.

[MrBNaylor]

My other Great Uncle Norman, flew as a Pilot in a Halifax for 158 Squadron, completed 35 sorties and awarded the DFC. He even flew the famous "Friday the 13th" Halifax Bomber stationed at 158 Squadron at Lissett Airbase. One of the few Bombers to make it over 100 sorties. Too bad some guy decide to scrap such a historic item. Great though, that the Yorkshire Air Museum Restored a Halifax and named her" Friday the 13th" .

[MrBNaylor]

My Great Uncle and his fellow crew mates of 77 Squadron ( six Canadians and one Scott) were shot down in their Halifax Bomber, while returning from a Bombing Raid, over DusselDorf Germany. All seven were KIA. Them and so many others like them, paid the Ultimate sacrifice, so we could be free. A Sacrifice that should always be Remembered. The true meaning of the word " Hero". I have a tribute video on my channel, for my Great Uncle and his fellow crew mates, called " the Last flight of....."

[Gerrix2008]

@MrBNaylor Do you have the Serial-Number and the Code of yozr Great Uncle's Halifax?

[MrBNaylor]

@Gerrix2008 Yes, both Uncle. The one that got shot down is in my head MZ829 KNX-Y but the other i would have to look for. I think it's on my channel page in the web link.

[nerfmaster0326]

i am a royal canadian air cadet and i got to go in to the plane one of my grandfathers polited one of the planes

[duncan3623]

I found this very interesting. My father, Duncan Graham, was a pilot officer in Bomber Command and flew Halifaxes. I would love to go and see the one at Elvington one day. His brother Roy had emigrated to Canada some years before the war and he came over with the Canadian Air Force, also a pilot. Both managed to survive the war, quite a feat given that 44% of all aircrew were killed.

[broot4u]

Well, one of the Lancs flying is not too far from me in Hamilton, Ontario. The Myrnarski Memorial Lancaster got her engines all fixed up and for a lifetime membership to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (Runs in and about 2 grand) you can get a really nice flight on her. I'm still saving my pennies.

Biggest thrill there was talking to an actual British Lanc pilot. Some might want to meet a celebrity in their lifetime, to me, this guy was. I loved his stories.

[jonewer]

Very nice video, very informative.

[broot4u]

If you ever get to Ontario, Canada, please be sure to visit the RCAF museum in Trenton. They have restored to static display a Hally that was rescued from a lake in Norway. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to crawl all over her when she was being restored.

They did beautiful work on this fine old bird.

[Gerrix2008]

@broot4u Thank you very much for your comment. Three years ago I have visited the Halifax in Trenton. I had also the chance to walk through to this great aircraft! I agree with you: They did a beautiful work!

[sydbernice]

@broot4u I've heard the Trenton Hally can be restored to flying condition except there's no funding for the necessary rebuilding of the main spar. I've also heard the engines are functional and the bomber can be taxied. Can you confirm this? I'd love to see her fly one day.

[broot4u]

@sydbernice The only thing I can tell you with any certainty is that when I visited during her restoration, they were adamant that they were only ever intending to rebuild this to static. The engines were never intended to be working engines on her I was told by one of the restoration staff. Reason being he said was that the aircraft was irreplaceable and they didn't want to risk even bringing her to taxi trial status. Still, she is a beauty, even if only a displayed beauty.

[sydbernice]

@broot4u Thanks for the update. I understand the reasons for not having her fly again. It'd be nice to be able to taxi though, just like 'Just Jane'. In fact, I've heard they've decided to restore 'Just Jane' to flying status. That would make for a total of 4 flying Lancs in the future if you include the current Nanton restoration. I've also heard another Hally project is afoot in the very early stages of recovery, LW170. I hope they find her and bring her back to Canada.

[Macsgrafs]

To see where my late father sat in the tail was frightening! how did they do it??? Ross McKinnon

[cyberOwwwOecho]

In April 1943 one of those Halifax II was shot down here in our Village. Only one of seven crew members survived and was brought to the mayor's office.

[kugluktuk48]

In many ways, the un-sung hero of WWII. Many more Canadians flew in Halifax's than in the Lanc. But the Lanc gets the glory.

My father was a Canadian flying as a tailgunner in a Halifax Mark III of RAF 578Squadron . Thankfully, he survived the war.

[jonewer]

@kugluktuk48 To be fair, the Lancaster was the better of the two in terms of bomb load, useful bomb load, altitude, range, speed and survivability - though the Halifax was easier to get out of in a rush!

[MrBNaylor]

To bad the original " Friday The 13th" Bomber went to the scrap yard after being displayed in London for many years although it's great to have this one in Elvington! A fantastic job by the Y.A.M. to preserve this famous bomber. My great Uncle Norman Tilston was one of the Pilots of the " Friday the 13th" Halifax Bomber with 158 Squadron. I also took a tour...it's was great !

[Latvietis96]

As I know with this bomber they dropped the pigeons for messeges...

[5bisley]

Outstanding! It's a travesty that more of the great RAF bombers weren't at least preserved in museums after WW2. The history lost is unimaginable! Thanks for this great video!

[trphywfe]

My uncle was a rear gunner on a Halifax Mk III with the RCAF 431 Squadron. He died with the rest of the crew on a night mission to Hamburg on July 28, 1944.

[cobymiles]

yes, thanks of course. you've done it with reserve and so respect. but these aircraft represent terrifying circumstances for those who died. we must not forget this. yet this was the one war that had to be fought. my uncle died, but the world moved on, avoiding the new dark age.

[fabrikk60]

My late father (RCAF 78 Sqn) saw action onboard a Halifax as a tail gunner and wireless operator. Had he lived just 2 years longer he would have seen this wonderful video and filled you in on a few details! As it is I find it personally very meaningful to see. Thanks so much for making it available.

[cobymiles]

\Halifax has been a name that represented so much for me and my family. My uncle was a rear gunner 102 squadron Pocklington. Died Feb 1943, Cologne raid. His brother, my father joined up, RAF, under age soon after. He was terribly affected by the loss of his big bro. This in turn had implications for his role as a father. He is dead now also. Halifax.

[namboozleUK]

It's Huge! Looks great worth the visit xD

[allanbem]

Thanks, my father was navigator in a halifax with the RCAF. He enjoyed it very much.

[Gerrix2008]

Nice to hear that your father enjoyed the video! Best regards!

[M374EVL]

@Gerrix2008 would this particular halifax ever fly again wouldnt it be nice to see it up there doing a flypast witha lancaster,spitfire and hurricane??

[snailer12345]

Thanks for this, can you tell me where the Navigator sat please.

[Gerrix2008]

The navigator sat in the nose of the Halifax. His seat bench was between the bomb aimer and the wireless operator. In the video you can find a plan of the crew position ( 5:27 min). Number 6 displays the navigator.

[halifaxmkv]

nice one

[feritsbum]

Hi Thomas

We've been to Elvington a few times and we intend doing more trips whenever we can. I have a relation who is a member of the museum and my Grandfather was a gunner on a Stirling, His life is celebrated in the gunners area at E,ton.

My partner and I made a donation to the Halifax and her father's name is on one of the bricks in the wall. Her father, who was based at Breighton with a Canadian crew, died in his 40's in the early 1970s. He would have loved to have seen your work. Thanks.

[feritsbum]

Thanks for posting this, my partners father was an engineer in one of them. Very interesting to see a copy of his 'office'.

[Gerrix2008]

I'm glad that you like the video.

Thanks a lot for your comment!

Thomas

[FrancisRidley]

That was extremely well done. Thank you so much for making it. :)

[weaville]

Well done!

Thank you.

[zajcek99]

Congratulations! Great video.