Halifax MkII turret / appearance query

[MrT]

Hi all, I’ve just managed to acquire a Revell 1/72 Merlin Halifax and looking to build a specific aircraft. I’m trying to find out about the appearance of Halifax F-Freddie of 158 Squadron, DT-635, lost in April 1943. From looking online it seems this aircraft was part of order B982938/39 from English Electric. Would anyone know the appearance of this aircraft in terms of turrets and so on? I believe it is the same order from EE as the wrecked Halifax now at Hendon that has the front turret (not glazed nose) and mid-upper, but I’m keen to confirm this. The Revell instructions have the MKII as not having a mid-upper, but I’m not sure they’re correct. Any help much appreciated!

[dogsbody]

From IWM site:

 

Halifax Mark II Series 1, W7671 W, of No. 462 Squadron RAAF based at Gardabia Main, Libya, in flight. This example is a standard production machine fitted with a Boulton-Paul typeC mid-upper turret.

 

Halifax Mark II Series I, W7676 'TL-P', of No.35 Squadron RAF based at Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire, being piloted by Flight Lieutenant Reginald Lane, (later Lieutenant-General, RCAF), over the English countryside. Flt Lt Lane and his crew flew twelve operations in W7676, which failed to return from a raid on Nuremberg on the night of 28/29 August 1942, when flown by Flt Sgt D John and crew.

 

The corporal in charge of a maintenance crew directs a Handley-Page Halifax Mark II of No. 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit to its dispersal point at Lindholme, Yorkshire, while other crew members stand ready with chock-blocks.

 

Armourers roll 500-lb MC bombs towards a Handley Page Halifax B Mark II Series of No. 462 Squadron RAAF, in a sandbagged revetment at Fayid, Egypt, before a night raid to Benghazi or Tobruk (the "Mail Run") is undertaken.

 

 

And some other stuff:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Halifax/DT612-DT670/mobile/index.html
DT635 12 MU 21 Nov 42,  153 Sqn 31 Dec 42, SOC 6 Apr 43.  No information if it received some of the modifications introduced into production in February 1943, it was built by English Electric.

 

Edited addition 1 hour later, 158 squadron lost 3 aircraft on 3 April 1943, all had 7 man crews, only 3 survived, all injured.

 

AVIA 46/112 Halifax Biography.

Mark I, 4 Merlin X, 2x0.303 inch front turret, a pair of hand held 0.303 inch beam guns, 4x0.303 inch tail turret, maximum bomb load 13,000 pounds, maximum weight 55,000 pounds, Merlin X engines.  Modifications, fuel tankage from 1,552 to 1,636 gallons, special but "very heavy" carrier to take 2x4,000 pound or (text says and) 1x8,000 pound bomb, but bomb bay doors could not be closed with these bombs on board, maximum weight to 60,000 pounds.

 

mark II, 4 Merlin XX, minor changes to defensive armament and fuel, after about the first 20 aircraft the Hudson type mid upper turret introduced, to replace beam guns (whose mountings were retained for a while), permanent fuel tankage increased from 1,636 to 1,882 gallons by an extra fuel tank in each wing.

 

September 1941 trials of a 4 gun mid upper turret ordered.  In January 1942 trials for H2S installation begun.

 

April 1942 complaints about poor performance carrying 4,000 and 8,000 pound bombs, new bomb bay doors designed but their thickness reduced bomb bay space for smaller bombs, another set that would not completely close around the 8,000 pound bomb interfered with the H2S set.  Project dropped.

 

Mark II series IA, result of complaints made about performance in August 1942, front turret removed and retrospectively replaced by a fairing and in production by a new perspex nose, with single hand held gun, the 4 gun mid upper turret under development set lower in the fuselage, astrodome lowered, low drag flame dampeners fitted and "a number of drag producing excrescence were removed or modified."  Some fitted with H2S.  Production to this standard from February 1943.  The use of series Ia was because the series II designation had already been allocated and while the 1a designation is associated with these changes "in point of fact this really applied to a change of radiator which took place at about the same time."  Perhaps with Merlin 22 fitting?

