Handley Page Halifax | World War Photos

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: Halifax B.VI RG610 DY-K of No. 102 Squadron RAF

: Halifaxes of No. 35 Squadron PFF at Graveley October 1942

: Halifax Mk II Srs I W7676 TL-P of No. 35 Squadron RAF

: Halifax Mk II Srs I W7676 TL-P of No. 35 Squadron RAF

: Halifax W1108 NP-E of No. 158 Squadron RAF at East Moor July 42

: Halifax A.V LL312 9U-T with D-Day stripes at Tarrant Rushton 1944

: Handley Page Halifax V LK630

: Meteorological Halifax V LK966 of No. 518 Squadron RAF in Ireland

: Halifax twin waist position

: Halifax RG414 of No. 518 Squadron RAF at Tiree May 1945

: Boulton-Paul Type E rear turret

: Halifax rear turret

: Boulton Paul Type E tailgun turret with four .303 (7.62 mm) machine guns

: Halifax LQ-Q of No. 405 Squadron RCAF bombing up with 1000 pounders, August 1942

: Halifax NP-E of No. 158 Squadron RAF

: Halifax named OttAzzEll

: Cargo and passenger transport aircraft

: Halifax Mk I L7245

: Bomber converted into military transport aircraft

: Mk VII converted into paratroop transport and glider tug aircraft

: Halifax B.II Series IA

: Halifax LL126 KN-W of No. 77 Squadron RAF March 1944

: Halifax LK735 ZL-Z and EB248 ZL-U of No. 427 Squadron RAF

: Halifax L7245 2

: Crashed Halifax K of No. 462 Squadron RAAF El Daba

: Halifax JB911 KN-X and KN-M of No. 77 Squadron RAF July 1943

: Halifax III QB-O MZ986 named Oscar of No. 424 Squadron RCAF at Skipton on Swale

: Halifax II Srs I Special “Maid of the Mountains” 1944

: Halifax III NR187 May 1945

: Halifax VI of 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit

: Halifax II Srs1 Special Malta

: Halifax II Srs1 Special BB324 ZA-X of of No. 77 Squadron RAF

: Halifax II Srs I W7871 at Luqa Malta 1943

: Halifax II LQ-R of No. 405 Squadron RCAF

: Halifax I L7245 3

: Halifax II 1944

: Halifax II October 1944

: Halifax I L7245 in day bomber camouflage with yellow undersides

: Halifax I L7245

: Damaged Halifax HR948 of 51 Squadron RAF after attack on Berlin 23-24 Aug 1943

: Halifax II HR926 TL-L of No. 35 Squadron RAF

: Halifax HR868 MH-B of No. 51 Squadron RAF damaged 20-21 December 1944 over Frankfurt

: Halifax HR837 NP-F of No. 158 Squadron RAF hit by 1000 lb bomb, 29 June 1943

: Halifax HR837 NP-F hit by 1000 lb bomb, 29 June 1943

: Halifax HR837 NP-F of No. 158 Squadron hit by 1000 lb bomb, 29 June 1943

: Halifax VI H7-L of No. 346 “Guyenne” Squadron

: Halifax pilot Group Captain L.C. Slee DSO DFC, 49 Sqyadron

: Halifax B.V JP246 FS-B of No. 148 (Special Duties) Squadron RAF, July 1944

: Halifax II DK168 MP-H of No. 76 Squadron RAF 22 October 1943

: Halifax crews of 77 Squadron Elvington 1943

: Halifax B VI RG490 of No. 347 “Tunisie” Squadron

: Halifax VI C Flight 51 Squadron RAF at Snaith 1944

: Silver-finished Halifax C VIII, 1945

: Halifax C.VIII PP310

: Halifax B VI of No. 466 Squadron RAF 1945

: Halifax B II Srs1 Special DT792 of No. 10 Squadron RAF

: Halifax B II Srs1 Special

: Halifax at Evere Belgium

: Glider tug Halifax A.IX RT796

: Halifax 1944 2

: Halifax and crews of of No. 462 Squadron RAAF Middle East, August 1943

: Halifax LQ-Q of 405 Squadron RCAF bombing up with 1000 pounders

: Halifax of No. 76 Squadron RAF with Bristol B12 Mk 1 turret

: Halifax MP-L of No. 76 Squadron RAF

: Halifax MP-D of No. 76 Squadron RAF

: Halifaxes of No. 35 Squadron RAF at Wyton 22 October 1942

: Halifax IA of No. 1577 Heavy Bomber (Special Duties) Flight RAF at Dhamial Rawalpindi 1945

