The Handley Page Halifax: Overshadowed by the Lancaster, but still critical to the war effort

Often overshadowed by the Avro Lancaster, the Handley Page Halifax was an extremely important asset to RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. Designed in the mid/late 1930s, originally as a twin engine bomber, the Halifax would enter service with the RAF in November 1940. Originally powered by the Rolls Royce Merlin engine, once in service the Halifax was found to be underpowered. Thus the Bristol Hercules radial engine was introduced on the Mk.III onwards. The Halifax would serve with distinction throughout World War Two, flying over 75,000 and dropping some 227,610 tons of bombs. It also saw service with Coastal Command, Transport Command and the Airborne Services. The Halifax would fly its last sortie with the RAF in March 1952, and over 6,000 were built. While overshadowed by the Lancaster, the Halifax was just as critical in the Allied war effort and victory in Europe.

Links:

Learn more about Halifax 57 Rescue and their efforts to recover Halifax's here: http://www.57rescuecanada.com/

Purchase your official The Antique Airshow merchandise here: https://www.tomatoeins.com.au/s/shop

Disclaimer: All comments that are not from The Antique Airshow in the comment section are not opinions of The Antique Airshow.

Follow The Antique Airshow on Instagram:   / tomato_eins  
Enjoy and be sure to like and subscribe for more!✈

Images:
Imperial War Museum
World War Photos
Joe Bar Collection
Australian War Memorial
Alan Wilson, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Clemens Vasters from Viersen, Germany, Germany, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...


Sources:
Airvectors: http://www.airvectors.net/avhalfax.html
Bomber Command Museum: https://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/ha...
Classic Warbirds: https://www.classicwarbirds.co.uk/bri...
RAF Museum: https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research...
Rickard, J (16 May 2007), Handley Page Halifax: http://www.historyofwar.org/subject_a...
Tangmere Military Aviation Museum: https://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/ai...

Books:
Halifax second to none by Victor Bingham
Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II
The Encyclopedia of Aircraft of World War II by Paul Eden

#halifax #ww2 #ww2aircraft #royalairforce #aircraft #history #aviation #aviationhistory #handleypage #ww2history #britishhistory