 

Mark II series II, engine nacelles lowered, 1 prototype tested April/May 1943, later Merlin 61 fitted but the decision to go with Hercules had been made in February 1943, the original Hercules trials were ordered in July 1941.

 

Mark V as mark II but with Dowty undercarriage and associated hydraulics, production from August 1942.

 

No mention on the change from triangular to rectangular tails.

 

From Halifax at War by Brian J Rapier

The rectangular tail was introduced in mid 1943 and included modification of existing aircraft.  Many of the earlier types had ended up operating at around the mark III weights, as a result squadrons started to take weight out of the aircraft, including turrets.

 

Mark I series 1 (no mid upper turret, empty 34,000, max 55,000 pounds, 12,000 pound maximum bomb load, Merlin X, service ceiling 22,000 feet)
Mark I series 2 (series 2 and 3 empty 35,000, max 60,000 pounds)
Mark I series 3 (series 3 had 1,220 HP engines versus 1,130 HP)

Mark II series 1 (mid upper turret, empty 35,800, max 60,000 pounds, Merlin XX, 1,220 HP)
Mark II series 1 special (empty 35,000 pounds, no nose turret, 13,000 pound bomb load)
Mark II series 1a, most with rectangular vertical tail, glazed nose, Merlin 22, introduced the 4 gun mid upper turret.

Mark V series 1, mark Vs were effectively mark II with Dowty undercarriage.
Mark V series 1 special (no nose and often mid upper turret, 36,000 and 61,500 pounds, service ceiling 22,000 feet)
Mark V series 1a, rectangular vertical tail, glazed nose, service ceiling 21,000 feet.

 

Halifax version (sp = special, H = hand held, M = Merlin, all guns 0.303) / front guns / mid guns / rear guns / engines / fin type (Triangular or rectangular).

Mark 1 series 1   /  2  /  2H  /  4  /  M X  /  Tri
Mark 1 series 2   /  2  /  2H  /  4  /  M X  /  Tri
Mark 1 series 3   /  2  /  2H  /  4  /  M 20  /  Tri
Mark 2 series 1   /  2  /  2  /  4  /  M 20  /  Tri
Mark 5 series 1   /  2  /  2  /  4  /  M 20  /  Tri
Mark 2 series 1 (sp)   /  0  /  0  /  4  /  M 20  /  Tri
Mark 5 series 1 (sp)   /  0  /  0  /  4  /  M 20  /  Tri
Mark 2 series 1a   /  1H  /  4  /  4  /  M 22  /  Tri later Rec
Mark 5 series 1a   /  1H  /  4  /  4  /  M 22  /  Tri later Rec

Edited August 14, 2022 by Geoffrey Sinclair

[MrT]

thanks for this Geoffrey, very much appreciated! I guess it would have arrived at 158 on New Year’s Eve 1942 so too early for the production modifications of the clear perspex nose. Were aircraft usually kept at a maintenance unit for a while before delivery to squadron? I’m wondering if some changes - perhaps the solid nose fairing - could have been added in that period.

 

 

[Graham Boak]

Nearly but not quite.  The Mk.II had four sub-designations, but a wider range of appearances!  These were the Series I, with nose and dorsal BP Type C turrets, the Series I(Special), which had the Tollerton (or Tempsford or Z) nose fairing instead of the nose turret, and no dorsal turret, the Series 1a, which had Merlin 22s with the superior Morris block radiators, and the Series 2, only one of which was built as a prototype for a much improved Merlin Halifax.  Problems arise because some of the modifications, namely the rectangular fins and the extended turret-less nose, were often linked in practice with the Series 1a..  During the Mk.I (Special) production a BP Type A turret was fitted, initially from Defiants and on a raised mounting, but later new-built turrets flush with the  top of the fuselage.  I think this will have been a little late for your example, some time in the summer perhaps?  Perhaps earlier on the production line, but not in 1942?

