20.10.2008, 15:16
~S~ Gentlemen.
I'll stick my neck out and request that this almost forgotten workhorse of Bomber Command be modded as a new flyable. I searched the forums and was very surprised that there is only a B-24 skin mod to represent the Halifax - a crude amalgamation of different features of the Halifax at best, I'm sorry but I couldn't find any other thread. There is a request to build the Short Stirling which was dreadful in direct comparison and by 1942 relegated to second and third grade tasks like glider towing and chaff window dropping - as an example the Stirling was bigger and had Hercules engines but had a shorter range, lower payload and much lower service ceiling. In missions to Italy it had to fly THROUGH the Alps rather than over it with its 4000m ceiling, and could never take it's full bombload on ranges over 1000 miles.
The Halifax was originally designed to use the same 1400hp Bristol Hercules engines but was forced into using 1100hp Merlins despite protests from Handley Page - this was the Halifax I. They had 2 terrible effects (1) a service ceiling of only 18,000ft and (2) unlike the Lancaster the exhaust port flames could be seen from astern. These made them more the victim than the higher flying Lancaster. There was 1 major design fault, the 'kidney' shaped rudders were inadequate and pilots could get into an unrecoverable spin when attempting to escape the dreadful searchlight cones.
The Halifax II had larger "D" rudders to correct the stall problem, 1400hp Merlin XX engines and changes in the defensive gun arrangement. It was still vunerable to the exhaust problem so exhaust cowls were fitted however these affected the wing with 30% less lift than without and even worse they glowed red hot!!
Finally with the Stirling ceasing production the Bristol Hercules was more available and the MkIII came to life, and was instantly flying where the Lancaster lived at 24,000ft with it's new engines. It was less cramped and more comfortable than the Lancaster, more hardy in tropical and desert environments and much much easier to bail out of when required!
May I request this be added high on the list of new aircraft as it was used in large numbers in all theatres by the RAF, RCAF and other commonwealth forces.
~S~
I'll stick my neck out and request that this almost forgotten workhorse of Bomber Command be modded as a new flyable. I searched the forums and was very surprised that there is only a B-24 skin mod to represent the Halifax - a crude amalgamation of different features of the Halifax at best, I'm sorry but I couldn't find any other thread. There is a request to build the Short Stirling which was dreadful in direct comparison and by 1942 relegated to second and third grade tasks like glider towing and chaff window dropping - as an example the Stirling was bigger and had Hercules engines but had a shorter range, lower payload and much lower service ceiling. In missions to Italy it had to fly THROUGH the Alps rather than over it with its 4000m ceiling, and could never take it's full bombload on ranges over 1000 miles.
The Halifax was originally designed to use the same 1400hp Bristol Hercules engines but was forced into using 1100hp Merlins despite protests from Handley Page - this was the Halifax I. They had 2 terrible effects (1) a service ceiling of only 18,000ft and (2) unlike the Lancaster the exhaust port flames could be seen from astern. These made them more the victim than the higher flying Lancaster. There was 1 major design fault, the 'kidney' shaped rudders were inadequate and pilots could get into an unrecoverable spin when attempting to escape the dreadful searchlight cones.
The Halifax II had larger "D" rudders to correct the stall problem, 1400hp Merlin XX engines and changes in the defensive gun arrangement. It was still vunerable to the exhaust problem so exhaust cowls were fitted however these affected the wing with 30% less lift than without and even worse they glowed red hot!!
Finally with the Stirling ceasing production the Bristol Hercules was more available and the MkIII came to life, and was instantly flying where the Lancaster lived at 24,000ft with it's new engines. It was less cramped and more comfortable than the Lancaster, more hardy in tropical and desert environments and much much easier to bail out of when required!
May I request this be added high on the list of new aircraft as it was used in large numbers in all theatres by the RAF, RCAF and other commonwealth forces.
~S~