Halifax rear turret
Defensive armament of the Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber:
Initial Prototypes and Early Production:
- The first prototype, L7244, had a manually operated tail gun turret, the specific type of which is not specified.
- The second prototype, L7245, introduced a Boulton Paul tail turret.
- Early production aircraft featured a combination of turrets and beam-mounted guns:
- Nose Turret: Initially, a Boulton Paul nose turret was fitted.
- Dorsal Turret: A Boulton Paul Type C twin-gun dorsal turret was standard in the Halifax I Series 3.
- Tail Turret: Early aircraft had a four-gun Boulton Paul Type E tail turret.
- Beam Guns: Some early production batches, like the Halifax I Series 2, were equipped with Vickers K-guns mounted in pairs amidships to provide additional firepower along the aircraft’s flanks.
Armament Modifications and Challenges:
- Daylight Operations and Vulnerability: The early Halifax’s defensive armament proved inadequate for daylight operations. The limited range of the .303 inch machine guns made it difficult to fend off heavily armed German fighters. After suffering losses, Halifax operations were primarily restricted to night raids.
- Shift to Increased Firepower: To enhance the Halifax’s defenses, several armament modifications were explored:
- Heavier Caliber Guns: There was a push to incorporate heavier caliber guns, particularly .50 inch Brownings and 20mm cannons. However, wartime production constraints and the prioritization of these weapons for newer aircraft types limited their availability for the Halifax.
- Four-Gun Mid-Upper Turret: The adoption of a Defiant-type Boulton Paul Type A four-gun mid-upper turret, first tested on L9515, offered a significant increase in firepower with a lower drag profile compared to the earlier Type C turret. This turret became a standard feature on later Halifax II variants, designated as Series 1A.
- Removal of Nose and Mid-Upper Turrets: In a bid to improve performance, particularly speed and range, later Halifax variants, like the Mk II Series 1 (Special), saw the removal of the nose and mid-upper turrets. This change was driven by the belief that turrets were less critical for night operations and the performance gains outweighed the reduction in firepower.
- Under-Defense Challenges and Solutions: The Halifax, like many bombers of the era, faced challenges in defending the underbelly of the aircraft. To address this, various solutions were tested:
- Ventral Turrets: The Boulton Paul Type O ventral turret, designed for the early cannon-armed Halifax II concept (H.P. 58), was never put into production. Later, the FN.64 turret, armed with twin .50 inch Brownings, was introduced, though it suffered from overheating issues.
- Ventral Blisters: Experimental installations of twin .50 inch Brownings in ventral blisters were trialed on some aircraft, such as HR909 and NA137.
- Preston-Green Mounting: Ultimately, the Preston-Green mounting, accommodating a single .50 inch Browning, became the preferred solution for under-defense. This mounting proved more effective at long range compared to the ventral turret options.
Later Marks and Standardization:
- The later marks of the Halifax, particularly the Mk III onwards, generally saw a standardization of armament, primarily featuring:
- Dorsal Turret: The Boulton Paul Type A four-gun mid-upper turret, often installed at deck level for reduced drag.
- Tail Turret: While a twin .50 inch Boulton Paul Type D tail turret was envisioned early on, it did not become available until 1944.