Machines - Halifax
The RAF's four-engine bombers became the instrument that systematically destroyed German industrial capacity. They delivered the "whirlwind" that Hitler had conjured up by "sowing the wind" in his aerial attacks on Britain. The first to go into service was the Stirling (described last week) and the most famous was the Lancaster, yet the Halifax also played a major role and deserves to be remembered. I have to admit to a personal interest in the Halifax. My uncle Ken flew -- and died -- in a Halifax in early 1944. It was also a controversial aircraft. Halifaxes first flew operationally in March 1941. They had an operational range of 1,860 miles, significantly more than the Sterling, and a payload of 14,500 lbs. Early versions had a maximum speed of 265 mph at 17,500 feet, which seemed impressive. Yet, performance quickly proved disappointing, and the Halifax was upgraded five times in the course of the war. Each new "Mark" represented a significant...