Airfix 1/72 Halifax B.III
The Handley Page Halifax was a four-engine heavy bomber, developed under the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester.
Seemingly, due to the risk posed by the under-performing Vulture, the Handley Page design was wisely altered at the Ministry to a four-engine arrangement powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin.
In RAF service, the Halifax quickly became a major component of Bomber Command, performing routine strategic bombing missions against the Axis Powers, many of them at night. While Arthur Harris, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Bomber Command, regarded the Halifax as inferior to the rival Lancaster (in part due to its smaller payload), his opinion was not shared by many of the crews that flew it, particularly the MkIII variant.
During its service with Bomber Command, the type flew a total of 82,773 operations and dropped 224,207 tons of bombs, while 1,833 aircraft were lost. It was also flown in large numbers by other Allied and Commonwealth nations, such as the RCAF, the RAAF, the Free French and Polish air forces.
Various improved versions were introduced, incorporating more powerful engines, a revised defensive turret layout and increased payload. It remained in service with Bomber Command until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing, with specialized versions being developed for troop transport and para-drop operations.
Following the end of the Second World War, the RAF quickly retired the type, after it was succeeded as a strategic bomber by the Avro Lincoln, itself a Lancaster derivative, but the Halifax continued to be operated by the Royal Egyptian Air Force, the French Air Force and the Royal Pakistan Air Force.
The Halifax was a solid, orthodox design that provided good service, performing well in its allocated tasks. In total 6,176 examples were built.
This is the venerable 1961 Airfix mold that still accompanies us nowadays, its last reboxing taken place in 2014. The kit is simplistic in details and somehow toy-like at areas, an amount of flash is present and some fit issues will have to be addressed.
The kit had been started long ago, finalized only recently after being entered to our friend @lis Bombr Command GB.
Should you wish to read the full build review, you may do so by visiting my beloved site Modelingmadness:
https://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/gb/bombers/penhal.htm
Happy Modelling!
Amazing work, Spiros @fiveten
Although you mentioned that this is a simplistic kit in details and somehow toy-like at areas, you clearly showed that a great Halifax can be made out of it.
Paintwork and weathering are superb.
Well done.
Thanks my friend @johnb!
Excellent build Spiros! Great job on making a great looking Halifax from this old but happy kit.
Thanks my friend @v1pro!
Good work Spiros @fiveten
Wish there was a 48th scale model of the Halifax, and at an affordable price π
Thanks my friend @holzhamer!
Till Airfix decide to treat us with a new tool, I hear an F-M Halifax calling!
It looks great, Spiros, I had forgotten about this venerable Airfix kit, but your modelling and painting skills have brought it right up to date.
Thanks my friend @chinesegeorge!
That looks really nice, Spiros. Like the subtle paint/weathering job.
Thanks my friend @gwskat!
Just SPLENDID my friend Spiros @fiveten, that's one more in the bomber group! I wish that one day we could line up all our realization and create and airbase, the B-17's and Lanc from Lis, the B-17 from John, the B-17 from David, the B-17 from yours and my B-17's. Maybe someday.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks my friend @yann!
Wish we make it someday!
That turned out really nice, Spiros. Airfix bomber kits always got me enthused when I was a kid. In fact, they still do.
Thanks my friend @j-healy!
Same for me:love all Airfix venerable bomber kits!
Beautiful build Spiros! Love the subject as well as the paint work you did on this. Stripes on the tail look really nice against the RAF camo scheme. Are we every going to get to see a picture of where you display all these models? You must have an entire room full of shelves and cases!
Thanks my friend @dbutlr! I am fortunate enough to have a dedicated showcase / billiard room at my basement. Here is:
Someday I will have a den like this too! Keep up the hard negotiations!
Better be careful wielding the cues in a game! π
π @tcinla
Nice model and paint job!
Your den looks pretty cool too !
Thanks my friend @bernardbedeur!
Well done Spiros
Thanks my friend @blackmopane!
Great work Spiros @fiveten a super piece of work by you.
I am old enough to remember that kit from the 60's when it was originally issued.
Well done!
Thanks my friend @davem!
Hey there Spiros @fiveten, your Halifax is a real beauty. Congrats on turning that old Airfix kit into a work of art. Nice to see the photos of your modeling workshop and βheβ cave.
Thanks my friend @eb801! And here is the bench just now, trying to tame the FM Vautour landing gear...
I couldn't help but notice you positioned this kit strategically in the background behind your Halifax. Off to a good start.
Thanks my friend @eb801!
A great job on one ancient kit! Nice show case room, good luck with the negotiations.@fiveten.
Thanks my friend @roofrat! Let's hope some flowers and a dinner out will do..
Oh yes, and my credit card for an afternoon π
Great job on the Halifax mate, I have the ancient Airfix Stirling recently acquired , you have inspired me to bump it up the list.
Cool man cave by the way
Thanks my friend @neil-foster! Got the Stirling too! Trying to find an excuse to build her π
Another great build! I'd be nervous about glass-front cases and billiard balls in such close proximity! I've been known to have one jump the rail... π
Thanks my friend @gkittinger! Indeed, that proximity is an issue...
Beautiful work as always, Spiros! It's good to see these old kit being built, they can be just as nice as the newer ones.
Neil, I have the old Airfix Sterling as well. The MPC boxing that came with the pink flame decals! π
Thank you so much, my friend! Should you like, we can build our Stirlings together, my friends @jetmex and @neil-foster!
Great looking Halifax, Spiros (@fiveten). This build proves once again that an old kit can make a really nice model when built by the right person. I just pulled this one out of storage and plane to put it into the build queue soon. Well done.
Thanks my friend @gblair!
You do such nice work on these old kits ! You are an inspiration to me , Spiros @fiveten.
Your display cases are great looking.
Thanks my friend @ssgt!
G'day Spiros (@fiveten),
I remember building this kit as a boy as "Friday the13th" using an ESCI decal sheet.
As it happens, "Friday the 13th" was from the same squadron as your aircraft with codes NP*F.
(I've just dug out the old decal sheet and it still looks good, although the 'clear' film is a little yellow. I'm not sure they were any better back when.)
The kit, which hung from my bedroom ceiling when I was young (along with ~100 1/72 scale WWII aircraft), is in a box up in the back shed - no doubt somewhat worse for wear.
You have achieved your usual high standard of build with this kit.
Well done and thanks for the memories.
Liked!
Thanks my friend @michaelt! I have the 1/48 FM kit that offers markings for "Friday the 13th", but also offers a beautiful French example. Still indecisive of which to build...
Great job on this oldie! I remember building this in '61 when it was first released.
Thanks my friend @dtravis! That was 5 years before I was born!
And I bet those times were wonderful!
Great work and painring!
Thanks Admin Lt. @lis!