agripper Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 After visiting the Tank Museum at teh weekend and talking with one of the members ther got me thinking. There seems to be more interest and value put on German armour over Allied armour. Why is this? When I was looking at what is running there is a few British, US and Russion tanks about but the interets seem to be on the German. I would love to see some of the rare and unusual British tanks that where built. Would love to see a Black price or Conqueror running about. I am sure that I will be corrected, but did wonder what the gerneral thoughts on this where. Should we preserve our own heritage with some interest in captured spoils of war. The same can be said for aircraft. We have no examples of the Shorts Sterling left or any complete Halifax , the one at elvington does not count as its not a complete Halifax as it has Hasting wings and other parts. If you could have any tank that is not already restored and running . What would it be?:idea: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pearson Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 If you could have any tank that is not already restored and running . What would it be?:idea: Duxford have 2 running Conquerors (gun tank and ARV) and Black Prince was got going about 15 to 20 years ago. For restoration, it has to be a Whippet: two engines, two clutches, two crash gearboxes, steered by accelerating one engine and slowing the other! Almost undrivable I should think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agripper Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 Did find this youtube vid of a conqueror ARV does not sound to healthy though! Didn't know any where running. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3zIoCr_ciQ&feature=related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Did find this youtube vid of a conqueror ARV does not sound to healthy though! Didn't know any where running. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3zIoCr_ciQ&feature=related That one is from the REME Museum collection at Borden Camp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 After visiting the Tank Museum at teh weekend and talking with one of the members ther got me thinking. There seems to be more interest and value put on German armour over Allied armour. Why is this? When I was looking at what is running there is a few British, US and Russion tanks about but the interets seem to be on the German. I would love to see some of the rare and unusual British tanks that where built. Would love to see a Black price or Conqueror running about. I am sure that I will be corrected, but did wonder what the gerneral thoughts on this where. Should we preserve our own heritage with some interest in captured spoils of war. The same can be said for aircraft. We have no examples of the Shorts Sterling left or any complete Halifax , the one at elvington does not count as its not a complete Halifax as it has Hasting wings and other parts. If you could have any tank that is not already restored and running . What would it be?:idea: Halifax two exist one in Canada and the other in one of the museums in london (s for sugar) both from memory brought up from the depths in Norway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie370 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Culled from Wiki, and while the usual caveats regarding accuracy apply, I think they're pretty-much spot-on; There is only one fully restored Halifax bomber version in the world. It is located at the Yorkshire Air Museum, on the site of the Second World War airfield, RAF Elvington. This aircraft was re-constructed from a fuselage section of Halifax II HR792 and parts from other aircraft. It is painted to represent Halifax LV907, "Friday the 13th" on the port side and "N - Novembre" of 347 "Guyenne" Squadron, French Air Force, on the starboard side (RAF Elvington being the home of the only two French heavy bomber squadrons in Bomber Command). Another fully restored Halifax, NA337 of No. 644 Squadron RAF at Tarrant Rushton is a transport/special duties version, and was retrieved from the bottom of Lake Mjøsa in Norway in 1995 after being shot down in April 1945. It was brought back to Canada and restoration was completed in 2005. NA337 is a Halifax A Mk VII Special Duties aircraft built by Rootes Motors, Liverpool and resides at RCAF Memorial Museum at CFB Trenton in Trenton, Ontario, near Kingston, Ontario. A third Halifax was recovered from Lake Hoklingen in Norway by a "sub aqua" team from the RAF in 1973. This Mk II, Serial Number W 1048, was part of 35 Squadron and had crashed after being damaged in an attack on the Tirpitz. It is displayed in its "as recovered" condition in the Bomber Command display at the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon in London, apart from the nose turret which had already been restored prior to the decision. On 26 November 2006, archaeologists from the Warsaw Uprising Museum, Poland, unearthed remains of another Halifax (JP276 "A") from No. 148 RAF Squadron, which was found in southern Poland, near the city of Dąbrowa Tarnowska. It was shot down on the night 4-5 August 1944 while returning from the "air-drop-action" during the Warsaw Uprising. In August 1945, while on weather patrol, the aging Halifax bomber LW170 sprung a fuel leak and, while trying to return to base, was forced to ditch off the Hebrides Islands west of Scotland. A project is currently underway with the stated aim of recovering and restoring Halifax LW170. When it is recovered it will be restored and displayed at the Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum in Nanton, Alberta Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 That's made for interesting reading - thanks!! Is there any particular reason why Canada has such an affinity for the Halifax??