Halifax B Mk III
Technical Specifications of the Halifax Mk III
The Halifax Mk III was powered by four 1,615 hp Bristol Hercules XVI radial engines and had a fuel capacity of 1,986 gallons. Its dimensions were:
- Span: 104 ft 2 in (31.75m)
- Length: 71 ft 7 in (21.85m)
- Height: 21 ft 7 in (6.6m)
- Wing area: 1,200 sq ft (111.5 sq m)
The performance of the Halifax Mk III was as follows:
- Max speed: 282 mph (454 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 241 mph (149 km/h)
- Ceiling: 24,000 ft (7,770m)
- Range: 2,350 miles (3,780 km)
- Climb to 20,000 ft (6,097m): 42 minutes
The Halifax Mk III had a loaded weight of 64,000 lb (29,056kg).
Its armament was the same as that of the GR.II Series I/IA, with the addition of a single 0.50 in gun in a Preston-Green ventral mount. The maximum bomb load was 10,000 lb (4,540 kg) in the fuselage and 3,000 lb (1,362 kg) in the wing cells. It also had H2S radar in the ventral position.
The Hercules radial engines gave the Mk III the performance the RAF had long desired. The increased performance of the Mk III is evident when compared to the Mk I, which had a maximum speed of 265 mph, a service ceiling of 18,000 feet, and a range of 1,860 miles.