 

As for DT635 (no hyphen), this would be a fairly early production Series 1(Special).  The best book on the subject is Ken Merrick's HP Halifax, from Hell to Victory and Beyond, from Classic Publications.  It fortunately includes a picture of DT641.  This has the Tollerton fairing but this appears to have been replaced after production: Merrick suggests the result of damage but I think a notable change of finish is quite common on these early aircraft.  The dorsal turret is not visible, but, Merrick suggests it is retained.  If so, it could well have been replaced by April.  The aircraft still has the tall early radio mast.  It also has mod 413 rudders, but this might be a little too subtle.  IT has the "saxophone" exhausts. I think that this aircraft will be as close in appearance to yours as you are likely to find.

 

So you have a bit of a choice on the dorsal turret, although personally I'd do without.   Very oddly, Revell provided the Tollerton nose (and Mk.V undercarriage) in their Mk.III kit, so there should be plenty around in spares boxes.  If you have trouble drop me a PM.  I do wonder whether DT635 would have been built with the nose turret, but would assume that if so, it would have gained the new nose as with DT641. 

 

All aircraft would be delivered to the appropriate MU after production for bringing up to combat standard - radios, guns, and other military equipment.  They would not normally stay for long, especially in this period of expansion of Bomber Command, re-equipment of older aircraft, and steady attrition.  It is possible that the Tollerton fairing was fitted at an MU, and this would explain the difference in finish, but I don't know that.  The later extended nose was still many months away, to the end of 1943 and early 1944 with the other changes associated with the Series 1a.

[MrT]

Thanks again! This is all fascinating and very useful, I’ve ordered the book to take it out of the library.

 

the excellent 158 squadron website does have an illustration of a Series 1 (Special) with the Tollerton nose, perhaps I ought to use that as a guide.

 

https://www.158squadron.co.uk/history/halifax

 

It also lacks the dorsal turret. I do notice that the crew of DT635 as listed on the Association  only has one ‘pure’ air gunner listed, the other is a wireless operator / air gunner. I know crew would sometimes double up (eg bomb aimer acting as front turret) but wondering if this suggests there was only one proper turret on the aircraft.

 

 

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello MrT

158 Sqn ORB for April 1943 shows that on the night DT635 went missing one of the crew members was Sgt. W. C. Robinson, which flew as a M.U.G. Quick browse through February and March 1943 records shows that in this period mid-upper gunners flew on all planes during all the raids. The one exception was a Nürnberg raid on 8th March, when M.U.G. was absent from DT635 crew. However, this was probably due to some kind of checkout as on this occasion the second pilot was included.

To me this is a bit unexpected, as I too was under impression that by early 1943 at least some Halifaxes II on strength in average Bomber Command squadron would have their M.U. turrets removed. Cheers

Jure

[Graham Boak]

Depending upon the date this was introduced,  the Type C turret could have been removed and a Type A fitted.  Or indeed, this could have happened in production.   BB-serialled aircraft seem to have retained the Type C  .I can't find a date for the introduction of the Type A, but Merrick does show DT692 with the initial  fit of the ex-Defiant turret dated August 1943,  a Mk.V DX148 with the same dated May 1943 and HR837 with the later turret dated late June 1943, the aircraft having joined its squadron on 20th May.  There is also a photo of two 158 Sq aircraft dated May 1943, both apparently having the later fitting but possibly HR-serialled.  So it seems likely that the fit happened somewhere in the DT-serial batch.  Other Halifax books may include additional photos of aircraft in this range.  It appears possible that there may not have been too many of these Bomber Command without dorsal defences.  Many available photos show SOE aircraft or ones in the desert, where the dorsal turret was commonly removed because of the lack of opposition.

 

I believe that the raised surround for the Type A turret was produced in resin by Freightdog. but can't confirm this at the moment.  Somebody did.

[Dave Swindell]

57 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

I believe that the raised surround for the Type A turret was produced in resin by Freightdog. but can't confirm this at the moment.  Somebody did.