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 That is a good point and in my opinnion - I think the Tiger 1 is way over rated.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie370 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 (edited) That's made for interesting reading - thanks!! Is there any particular reason why Canada has such an affinity for the Halifax??? I believe it is due to 6(RCAF) Group being Halifax-equipped until the last months of the war. The majority of the personnel on the sqns were RCAF, less Flight Engineers. There may have been a tacit agreement that, despite NA377 having been an A MkVII rather than a BIII, 'Friday the Thirteenth' was nearing completion for display in the UK, and that the next available airframe would go to Canada. Edited October 22, 2009 by Yorkie370 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 (edited) Is there any particular reason why Canada has such an affinity for the Halifax??? There are important times in the history of a country that form the foundation of a proud nation. The courageous actions and sacrifices of the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War Two, especially in Allied Bomber Command, form a unique part of Canada's great history. Of all of the aircraft the RCAF flew into combat there is one special heavy-bomber that stands out from all the rest, the Handley Page Halifax. Our aircrews of the RCAF flew over 70% of their missions in the Halifax and used over 1230 Halifax aircraft from 1942 to 1945. Although there are 2 remaining Halifax aircraft, of the 6100 built, not one combat RCAF Halifax is known to exist from this total Canadian group of 1230 Halifaxes. From the LW170 website: http://www.57rescuecanada.com/LocatingLW170/LW170_Proj_Proposal.htm The Wikipedia page also lists the Canadian squadrons that flew the Halifax: Canada Royal Canadian Air Force No. 405 Squadron RCAF No. 408 Squadron RCAF No. 415 Squadron RCAF No. 419 squadron RCAF No. 420 Squadron RCAF No. 424 Squadron RCAF No. 425 Squadron RCAF No. 426 Squadron RCAF No. 427 Squadron RCAF No. 428 Squadron RCAF No. 429 Squadron RCAF No. 431 Squadron RCAF No. 432 Squadron RCAF No. 433 Squadron RCAF No. 434 Squadron RCAF Edited October 22, 2009 by Johnny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 With mention of the Elvington Halifax, restored as Friday the 13th, the original was on display at the end of the War on the site of the John Lewis building in London. Unfortunately, at the end of the exhibition, it was scrapped! Also on display was an Auster IV, MT243, which I am now restoring back to flight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Here is a picture of them both, the Auster can just be seen in the top right of the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie370 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I'd like to see AOP9 XP286 airworthy again - I know where it is now, and remember clambering over it as a Spacey when it was with our squadron in Hull in the 70s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 There are important times in the history of a country that form the foundation of a proud nation. The courageous actions and sacrifices of the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War Two, especially in Allied Bomber Command, form a unique part of Canada's great history. Of all of the aircraft the RCAF flew into combat there is one special heavy-bomber that stands out from all the rest, the Handley Page Halifax. Our aircrews of the RCAF flew over 70% of their missions in the Halifax and used over 1230 Halifax aircraft from 1942 to 1945. Although there are 2 remaining Halifax aircraft, of the 6100 built, not one combat RCAF Halifax is known to exist from this total Canadian group of 1230 Halifaxes. From the LW170 website: http://www.57rescuecanada.com/LocatingLW170/LW170_Proj_Proposal.htm The Wikipedia page also lists the Canadian squadrons that flew the Halifax: Canada Royal Canadian Air Force No. 405 Squadron RCAF No. 408 Squadron RCAF No. 415 Squadron RCAF No. 419 squadron RCAF No. 420 Squadron RCAF No. 424 Squadron RCAF No. 425 Squadron RCAF No. 426 Squadron RCAF No. 427 Squadron RCAF No. 428 Squadron RCAF No. 429 Squadron RCAF No. 431 Squadron RCAF No. 432 Squadron RCAF No. 433 Squadron RCAF No. 434 Squadron RCAF Thanks for the explanation - that makes perfect sense now. I always thought RCAF aircrews were scattered through out Bomber Command and thus would have had an affinity for all 3 of the big 4 engined "Heavies". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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