Heather Kay

It’s a Humber, actually. It is a Flightpath brass and whitemetal kit, and therefore a little fragile. I know Mr Parkins is no longer with us, and he is much missed, but Hannants still have a range of Flightpath kits and bits. I just checked and there are two Humber 8cwt kits in stock.

Modelu tempted me again recently. I already have these figures, but it didn’t hurt to have some more. I plan to not fit wire pegs to their feet this time, which might prove useful in the photo vignettes. This is a new set, which may prove useful. Also new are Luftwaffe figures. Looking forward to painting these up. I also treated myself to this. My collection currently has an MPM Defiant, but it’s one of my earliest builds when getting back into the hobby, and I made a bit of a balls of the paint job. I hope to do better this time.

Would it help if you had the prop/spinner to hand? I have a feeling the relationship between spinner and schnozz shape would be easier to work out then.

Carl, that is much appreciated. PM inbound. As you say, the RCAF operation of the MkII is a little late for my period, but photos are always useful - especially for the relatively camera-shy Merlin Wimpey.

Thank you, everyone, for your input. As Paul has summed up, I can at least pin down a likely candidate for my build. Excellent!

I believe that’s the prototype MkII. All grist to the mill, as they say.

Thank you! That is helpful. It does seem quite a few MkIIs were operated in North Africa and around the Mediterranean from 1941. As my particular interest is 1940, I would prefer references for UK-based aircraft. That said, camouflage and markings in 1941 weren't all that different to November 1940. EDIT: I found a suitable prototype image, on the IBCC archive site. It's a 104 Squadron MkII, with serial and codes clearly visible. I'll go with that. Thanks Finn!

Cheers chaps! It does look like I will end up doing a generic period scheme with markings made up to suit. It won't be the first time I've done that!

I'm beginning background research on the Wellington MkII, the slightly lesser known Merlin-powered version of the twin-engined bomber. I have the Airfix kit, ready to move on to the workbench. I'm looking forward to it, having previously built the MkI kit. My problem is that references for MkIIs in squadron service in my 1940 interest bubble seem few and far between. Those pictures I can find tend to be a bit later in the war, or of things like the mine-sweeper thing with huge degaussing ring, or like the high altitude or 40mm cannon experimental aircraft. Now, the Warpaint book on the Wellington does have a list of squadrons that operated Wimpeys, and has example serials and squadron codes for various versions including the MkII. It would be useful to pin down photos if I can, but I suppose I could just do a generic bomber camouflage and markings scheme if I have to. So, do you have anything that might aid my research? I'm thinking links to images of MkII aircraft during 1940 or early 1941, or other material that will help me pin down a specific aircraft I can model. All input gratefully received, thanks!

That is a very impressive and unusual result. Nicely done, sir.

I think it may have something to do with the sheer variety of marks the Halifax went through. It’s a proper minefield of engines, tails, noses, turrets and so on, and to make a one-kit-fits-all would be toolmaker's nightmare. Revell did an alright job, covering a couple of Merlin-powered bases, I think.

Here's the RFI post. Thanks to everyone that contributed to the Halibag build, and to this thread in general. I think it may rumble on a bit, with some loose ends and a couple of models still to build, so watch this space.

