Handley Page Halifax II
A Handley Page Halifax II, MH-Z, serial no. DT580, is being readied for another sortie during the Battle of the Ruhr. Dangers were many; the Ruhr valley was heavily defended, and it was morbidly known as “Happy Valley”.
But enemy opposition was not the only dangers. On this day, as Skipper Claude Wilson lifted DT580, MH-Z, off from Snaith, mid-upper gunner, Sgt. Louis Wooldridge noticed white smoke coming from the engines. This coincided with Wilson telling the flight engineer, Sgt. Anger, that the Merlins were losing power. Sgt. Anger promptly reported that the automatic fire extinguishers had activated.
Take-off was aborted and Wilson applied the brakes as the Halifax headed towards the boundary fence. On the other side of this lay the York to Selby railway line and the smoke plumes of the next express train were getting nearer….
Wilson called the crew to brace and made a sharp port turn into the torque of the engines. With full rudder the fully laden Halifax came to a halt with its starboard wing over the railway as the train passed, its bemused passengers waving to the crew!
This build is inspired by an article in FlyPast, March 2013, from which the above quote is taken.
Revell 1/72 Handley Page Halifax II, lettering and serials put together from several transfer sheets, flaps scratchbuilt. All ground vehicles are from Airfix RAF Bomber Re-supply Set, figures are Preiser US ground crew, disguised as British ground crew.
