These pages presented here by members of the IPMS "Buzz" Beurling modelers club. We encourage you to become involved in this fascinating restoration project, but we do wish to point out that we are not an official representative of the Halifax Aircraft Association, and are only providing these pages to further what we feel is a very worthwhile project.

Much of what is shown below (photos excepted) has been taken directly from the information package provided by the Halifax Aircraft Association, though any typographical errors are likely mine ( Brian MacNamara - macnamarahedgehoghollow.com)

In September, 1995, Handley Page Halifax MK VII NA337 was recovered from the bottom of Lake Mjosa in Norway. The Halifax Aircraft Association has been formed to help restore this, the only complete original Halifax bomber in existence.

The following pages come from the paper "THE PHOENIX HAS RISEN" by Jeff Jeffery, D.F.C. as provided by the Halifax Aircraft Association: (note: these images average between 60 to 140kb)

• pages 1/2 - description (Text)
• page 3 - pictures (1)
• page 4 - pictures (2)
• page 5 - pictures (3)
• page 6 - Newspaper article
• page 7 - Norwegian Underground Report
• page 8 - Air Transport Operation Report

For those of you who would like to assist in this exciting endevour, and we would strongly encourage you to do so, the HAA is looking for:

• Members/Donations $20.00/yr and/or however much more you wish to donate,
• and is selling a fantastic video tape of the raising operation.

Our (IPMS "Buzz" Beurling) intention for putting together these web pages is to let the world follow the restoration of the Halifax, and, to try and encourage support for the Halifax Association.

After the arrival of the Halifax at CFB Trenton, Dave Askett was fortunate enough to gain access to it while the parts were laid out. He is hoping to follow the restoration with various sets of photos as things progress:

• Arrival at Trenton (note: this page contains approximately 70 thumbnail images and may take considerable time to load over slower links).

• Large format pictures of the layout at Trenton. These images are again of the layout in the Sears building shortly after arrival at Trenton, and I believe were supplied by the RCAF Memorial Museum. (note: the 5 pictures accessible by the thumbnail images on this page are quite large and can take considerable time to download over slower links).

• Early during restoration at Trenton. These images are of the early stages of the restoration, which, by the way, is proceeding at an incredibly fast pace, but as the pictures show, with a real eye to quality and doing things right.

While there is an incredible amount of work to be done, the state of preservation is truly amazing for a plane that's was under water for 50 odd years.

Random notes on the aircraft configuration:

This particular aircraft was a bomber, glider tug and transport, and used for covert operations (dropping agents and supplies) throughout Europe, hence the removal of upper turret and replacement with a plywood plug, and the similar removal of the H2S, with supplies being dropped through the resulting hole in the floor.

The (very complete) interior was stripped by the restoration volunteers and the instrumentation is fully restored to all its former glory, ready for installation into a restored fuselage when that happens. This is in storage, apart from the rest of the aircraft. The armament (ammo belts of .303 rounds) is still in Norway pending deactivation and transportation, by the military.

Restorations Trivia

• Much of what appears to be corrosion in the pictures is actually just bare metal which as discoloured. In accordance with wartime efforts, the RAF did not bother with priming, a fact especially apparent on the insides, where the inside fuselage was left in natural metal anywhere past the immediate crew stations.

• When the Halifax arrived at CFB Treton, the Canadian Forces allowed it to be put up in #7 Hangar (which as far as we know, was itself a WW2 vintage building).

• Storage requirements for the Forces efforts in Bosnia relief, required the hangar, so the Halifax was moved to donated storage space at the Sears warehouse, in Belleville. Not as spacious, but storage space, none-the-less.

• The National Airforce Museum of Canada, at CFB Trenton, has added a 40,000sq.ft addition, which will house additional indoor displays and has as a centrepiece, the restored Halifax.