Hello I am trying to find out as much as I can with regards to Halifax Mk. III LW682. I know she was produced at Preston but can someone fill in the blanks, e.g., where exactly the final assembly took place, the contract number for her, who flew the aircraft to the 432 Squadron in Yorkshire, how many other planes were built under this specific contract and absolutely any other information pertaining to LW682. Thanks for your help. Jay Hammond Sooke, British Columbia
Halifax LW682 Halifax BIII LW682 [Royal Air Force Aircraft Serial and Image Database] Accident Handley Page Halifax Mk III LW682, 13 May 1944 Handley-Page Halifax Halifax LW682 426 Squadron Halifax III LW682 OW-M P/O. Bentz, RAF Linton on Ouse, Mjr. Martin Drewes, Geraadsbergen, Belgium Handley Page Halifax Forum-Halifax Mk III LW682 Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire. Halifax LW682 was built by English Electric Co Ltd at Salmesbury, Lancs and was listed in the serial batch of LW671-LW696 to Contract No. ACFT/1808, requisition HA1/E11/42, for 360 aircraft in total. Serial numbers of Halifax LW Series RAF Aircraft Serial Numbers Database Below are the links to all the Operations Record Books for 432 Squadron during WW2 http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12306 http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12307 http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12308
Thank you very much. Can you tell me if the final works on putting the bomber together were done at Salmesbury? Also was there a particular unit that flew the newly made bombers to operational squadrons? Really appreciate your help. Jay Hammond
The ATA was used to deliver aircraft (and move aircraft around)……a few of articles below on the Air Transport Auxilliary Air Transport Auxiliary https://www.flightlineweekly.com/post/2018/07/17/wwii-ladies-of-the-air-air-transport-auxiliary Air Transport Auxiliary AND to move aircraft from Canada/US to the UK, Ferry Command was the organization Ocean bridge : the history of R.A.F. Ferry Command : Christie, Carl A. (Carl Andrew), 1942- : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive (Ocean Bridge, History of Ferry Command) RAF Ferry Command - Wikipedia Gander Airport Historical Society Gander Airport Historical Society - RAF Ferry Command North Atlantic Aviation MuseumAtlantic Ferry Command
Thank you very much for your reply. Much appreciated. Was Salmesbury where all the component parts put together then the final plane rolled off the line?
I personally do not know, hopefully other members on this site, with more knowledge of that plant can give you the information your seeking
Regarding this particular contract final assembly would be at Salmesbury. All component parts would have been delivered by the many sub contractors to Salmesbury in order to allow final assembly to take place. After rolling off the production line, the aircraft would be test flown by the company test pilots. After being accepted as flight worthy, the aircraft would be flown to a RAF MU where equipment such as radar type,(H2S for Bomber Command and ASV for Coastal Command,) wireless, navigation and bombsight equipment was fitted as required for anticipated service. Some might destined as glider tugs and would converted to glider towing. If extra fuel tanks were envisaged for a particular role, these would be fitted at the MU but sometimes on the squadron. If an aircraft was to be allocated overseas, then it would receive a specification to cope with weather conditions likely to be experienced in its theatre of operations. From the MU the aircraft would be dispatched to UK RAF stations via the ATA for issue to squadrons as replacements or for the establishment of new squadrons. For delivery to overseas RAF units, aircraft would be routed through transport stations such as RAF Lynham to the RAF unit by a Ferry Transport Unit. (FTU No 301 was based at Lynham, Wiltshire)
