Engine Fires on Halifax Bomber

[MiTasol]

Also you can lift/lower wings by use of rudder though from memory early Halifaxes had a problem with their rudders. Not an aircraft I have ever studied so may well be wrong.

 

[nuuumannn]

Also you can lift/lower wings by use of rudder though from memory early Halifaxes had a problem with their rudders. Not an aircraft I have ever studied so may well be wrong.

They did indeed. Severe rudder overbalance that could not be corrected. Test pilots at the A&AEE died trying. It is also attributed to inexplicable losses of RAF crews during ops and in training. A limitation was placed on rudder deflection at low speeds and pilots were advised not to carry out excessive manoeuvring. The Halifax was not like the Lancaster in that it could be corkscrewed when defensive manoeuvring. The Halifax was heavier at the controls and didn't respond well to that sort of manoeuvring, not to mention the overbalance.

The Halifax II manual (AP1719B) has the following to say about using the rudder, remarkably, the wording is devoid of any urgency behind the situation, given that aircrew died from the rudder locking:

"a) Where Mod 814 (large fin) is embodied, the rudder is rather heavy, and is free from any tendency to lock over in sideslips.
b)Where Mod 814 has not been embodied, the rudder is light in comparison with the ailerons and elevator, and care is needed to avoid misuse of the rudder leading to sideslipping. Use the elevator early and progressively in the turn, rather than let the nose drop and apply top rudder.
c) Rudder overbalance - On aircraft where Mod 814 has not been embodied, a large skid or sideslip will stall the fins and cause the rudders to lock over and the aircraft to go into a spiral dive. In this event:
a) Put the nose down and gain at least 150 (160) mph IAS - but not excessive speed.
b) Throttle back the engines.
c) Centralise the rudder."

The problem with this is that once the rudders have been overbalanced, they are not moving. This was what was killing crews. I guess pilots have to be given some sort of hope in being told that attempting to centralise the rudder might help, but more often than not, it didn't work as it wouldn't move.

Under Flying Limitations it comments about manoeuvring:

"The aircraft is designed for manoeuvres appropriate for a heavy bomber, and care must be taken to avoid imposing excessive wing loads with the elevators in recovery from dives and turns at high speeds. Violent use of the rudder is to be avoided at high speeds. Spinning and aerobatics are not permitted."

The Halifax III manual (AP1719C) has the same limitations, but the bit about the Mod state and rudder overbalance is mercifully missing, having had the rudder mod fitted on the production line, whereas Halifax IIs were retrofitted. For comparison it is worth noting that the Lancaster manual (AP2062 for Mk.I, III and so on) has the exact same wording as the above on flying limitations.

 

[MikeMeech]

Was that particular Halibag Don Bennet's

Hi
No, Bennett's Halifax was W1041, however, a propeller blade from his aircraft is still on display in front of the starboard wing of W1048 (I checked yesterday when I was in the museum for my voluntary work). A book that covers the Halifax raids against the Tirpitz in detail is 'Tirpitz, The Halifax Raids' by Nigel Smith, Air Research Publications, 2003 (originally published in 1994).

Mike