Yes, Freightdog https://www.scalemates.com/kits/freightdog-models-halifax-top-turret-fairing--1005495

[dogsbody]

7 minutes ago, Dave Swindell said:

Yes, Freightdog https://www.scalemates.com/kits/freightdog-models-halifax-top-turret-fairing--1005495

 

This: https://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/product/freightdog-1-72-hp-halifax-raised-upper-turret-fairing/

 

 

 

Chris

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

If the official biography is correct the production line change over to the series Ia began in February 1943, at the time there were 5 Halifax lines and it is unlikely the changes happened on all of them at the same time.  To end February 1943, assuming production in serial number order,

 

Handley page mark II, 384 built, HR serials were numbers 317 to 566 in the list, then came the HX block.
London Aircraft Production mark II, 115 built out of the initial 200 BB serial block, followed by JN/JP block.
English Electric mark II, 483 built, JB serials were numbers 451 to 577 in the list, then JD and LW blocks.
Rootes mark V, 107 built out of the initial 138 DG serials block, followed by EB and LL/LK blocks.
Fairey mark V, 42 built from the initial 150 DJ/DK serial block, followed by LK block.

 

Then comes any retrofits.

[Graham Boak]

Your point about different production lines is well made, though HP as the design authority would be the lead line for any structural changes and so we must look at their serials.  The first flight listed to an HR serial is 23.12.42, HR654.  So a change to the series 1a in March 1943 would not apply to aircraft built earlier, anywhere. and this includes DT635 which is the aircraft in question.  This also implies some HR aircraft built as Mk.I (Special): a photograph of one of these would be interesting.  (Obviously, there are huge numbers of Halifaxes produced without available photographs.)

 

I don't know what you mean by "the official biography" but clearly the serial list you supply does not apply to all aircraft produced by February 1943 - it may apply to all ordered.  To use the LPTB as an example, their first JN serialled aircraft did not fly until 7/7/43.  I think it is fair to say that as HP was the lead line, LPTB was the trail.  Incidentally, apparently EE Halifaxes were considered the best.  Not least by EE employees at the time - an attitude later familiar to employees of other BAe companies!  As an ex-employee of both HP and Warton, I can be permitted mixed loyalties on these matters.

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

Let me try again.  AVIA 46/112 Halifax Biography.

 

If you count all allocated the Handley page mark II serials the HR serials were numbers 317 to 566 in the list, then came the HX block.  If you count all the Handley Page mark II built to end February 1943 the total is 384, conclusion assuming build in serial order, if the change over to series 1a was in February 1943 it was somewhere in the earlier part of the HR serial block, no earlier.

 

If you count all the allocated London Aircraft Production mark II serials, the BB serial block were numbers 1 to 200, followed by JN/JP block.  If you count the number of mark II built to end February 1943 the total is 115, conclusion assuming build in serial order, if the change over to series 1a was in February 1943 it was somewhere in the mid part of the BB serials, no earlier.

 

Similar for the other 3 factories.  Following the logic says only a few serials built before end February 1943 were series 1a, then it changed until all production was series 1a.

 

This does not imply anything about any Halifax being built as mark II series 1 (special) I have no documentation to determine the proportion of built as versus modified to.  None of the entries in either the RAF Contract Cards or Delivery Logs note series number, only mark II, nor it seems from a quick sample, do the individual aircraft cards at https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Halifax/DT612-DT670/mobile/index.html

 

DX148 was a Bristol Beaufort.  HR654 was taken on RAF charge on 21 December 1942.  JN882 was taken on charge 7 July 1943.

 

As currently trying to log in to this site using Firefox causes my computer to freeze and require a reboot more often than not, replies will be slower than normal.

[Jonny]

On 14/08/2022 at 22:51, dogsbody said:

 

This: https://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/product/freightdog-1-72-hp-halifax-raised-upper-turret-fairing/

 

 

 

Chris

I'm sorry if this is deemed 'Topic drift' but is Freightdog still in operation?

