Halifax III

[Yeomans]

I think this is a Halifax III and the underwing coding looks to be LL543 (?) I would appreciate if any of the experts on this forum could confirm or correct this. Could I also ask if the underwing coding was normal and if so does that help date the image perhaps?
Many thanks.

 

[fubar57]

Possibly a Mk.V; still working on it

EDIT: 296 Sqn

 

[mjfur]

http://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Halifax/LL539-LL615/mobile/index.html

This shows LL543 as a Mk III and initially assigned,
640 Sqdn, June 6, 1944 - No. 640 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia
44 Maint. Unit Nov. 8, 1944
296 Sqdn March 6, 1945 - No. 296 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia
Scrap Dec. 12, 1946

 

[Yeomans]

http://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Halifax/LL539-LL615/mobile/index.html

This shows LL543 as a Mk III and initially assigned,
640 Sqdn, June 6, 1944 - No. 640 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia
44 Maint. Unit Nov. 8, 1944
296 Sqdn March 6, 1945 - No. 296 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia
Scrap Dec. 12, 1946

View attachment 788011

That's very helpful. Many thanks.

 

[Wurger]

Additionally .. it looks like it is the Mk.III according to the A.M form 78. But the LL 543 serial belonged to the Mk.V according to a couple of books for the bomber.
Anyway IMHO the pic is a post-war shot because the serials on the underwings were applied at the very end of the war and later. Because the Halifax was scrapped at the end of the 1946 so the image should be taken somewhere between the end of 1945 and 1946.

The no.296 RAF Squadron used the Halifax : September 1944-March 1945 ... HP Halifax Mk.V and February 1945-January 1946 ... HP Halifax Mk.III

 

[Yeomans]

Additionally .. it looks like it is the Mk.III according to the A.M form 78. But the LL 543 serial belonged to the Mk.V according to a couple of books for the bomber.
Anyway IMHO the pic is a post-war shot because the serials on the underwings were applied at the very end of the war and later. Because the Halifax was scrapped at the end of the 1946 so the image should be taken somewhere between the end of 1945 and 1946.

The no.296 RAF Squadron used the Halifax : September 1944-March 1945 ... HP Halifax Mk.V and February 1945-January 1946 ... HP Halifax Mk.III

Many thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

 

[Wurger]

Many thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

My pleasure ...

PS. a note .. sorry just I was slightly incorrect to the date not the end of 1945 but the mid of 1945 rather. The beginning date would be more relevant.

 

[Yeomans]

Brilliant. Found LL 543 listed in the ORB for 296 Squadron. On 24 March 1945 it acted as a glider tow aircraft for Operation Varsity. The gentleman in the foreground was a member of 7 Para on that op.

 

[Wurger]

The serial number in the form above looks like LW543. LW542 was lost Mar 1944 and was a Mk.lll.... Accident Handley Page Halifax Mk III LW542, Wednesday 15 March 1944

Rather no, Geo. IMHO that's the LL serial ...

What is more , it seems there is the "H" letter painted on the main landing gear. It was quite common and the individual plane letters can be found in many pics of the Halifax bomber. So if I'm right she was wearing either the 9W-H or 7C-H for the 296 RAF Squadron.

 

[Yeomans]

I hadn't spotted the letter on the main landing gear. I think it could perhaps be an R or an H and will have a better look through the ORB to see if it can resolve this. Thanks again.

 

[mjfur]

The serial number in the form above looks like LW543. LW542 was lost Mar 1944 and was a Mk.lll.... Accident Handley Page Halifax Mk III LW542, Wednesday 15 March 1944

I initially copied/pastied the wrong link (LW543), then deleted it and installed the correct link. Somehow during the time I was editing that post Yeomans Replied or Quoted that link.

Perhaps Yeomans or a Moderator could edit Post #4 and delete the incorrect link/Quote (The upper quote.).

 

[Yeomans]

I saw that the link for the wrong aircraft had been posted originally but was quickly amended. Post #4 is, I think, giving the correct link ie. attachment 788011

 

[Wurger]

I initially copied/pastied the wrong link (LW543), then deleted it and installed the correct link. Somehow during the time I was editing that post Yeomans Replied or Quoted that link.

Perhaps Yeomans or a Moderator could edit Post #4 and delete the incorrect link/Quote.

Humm.... both links in the post #4 are correct also the attached images. So it may be left as it is. However if you wish I may edit the post with the quotation of your post #3.

 

[mjfur]

Humm.... both links in the post #4 are correct also the attached images. So it may be left as it is. However if you wish I may edit the post with the quotation of your post #3.

Sorry for all of the confusion. I initially installed the incorrect link to LW543 (which fubar57 mentions above) and then corrected it and did some re-editing. As I was doing this editing Yeomans was Quoting my posts, but apparently he Quoted both correct links to LL543. Based on what fubar57 had said I assumed the first quote in Yeomans response was the incorrect link for LW543.

Feel free to edit out all of the mumbo jumbo nonsense that isn't LL543 related.

 

[Wurger]

OK. Done now.

 

[pb43]

I think this is a Halifax III and the underwing coding looks to be LL543 (?) I would appreciate if any of the experts on this forum could confirm or correct this. Could I also ask if the underwing coding was normal and if so does that help date the image perhaps?
Many thanks.

LL112 to LL153	Halifax V
LL167 to LL198	Halifax V
LL213 to LL258	Halifax V
LL270 to LL312	Halifax V
LL325 to LL367	Halifax V
LL380 to LL423	Halifax V
LL437 to LL469	Halifax V
LL481 to LL521	Halifax V
LL534 to LL559	Halifax
LL573 to LL615	Halifax III

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

LL543 was the first Rootes built Halifax III, taken on charge 13 May 1944. There was an overlap with mark V production, the final 9 mark V LL534 to LL542 were taken on charge 21 July to 1 August 1944.

 

[Technik1]

I think this is a Halifax III and the underwing coding looks to be LL543 (?) I would appreciate if any of the experts on this forum could confirm or correct this. Could I also ask if the underwing coding was normal and if so does that help date the image perhaps?
Many thanks.

Yes - the difference between the Mk III and V was simply the use of a different make of main landing-gear legs; the "normal" (I.e. Mk's II and III) had legs made by Messier (castings), while the Mk's V and VI had legs made by Dowty (forgings). Because they were not interchangeable, it was decided to denote them as different Marks, to avoid problems during maintenance.

 

[EwenS]

Yes - the difference between the Mk III and V was simply the use of a different make of main landing-gear legs; the "normal" (I.e. Mk's II and III) had legs made by Messier (castings), while the Mk's V and VI had legs made by Dowty (forgings). Because they were not interchangeable, it was decided to denote them as different Marks, to avoid problems during maintenance.

Halifax I/II/V had Merlin inline engines.

Starting with the Mk.III then VI/VII/VIII a switch was made to Bristol Hercules radial engines.

Only the Merlin engined Mk.V had the Dowty undercarriage. All other Marks got the Messier gear.

 

[Technik1]

Thank you - much appreciated. I agree, the V was essentially a II with Dowty main gear; however, many of the aircraft damaged in combat or taxiing accidents were sent to Civilian Repair Organisations (aircraft logs list these as CRO), which were mostly large, local engineering firms, for repair. They would fit whatever replacement parts they were provided with. Although Dowty only had a relatively short production run of main-gear legs, not all went on Halifax V's - many spare main-gear parts were held in M U stores and issued as needed - even after the Mk. 2 (series I, series 1A (special) and series II) production had ended. They were not always used on a "first-in, first-out" stock management...