| Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax |
| Nationality |
British |
| Aircraft Type |
Heavy Bomber |
| First Flight |
25 October 1939 |
| Entered Service |
November 1940 |
| Crew |
7 |
| Notes |
Developed in response to Air Ministry Specification P.31/36.Details for B. Mk III. Where the Lancaster was in the main a single role target destroyer, the Halifax was the multi-role aircraft of Bomber Command |
| Specification |
| Powerplant |
Four 1.615 hp Bristol Hercules XVI radial piston engines |
| Performance |
| Speed |
454 km/h at 4.115 m. Long range Crusie 346 km/h at 6.100 m |
| Range |
1.658 km with maximum bomb load |
| Service Ceiling |
7.315 m |
| Dimensions |
| Wingspan |
31,75 m |
| Wing Area |
118,45 m² |
| Length |
21,36 m |
| Height |
6,32 m |
| Weights |
| Empty Weight |
17.345 kg |
| Maximum Take Off Weight |
29.484 kg |
| Weaponry |
| Guns |
One 0,303 in machine guns on flexible nose mount, four in dorsal and tail turets |
| Bombs etc. |
13.000 lb bombload |
| Versions |
| Prototypes |
Four 1.280 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin IX engines |
| B. Mk I Series I |
Initial production version; Merlin X engines |
| B. Mk I Series II |
Stressed for extra weight; Merlin X engines |
| B. Mk I Series III |
Increased tankage; Four Merlin X or XX engines |
| B. Mk II Series I |
Increased tankage. Merlin XXS or XXII engines with 4-gun dorsal turret |
| B. Mk I Series I (Special) & Series IA |
Merlin 22 engines; dorsal turret; One .303 in Vickers K gun in persplex nose |
| B. Mk II Series II |
Merlin 65 engines |
| B. Mk III Prototype |
Hercules XVI engines, One Mk II conversion |
| A. Mk III |
Mk III conversions to glider-tug |
| C. Mk III |
Mk III conversions to transport |
| Mk IV |
Project only |
| MK V |
Modified Mk II; Built in Series I. IA and Series IA (Special) corresponding to Mk IIs eries; Some converted to maritime and Ground reconnaissance |
| C.MK VIII variants |
1.675 hp Bristol Hercules 100 engines |
| B. Mk VI |
Modified Mk III; increased tankage; filters; 1,675 hp Hercules 100s |
| C. Mk VI |
Mk Vi conversions to transport |
| A. Mk VII |
Glider tug version |
| B. Mk VII |
Final bomber version; As Mk VI but Hercules XVI engines |
| C. Mk VII |
Mk VII conversion to transport of 24 troops |
| C. Mk VIII |
Transport version 11 passengers |
| A. Mk IX |
Post war variant |