 

I see that the link dogsbody kindly provided shows 'out of stock' which is also shown for many items.  I have tried using the 'Contact' facility but withoiut success so fear the worst!

 

Any response(s) gratefully received!

 

Jonny

 

[Dave Swindell]

30 minutes ago, Jonny said:

I'm sorry if this is deemed 'Topic drift' but is Freightdog still in operation?

 

I see that the link dogsbofy kindly provided shows 'out of stock' which is also shown for many items.  I have tried using the 'Contact' facility but withoiut success so fear the worst!

 

Any response(s) gratefully received!

 

Jonny

 

I'm sure @Colin @ Freightdog Models is still in business, there's other items that are still in stock 🙂 

[dogsbody]

Sorry! I didn't notice that. My bad!

 

 

Chris

[Graham Boak]

2 hours ago, Geoffrey Sinclair said:

Let me try again.  AVIA 46/112 Halifax Biography.

 

If you count all allocated the Handley page mark II serials the HR serials were numbers 317 to 566 in the list, then came the HX block.  If you count all the Handley Page mark II built to end February 1943 the total is 384, conclusion assuming build in serial order, if the change over to series 1a was in February 1943 it was somewhere in the earlier part of the HR serial block, no earlier.

 

If you count all the allocated London Aircraft Production mark II serials, the BB serial block were numbers 1 to 200, followed by JN/JP block.  If you count the number of mark II built to end February 1943 the total is 115, conclusion assuming build in serial order, if the change over to series 1a was in February 1943 it was somewhere in the mid part of the BB serials, no earlier.

 

Similar for the other 3 factories.  Following the logic says only a few serials built before end February 1943 were series 1a, then it changed until all production was series 1a.

 

Thanks for the source.  Your comment on HR serials agrees with mine.  However the rest of your assumptions rely on all the other factories adopting the new engine at the same time as the lead.  This is very unlikely, and would result in photographs of the serials involved appearing with the long nose and Merlin 22s - which involves Morris block radiators.  There are photos of aircraft with the long nose and Merlin XX engines (Gallay radiators) but these will either be retrofits or aircraft built without the Merlin 22s.  I think the latter most likely.  Examples from Merrick include JD173 built May 1943 (pretty close to March) and Mk.V LK640 built in late September 1943.  As the last point demonstrates. new engines tend to be in short supply, shorter than new jigs for noses..  It is the Merlin 22 that makes the aircraft a series 1a, despite some common impressions then and later.  The nose change, like the fin and rudder changes, were just a modification not a Mark number change.

 

As for the suggestion that no aircraft were built as series I (Specials), this must assume that all aircraft before March 1943, and some later,  were built with the nose and dorsal turret of the basic series 1.  Not only would  this most unlikely, but a quick search rapidly brought out factory photographs of undelivered aircraft with the Tollerton nose.  Including DG235 from Speke (sorry, DG serialled aircraft were not EE-built, mea culpa) with the dorsal turret.  The Tollerton nose, without without a variety of dorsal turrets, is what makes the Mk.I (Special) - ignoring less visible other internal or external modifications such as removal of the fuel jettison pipes, changes to the radio mat, retractable landing lights, which were part of the drag/weight reduction programme which created the Special.  Much of this was inspired by the work done for the SOE at Tempsford, to improve the range into Poland, although whether the two sets of events were totally independent has not been established (though I would doubt it)..

[MrT]

Hi all, thanks again for a fascinating read. I've had a read of Ken Merrick's HP Halifax, from Hell to Victory and Beyond as @Graham Boak suggested, which had some very useful information: images of DT643 with the Tollerton, DT792 described as a 'special' with the mid upper fairing turret, and descriptions of tests carried out on 'specials', including DT744, which is described as having the Tollerton nose, no 'saxophone' exhausts and MKVIII turret with the fairing. This aircraft was shot down on 30th March 1943, a few days before DT635 was lost on an Essen operation. In Halifax At War by Brian Rapier I also found a drawing of Halifax DT579, which has a Tollerton and the raised turret (I can't insert the image here but happy to send to anyone interested). I suppose if the aircraft were constructed in order, DT579 , DT643 and DT792 all having the Tollerton nose would logically suggest that DT635 did too. So it seems I need a Tollerton nose – if anyone has a spare one from the Revell Mk III kit or if @Colin @ Freightdog Models has one down the back of the sofa I am all ears.

cheers all

 

LT

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

21 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Your point about different production lines is well made,

 

18 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

However the rest of your assumptions rely on all the other factories adopting the new engine at the same time as the lead.