Handley Page Halifax MkI L9486 Modelled as delivered to No 35 Squadron, A&AEE Boscombe Down, November 1940. The Halifax story begins with Air Ministry Specification P.13/36, which called for a medium or heavy bomber, powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Vultures, to fill the bomber, general reconnaissance and general purpose (in other words transport and troop carrying) roles. This is the same specification that spawned the ill-fated Manchester. Handley Page proposed a design they dubbed HP56. While Avro ploughed on with the Vulture, it seems HP were a bit more aware of potential issues with the new Rolls-Royce engine. My sources disagree about whether it was HP being in the know, or the Air Ministry realising there were likely issues and rewriting the contract they had with the Radlett-based company to let them instead redesign with four Merlins. One source even claims HP considered four Bristol Pegasus, Taurus, Napier Dagger and even Rolls-Royce Kestrel engines, but it was realised none of these setups would produce power equivalent to a pair of Vultures. Whatever the truth, Handley Page went back to the drawing board. The result was a larger and somewhat heavier version of the original twin-engined design, using four Merlin X engines, and given the code HP57. After the Air Ministry approval, two prototypes were ordered and built in 1938. Originally designed to use Handley Page's patented leading edge slats, these were dropped from the design when the Air Ministry insisted on de-icing equipment and balloon cable cutters. The original spec called for a crew of four, but experience being gained with the Wellington and Whitley, already in service, showed crews of at least six were needed to operate these larger aircraft. In the end, the Halifax had a crew of seven. The fuselage was large, thanks to the requirement to act as transport, something which allowed later Halifax variants to work as freighters. The bomb bay was 22ft long, and there were bomb cells in the wings, between the fuselage and inner nacelles. The Halifax MkI could carry up to 13,000lb of ordnance over 1,000 miles. The Merlin X engines rated at 1,280hp gave a maximum speed of over 260mph at almost 18,000ft. Expecting shortages of the usually-specified Nash & Thompson power-operated turrets, the Halifax was fitted with Boulton-Paul nose and tail turrets, with two and four Browning 0.303in machine guns respectively. Two beam positions for Vickers K machine guns were also provided. The aircraft was designed to be modular. The wings and fuselage were constructed of various sections which could be built by various sub-contractors, then easily transported and assembled in another location. Once production ramped up, several contractors built the sections and parts, including English Electric, Fairey and Rootes. The first production Halifax, serial L9485, flew in October 1940, joining two prototypes. This aircraft was sent to the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down, where it was used as a test aircraft for various configurations of defensive armaments. Meanwhile, No 35 Squadron was reformed, also at Boscombe Down, to receive the first deliveries and act as an operational training unit. The new four-engined heavy bomber was still something new to RAF crews, and it would take time to get used to the new flying characteristics. Having received L9486 on 13 November 1940, the squadron moved to Leeming, North Yorkshire a week later, joining Bomber Command’s No 4 Group. By the new year, No 35 Squadron had moved again, to Linton-on-Ouse. Delivery problems and various teething troubles, including with the hydraulic systems, delayed things, so the squadron’s first operational sortie with the Halifax took place in March 1941. In all, 34 UK-based bomber squadrons operated various Halifax marks during the war. Four squadrons operated the type in the Middle East. It was also operated by nine Coastal Command squadrons. The type was also used as paratroop trainers and glider tugs, transport aircraft, and saw various "special duties" operations as well. Halifaxes were the first heavy bombers to be fitted with modern radio and navigational aids. The 2011 Revell kit was a new tool, confusingly sold alongside the 1970s Matchbox Halifax kit for some time. The new kit has parts enough to model several Merlin-powered Halifax variants, including alternate turrets and noses, tailplanes, both main undercarriage types and three varieties of radiator intake. Reviews by Halifax fans at the time flagged up various issues, perhaps the worst being the chunky engine nacelles and the propellers and spinners being the wrong shape. Aftermarket provided corrections and upgrades, and I was lucky enough to acquire the kit secondhand complete with a masking set and resin replacement parts. In the end, I decided surgery to correct the dumpy engines was too much, and a secret benefactor provided copies of the now-discontinued Freightdog resin props, radiators and undercarriage upgrades. I made some changes to the cockpit, adding the co-pilot seat and opening a bulkhead door. While not perfect, the model is about as close to a very, very early Halifax that I can make. It was brush painted, using Revell and Humbrol acrylics, with Phoenix Precison and ColourCoats enamels used to paint the national markings. I chose to model the aircraft with the No 35 Squadron code “TL” but without an identifying code letter - which I have subsequently found would have been “M” - as if it had just been ferried from the factory to Boscombe Down and needed ground crew to apply the remaining identifier. The build is part of my long-running Bomber Command 1940 thread, and construction sort of starts around here:

Just to whet the appetite as I think about writing the spiel for the RFI post to follow.

The things we do to please an audience! I need to arrange somewhere in the house where I can set this sort of thing up more or less permanently. It’s okay if I’m doing several models in a shoot, but it’s a faff for just the one.