Gentlefolk....
 
I regularly get a fine Brit magazine called "Fly Past" which deals with
much of interest and has many articles on restorations, recovery of
parts from old crash sites, and with the end result: here is an article
on the roll-out of a reconstruction of a Halifax III. This was the most
famous Halifax, partly for the large number of bombing missions it made,
something like 138 if memory serves. My dad had one mission on it,
their Halifax was u/s and the 'owner crew' were on leave. If anyone
with access to the Internet wants a copy of the accompanying photo, I
can send it. The nose-art was the grim reaper complete wth hour glass
and scythe.
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 YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM (YAM) rolled out 1ts Halifax bomber restoration
at Elvington September 13. The aircraft is painted in the markings of
Halifax LV907 'Friday  the Thirteenth',  so it was more than appropriate
that it should be rolled out on that same day. It has taken 13 years to
complete, using parts from crashed and salvaged Halifax bombers, as well
as incorporating modified Hastings wings along with many 'new build'
parts.
 
 The ceremony was presided over by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Kntght
who paid tribute to the type and the team of volunteers who have worked
long and hard to give the world a 'complete' Halitax. Sir Michael went
on to remind visitors that aircraft L9601 was given the name Halifax
55 years ago 'yesterday' (September 12, 1941) and that the design was
much more versatile than the Lancaster, which often overshadowed it
"Apart fom its use as a bomber, it was used as a troop carrier, glider
tower, intelligence gatherer, development aircraft for electronic aids,
dropper of vital supplies both to the Allied ground forces and to those
gallant members of the resistance movement.  The aircraft was never
intended to be, and never was, an air superlority fighter, but that
apart, the Halifax had a go at most of the roles which air power was
then capable of", said Sir Michael, who was obviously proud of his
connection with the restoration project.
 
  Also 'unveiled' was YAM's new T.2 hangar (home of the Halifax) - known
as the Canadian Memorial Hangar, it honours the memory of all the
Canadian airmen who served in RAF Bomber Command during World War Two.
A commemorative plaque mounted on a stone plinth outside the entrance
was unveiled by the Canadian High Commissioner, the Hon Roy MacLaren P.C
and the Commander of Air Command, Canada, Lt Gen Al DeQuetteville, CMM, CD.
 
YAM was inundated with visitors on the day, so much so that long traffic
queues formed as people waited to get onto the airfield. Many former
Halitax pilots, crews and groundcrews were present from all over the world
to witness the rebirth of 'their' aircraft and the museum did its utmost
on the day to ensure that the 'Halibag'  received its fair share of glory.
 
 A series of flypasts  had been arranged to coincide with the roll-out
ceremonies and Elvington took on the form of a mini-airshow with passes
made by two Tucanos, a Canadian Armed Forces C13O Hercules, RAF
Sentry AEW.1, a diamond nine formation of Tornados from RAF Leeming, two
Luftwaffe F-4 Phantoms, a TTTE Tornado, the French Aerobatic Team
'Patrouille de France', four RAF Hawks, Jetstream, Wessex and two Gazelles,
a pair of Harriers, plus a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire.
 
The roar of Rolls-Royce Merlins stopped many people in their tracks as the
BBMF's Lancaster bomber overflew the Elvington museum in tribute to the
Halifax and the team who had toiled to complete this ambitious project.
 
 
Bruce
 
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 # RM 1.31 2016 #  Oedipus was a Nervous Rex.
 # PDQWK 1.2 #53
 
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