Can you please explain how the above two statements can be reconciled, given my quote "at the time there were 5 Halifax lines and it is unlikely the changes happened on all of them at the same time."  Also what exactly are my assumed assumptions?

18 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

 It is the Merlin 22 that makes the aircraft a series 1a, despite some common impressions then and later.

Actually the biography says the new radiator was the reason for the designation change but clearly that normally came with a new engine.  The Merlin 22 entered production in August 1942 with 283 built by the end of the year and 5,197 built in 1943.

18 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

As for the suggestion that no aircraft were built as series I (Specials),

My quote was "This does not imply anything about any Halifax being built as mark II series 1 (special).  I have no documentation to determine the proportion of built as versus modified to" how is a suggestion none were built?  Please explain how this is your suggested suggestion.

 

I reported the state of production as of end February 1943, in terms of numbers built and serial block being built.  I know from RAF documentation that on a macro level the serial blocks were built in order, but there are always exceptions as some aircraft arrived earlier/later than the serials around them for a variety of reasons.  Hence the flagging of the assumption built in serial order.

 

As of February 1943 the Halifax Biography says the Handley Page line changed over to series 1a, after/around that you would expect the other lines to change, but no dates are given in any document I can find.  I did provide an indication of the later serials in case someone with an interest, time and access to Halifax II and V photographs might want to see if they can narrow down the change over date, no earlier/later than sort of approach.

 

Taken on charge dates, DT579 30 October 1943, DT635 21 November 1943, DT643 26 December 1943, DT792 3 February 1943.  While most of the DT640 to 649 and 665 to 669 serials were taken on charge in late November 1942, DT643 and DT645 (1 January 1943) were delayed, appearing slightly later than the first DT700 serials, that is after most of the DT665 to 705 block.  In macro terms in order but not in micro terms.

 

So in February 1943 English Electric have about 30 DT serial aircraft with Taken on Charge dates between the 2nd and 16th plus 1 on the 28th, and a similar number of JB serial aircraft between the 19th and 28th.  Official production for the month was 52.

[Graham Boak]

As for the introduction of the Series 1(Special), the production lines had begun incorporating the modifications in October 1942.

 

To the Series 1a.  The normal reason for a Mark Number change was a change in the engine rather than just the radiator.  The engine was, after all, where the most striking improvements in power and reliability would come from.  This is not something the AM was entirely consistent about during the war, for example no change when the Lancaster went from Merlin XX to 22, but i can't offhand think of an example where the radiator change alone led to a change in Mark nomenclature.   Merrick mentions the Air Ministry stating that the Morris block radiators were essential to the Series 1A designation but this does not say anything about what else was also required - Merlin 22s being a very obvious omission.  The Merlin 22 and the Morris block radiators were intended to be introduced together, and in all but a few exceptions, were so built.  These exceptions came from the inevitable differences in deliveries, and it seems that some early Series 1a were still equipped with Gallay radiators but accepted as series 1A.  One such aircraft was JD300.  Merrick states that other late production as Mk.II series 1(Specials) had were fitted with Morris block radiators and Merlin 22s  but retained their Series 1(Special) designation.  These things happen in any bureaucracy.  HP reported in mid March 1943 that all aircraft built up until then were Mk.I series 1(Special)s, with the exception of HR748.  (There is a little confusion as to whether HR784 was the aircraft concerned, but HR748 is quoted more often.)   As for as the squadrons were concerned, all these aircraft were series 1a.

