Handley Page Halifax
The Halifax strategic heavy bomber was, along with the Avro Lancaster, the mainstay of the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command, with 6127 built between 1940-1945. Less versatile than the better-known Lancasters because their bomb bay, divided into three compartments, could not carry huge individual bombs such as the 4000 lb “Cookie” or larger, Halifaxes could nonetheless carry 14,500 lbs of bombs that individually weighed up to 2000 lbs each.
First flown in 1939, Halifaxes entered service in November 1940 and saw combat in March 1941. At Bomber Command’s peak, it had 76 squadrons flying Halifaxes. In addition to bomber squadron duty, Halifaxes were also used in Pathfinder units that flew in advance of RAF nighttime bombing raids to locate the targets, then mark them with flares and colored incendiaries for the following bomber streams.
Nonetheless, the Halifax’s compartmentalized bomb bay’s inability to carry huge bombs led to their gradual replacement in operational squadrons by Avro Lancasters, starting in 1943. As Halifaxes were being withdrawn from strategic bombing, their role was gradually shifted to daylight tactical strikes to plaster enemy strong points, troop concentrations, transportation and communication hubs, oil facilities, and starting in the summer of 1944, V-1 missile launch sites.
During the war Halifaxes flew 82,000 sorties, dropping 224,000 tons of bombs, at the cost of 1883 bombers. Halifaxes were also flown by the RAF’s Coastal Command on reconnaissance, meteorological, anti-submarine missions, and mine laying. They were also used in supporting roles such as parachuting Special Operations Executive agents into occupied Europe, dropping arms and supplies to Resistance groups, electronic warfare, glider tugs, and when necessary, were impressed as transports to airlift fuel to stalled armies during crises when ground resupply proved insufficient.