VICTORIA CROSS HALIFAX
The story of one of the most remarkable bomber aircraft of World War II.
By early 1936 it was becoming obvious that Nazi Germany was rearming at a furious pace and had the will to use its power in war if necessary. In depression-torn England, the RAF finally persuaded teh Air Ministry and the Government that it was going to have to expand its strength greatly to meet the threat.
Among the results of these deliberations was the issuance of specification P.13/36 on September 8th, 1936. This asked for a medium twin-engined bomber land plane with a minimum crew of four. Power opeated nose and tail-gun turrets were to be provided. Bomb load was to be 8 000 lbs. or two 18 feet long torpedoes. Avro, Handley Page and Hawker submitted proposals and the Avro one chosen resulted in the Manchester. Handley Page’s design, HP.56 used two Rolls-Royce Vultures and two protoypes were ordered in April 1937. However, as early as the end of 1937 it became apparent that the Vulture was not going to be a good engine, suffering badly from big end failures from the beginning. (The unordered Hawker project also used the Vulture).
Under pressure from the Air Ministry, Handley Page redesigned the HP.56 to take four R.R. Merlins as the HP.57. The size of the aircraft went up considerably and the weight went up by no less than 50%. First of the two new aircraft, serial L7244, made its first flight from Bicester on October 25th, 1939: The second prototype, L7245, following on August 17th, 1940.
Production built up rapidly, thanks to the Handley Page split-unit design and the first squadron, No. 35, to receive the aircraft did so on November 23rd, 1940. These Halifax B Mk I, Series 1, had four Merlin X’s of 1,280 hp each and a maximum speed of 265 mph. Intensive wartime development resulted in the need for extra fire power and equipment and the subsequent increase in gross weight caused a serious loss of high altitude performance; the aircraft being underpowered.
However, the Halifax showed much greater promise than the Stirling (hampered by its very rigid design specification) and the Manchester was proving to be a big flop. Thus, it was suggested that the Halifax should be re-engined with four Bristol Hercules radial engines and the new Mk III version showed a dramatic increase in performance, the wing span eventually being increased from 99 feet to 104 feet 2 inches, to take advantage of the better high altitude performance.
With a maximum internal bomb load of some 13 000 lbs. and the capability of carrying the 8 000 lbs. cookie, the Halifax became the right arm of Bomber Command, together with the Avro Lancaster B.III. At its official christening by Lord Halifax, in September 1941, he quoted an old Yorkshire prayer: From Hull, Hell and Halifax, good Lord deliver us. And so it turned out to be.....
The first Halifax B.III first flew in July 1943 and by February 1944, it had become the backbone of the Halifax fleet, equipping no less than thirty-six squadrons eventully, plus many more in Coastal and Transport Command, plus others in the Middle and Far East. A total of 6 176 Halifaxes were built, including 2 060 Mk III’s and they carried out no less than 82 000 operational sorties, dropping almost 250 000 tons of bombs.
Thus, indeed, did the big four: the Halifax, Lancaster, Fortress and Liberator, hammer Nazi Germany into the ground, proving to be the biggest loss to them of the entire war, having a far greater effect than the loss of Stalingrad or Kursk in Russia (Albert Speer, in the Spandau, The Secret Diaires, pub. Pocket Books, page 375).
This revelation, so many years after WWII, completely revamps many official strategic bombing and shows how in Speer’s own words This was the greatest lost battle on the German side!
The Halifax played a major role in this battle and it was fitting that at the end of the war one of the most famous of them all should be placed on public display in the bombed-out basement of Selfridges Store on Oxford Street, London. This Halifax B.Mk III LV907, of No. 158 Squadron, No. 4 Group, was coded NP-F and had a very well decorated nose with many interesting symbols, not least of which was its name, Friday the 13th.
This is the story of the aircraft written by one of its tail gunners, Larry Pye. Larry has been kind enough to give us some details of how the Halifaxes’ operations were actually carried out. This is Larry’s account....
"Friday the 13th was a Halifax III of 158 Squadron,
Lisset, Yorkshire, No. 4 Group. It completed 128 operational sorties - more than any other
of the 6 176 Halifaxes built. After the war, Friday the 13th was put on public display on
Oxford Street, London.
'Friday' had a crew of seven: Pilot, Navigator, Bomb Aimer, Flight Engineer, Wireless Operator, Mid-Upper Gunner and myself, the Tail Gunner. We were the fourth crew to complete a Tour of Operations on 'Friday'. One of our finest tributes to any Halifax was paid by F./LT. Graham Gordon, (RCAF), our skipper. When asked about Friday the 13th after returning from Gelsenkirchen, Friday’s 100th Operation, said, "We always feel absolutely confident in her, she flies right and she always gets there." 'Friday' had by then, undergone two major inspections and had 550 fly hours to its credit.
They were going to retire 'Friday' at this time as she had so many flak holes in her, which had been patched, that she had trouble getting to the higher altitudes from the drag. They decided to let her go on. We just had to start climbing a little before the rest of the Squadron so we could be there at the same time.
Our Squadron flew about as many daylight sorties as night. I ended up with thirty-nine operations. On night sorties, you flew as an individual aircraft and navigated the whole trip as an individual, but keeping to strict time schedules. This could lead to drastic results if you had to lose time on account of an unexpected tail wind. If after throttling back, lowering flaps, and putting down wheels, you still couldn’t lose enough, you had to fly out 90° for a given time, and then back again until you were on schedule. Picture this with a 1 000 bomber raid and every plane doing it at a different time, in the dark.
We were always under orders for strict radio silence, no lights, and only to use radar over the target to identify it. Radar sends out a signal, so if you used it, the Germans could pick it up and plot you. We also ran a zig-zag course to the target by heading for a certain area, and before getting there, change the course to the intended target. This would put off the fighter interception to a great degree.
One of the most frightening things that can happen at night is to be caught in searchlights. We were caught twice; when one picks you up, every light for miles around cones on you and you have the feeling that you are the star of the show. What is more scary, is the fact that every German fighter in the area is looking at you, and the flak comes at you hard and heavy. With a little luck, you make it through it.
We were given instructions by a Master Bomber, flying a Mosquito very low over the target, dropping coloured flares. He would be telling us over the radio to bomb the center of the red or blue, or any colour he would choose. He had a very dangerous job and was always backed up with stand-bys. He only had to make ten operations to complete a tour.
On daylight raids, we would fly in formation by a Squadron. 158 Squadron tail markings were black and yellow diagonal lines. Each Squadron had its own tail markings, so you could find your Squadron if you were seperated during attacks or forming up. Each Squadron had its time to be at a target. This time was precise.
Painted on the nose of Friday the 13th, was a Skull and Crossbones with the words 'As Ye Sow-So Shall Ye Reap', also an inverted horsehoe and a crown. It was sometimes customary in the RAF to give an aircraft a Military Honour by presenting it with a ribbon. At the conclusion of the war, she was presented with the Victoria Cross, (the highest honour there is), to go along with the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Distinguished Flying Medal.
The morning it completed its 100th Operation, a goal was painted on with a bomb in the goal. This was later changed to the 100th bomb, as there was more to go. Needless to say, I have a very soft spot in my heart for this aircraft. Friday the 13th was lucky for me, but I wonder what the Germans would think of Friday the 13th?"