: Halifax 2

: Halifax Mk II Srs I W7676 TL-P of No. 35 Squadron RAF

: Halifax B II “Xpress Delivery” of No. 158 Squadron RAF

: Halifax B.VII LV857

: Hit by Flak Halifax B III MZ759 NP-Q of No. 158 Squadron RAF

: Halifax W7710 LQ-R of No. 405 Squadron RCAF

: bombs being prepared for loading into a Halifax

: Halifax Met Mk V LK966 of No. 518 Squadron RAF over Tiree

: Halifax cockpit with control column and instrument panel

: Shot Down Halifax Mk V DK183 ZL-S, June 1941

: 4 Group bomb dump with incendiary containers, Winter 1944-1945

: French Halifax VI L8-N of No. 347 Squadron RAF

: Handley Page Halifax on grass airfield 1943

: Halifax B Mk III

: 35 Squadron Halifax bombers over Brest 18 December 1941

: French Halifax B Mk VI RG645

: Halifax II Srs1 W7773 in flight

: Halifax II Special DT792

: Halifax Mk II Special named Ceylon

: Halifax B Mk II Series I Special

: 2nd prototype Halifax L7245 at Radlett 1940

: Handley Page Halifax II series 1 MP-B of No. 76 Squadron RAF

: Halifax II Series IA JP228 with H2S radar

: Early Halifax II North Africa

: Halifax II series 1 Special BB325

: Halifax warming up engines 1944

: Halifax Mk I Series 1 L9530 MP-L of No. 76 Squadron RAF

: Halifax III named Joly Roger

: Halifax Mk I Series 1 L9530 MP-L of No. 76 Squadron RAF 2

: Handley Page Halifax Mk.III “Angel” DT-A of 192 (Special) Sqn

: Halifax H7-K of No. 346 (French) Squadron RAF

: Transport aircraft Halifax C VIII

: Halifax II Series 1 L9619 ZA-E of No. 10 Squadron RAF 1941

: Halifax II Srs 1 Special W1169 S of No. 462 Squadron RAAF

: Halifax B VI in flight

: Halifax II L9613 NF-V of No. 138 Squadron RAF (Special Duties) Egypt 1942

: Halifax Mk II HR918

: Halifax towing Horsa glider

: Halifax A IX RT764

: Halifax Mk II Srs I W7676 TL-P of No. 35 Squadron RAF in flight

: Halifax B Mk II Series 1A LW263 EY-E of No. 78 Squadron RAF in flight

: Glider tug Halifax VII PN292 of No. 298 Squadron RAF

: Crew loading bombs onto Halifax of No. 76 Squadron RAF 1941

: Halifax B II srs 1a JP121 with H2S radar

: Halifax B I in flight

: Halifax left side

: Halifax Mk V sr 1a LK630 in flight

: No. 426 Squadron RCAF Halifax OW-H with H2S radome under the rear fuselage

: Halifax III LV907 NP-F “Friday the 13th” of No. 158 Squadron RAF London 1945

: Halifax Mk I L7245 second prototype

The Handley Page Halifax was one of the front-line, four-engine heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during World War II. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing.

Handley Page produced the H.P.56 twin-Vulture engined design to meet Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 but performance was found to be lacking. Modifications resulted in the definitive H.P.57 Halifax design; the aircraft was enlarged and powered by four 1,280 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin X engines. Such was the promise of the new model that the RAF had placed their first order for 100 Mk I Halifaxes before the first prototype even flew on September 24, 1939, shortly after the start of the war. The Halifax entered service with No. 35 Squadron RAF at Linton on Ouse in November 1940 and its first operational raid was against Le Havre on the night of March 11-12, 1941.
The Mk I had a 22 ft bomb bay as well as six bomb cells in the wings, enabling it to carry 13,000 lb (5,897 kg) of bombs. Defensive armament consisted of two .303-in Browning machine guns in the nose, four in a tail turret and in some aircraft, two waist guns. Subtle modifications distinguished the Mk I aircraft. The first batch of Mk I Halifaxes were designated Mk I Series I. The Mk I Series II increased the aircraft’s gross weight (from 58,000 lb to 60,000 lb) and the Mk I Series III increased fuel capacity.

Introduction of 1,390 hp Merlin XX engines and a twin .303-in dorsal turret instead of waist guns resulted in the Mk II Series I Halifax. The Mk I Series I (Special) achieved improved performance by removing the nose and dorsal turrets. The Mk II Series IA had a moulded Perspex nose (the standard for future Halifax variants), a four-gun Defiant-type dorsal turret, Merlin 22 engines and larger tail surfaces which solved control deficiencies in the early Marks. The installation of Dowty landing gear and hydraulics (in place of the standard Messier equipment) on the Mk II Series I (Special) and IA produced the Mk V Series I (Special) and Mk V Series IA. A total of 1,966 Mk II and 915 Mk V Halifaxes were built.

The most numerous Halifax variant was the Mk III of which 2,091 were built. First appearing in 1943, the Mk III featured the Perspex nose and modified tail of the Mk II Series IA but replaced the Merlin with the more powerful 1,650 hp Bristol Hercules XVI radial engine. Other changes included DH Hydromatic propellers and rounded wing-tips. The Mk IV was a non-production design using a turbocharged Hercules powerplant.
The definitive version of the Halifax was the Mk VI, powered by the 1,800 hp Hercules 100. The final bomber version, the Mk VII, reverted to the less powerful Hercules XVI. However, these variants were produced in relatively small quantities.

The remaining variants were the Mk C.VIII unarmed transport (8,000 lb cargo pannier instead of a bomb bay, space for 11 passengers) and the Mk A.IX paratroop transport (space for 16 paratroopers and gear).
In addition to bombing missions, the Halifax served as a glider tug, ECM aircraft for RAF 100 Group and special operations such as parachuting agents and arms into occupied Europe. Halifaxes were also operated by Coastal Command for ASW, reconnaissance and meteorological roles.
Total Halifax production was 6,176 with the last aircraft delivered in November 1946. In addition to Handley Page, Halifaxes were built by English Electric, Fairey Aviation, Rootes Motors and the London Aircraft Production Group. Peak production resulted in one Halifax being completed every hour.

Post-WWII, Halifaxes remained in service with the RAF Coastal and Transport commands and the Armée de l’Air until early 1952.
The Halifax was also operated by squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force.