 

Seven production Mk.II/V aircraft  were tested at A&AEE apart of the normal production checks between January and May 1943, There was a difference across them of 1.100lb, even after allowing for the additional 544lb of the Dowty undercarriage.  Generally all the aircraft, despite their different origins. equipment fit (at least two different propellers were present), showed. much the same overall performance.  Interestingly the fastest performing was BB324 from LPTB, despite retaining a dorsal Type C turret,     That, and perhaps a barbed glance at the production departments!  The HP representative was HR748/784, if this was a true Series 1a this must have been a particularly disappointing result to everyone.  Results like this could make hard-worked design offices tear their hair, though the finer differences in aircraft performance requires detailed and thorough investigation and analysis not just a quick look.

[woody37]

I built HR686 based on photographs which seems to have a similar spec:

 

The turret fairing was the Freightdog one, the Tollerton was a vac form one as it never came with the Mk.II kit for some reason and the Mk.III came out later.

 

 

[MrT]

wow this is a terrific build! Nice one. It’s such a lovely looking aircraft with the Tollerton. Now all I need to do is find one… sadly Freightdog are sold out.

 

 

 

[woody37]

11 hours ago, MrT said:

wow this is a terrific build! Nice one. It’s such a lovely looking aircraft with the Tollerton. Now all I need to do is find one… sadly Freightdog are sold out.

 

 

 

Thanks, might be worth seeing if anyone has one stashed away. I much prefer the Merlin Halifax as a modelling subject as there are so many more variations to play with.

[Graham Boak]

Yes, but so much extra work and bits required for the available kits.  To be fair, the Revell kit does have a lovely fuselage, shame about the rest.  Even then, it does need a new tailwheel, minor surgery to the bomb bay to open the outer doors and get three bombs abreast, and just a bit of rounding to the edges of the chamfer ahead of the cockpit. 

[V Line]

As the thread had expanded to cover a number of features I thought some brief information on propellers might be of interest.

 

Firstly, by my reckoning, the Merlin Halifax was fitted with more Rotol hub variants (around 30) than any other British wartime aircraft. This is not to say that there were huge differences between the majority but there were mechanical/design and pitch variations and then ultimately the 4 blade type.

 

It would be difficult to determine the Mk of an aircraft purely by reference to blade types. Spinners for the 3-blader were CSA types and whilst the wood and magnesium blade versions had differences, the external dimensions/shape were to all intents and purposes identical to the casual eye.

 

Merlin X powered aircraft (Mk I) initially used magnesium bladed props of 12ft 6ins dia. (two blade types) which were replaceable with wood bladed types used with the Merlin XX if the fuel was upgraded from 87 to 100 octane. The magnesium blade was also specified for the Merlin XX although I have no knowledge on the extent of usage. For the sake of the aircrew I would hope it was limited.

 

Magnesium blades were prone to failure, often sudden in nature and production ceased during 1942.

 

The wood blades were of 3 typical Rotol designs and finish.

 

The 3-bladers had three different radii, being 12 ft, 12ft 9ins and 13ft. (the dH hydromatics used on the Halifax III and later Hercules powered variants were all of 13ft diameter).

 

It appears that during early 1944 it was planned to equip the Halifax II and V with 3 bladed dH props but it was found that due to vibration (presumably Merlin engine versions only), the type required a 4-blade propeller. Consequently and also due to widespread oil leakage problems with dH props it was decided to substitute them for Rotols wherever possible. The oil leak problem notwithstanding, the Hercules powered variants continued with hydromatics and outlasted the Merlin variants in service.

 

Flight tests with 4- blade Rotols were undertaken in late 1943.There were competing production priorities at this time and the props may not have been introduced onto production lines until 1944 although I have no definitive dates.

 

The 4 bladers (2 hub types) were specified for use with the Halifax II or V-Merlin XX, 21, 22 and 23. Blades used were 2 of the 3 types used on the 3 bladers providing either 13ft or 12ft 9ins diameter.