Halifax cockpit with control column and instrument panel
Inside the Halifax Cockpit: A Cramped but Functional Workspace
Layout: The pilot sat on the port (left) side of the cockpit, with a control wheel of the “spectacle” type in front of him. The smaller wheels inside this framework controlled the wheel brakes. The copilot (second pilot) sat on the starboard (right) side of the cockpit. The flight engineer’s compartment was located behind the pilots, separated by an armored bulkhead and door.
Instrument Panel: The main instrument panel stretched across the cockpit above the entrance to the navigator/bomb aimer’s compartment, which was below and forward of the pilots. Near the pilot’s position, a smaller spring-mounted panel was set into the main panel. This smaller panel held the following instruments:
- Airspeed indicator
- Artificial horizon
- Rate of climb indicator
- Altimeter
- Direction indicator
- Turn indicator
Additional Instruments: A separate small panel located near the fuselage wall housed the following:
- C.S. bombsight
- Steering indicator
- Blind-landing indicator
Accessibility: Access to the tail section of the aircraft was relatively easy due to the fuselage’s considerable depth.
Heating System: The Halifax was equipped with an effective heating system for the crew’s comfort. Hot air was supplied from special radiators incorporated into the glycol cooling system located behind and above each of the inboard engines. Air entering the engine nacelles was heated as it passed through these radiators and then directed into the fuselage through large-diameter flexible tubes, which branched out to supply various compartments.
Overall Environment: Like many wartime aircraft designed for mass production, the interior of the Halifax, including the cockpit, was cramped and functional. Refinements were few and the metal edges could be sharp. The crew had to contend with freezing temperatures that attacked ungloved fingers and penetrated their thick clothing.