OCTOBER 2024 – Progress Report
OCT. 26, 2024
Halifax Project – PROGRESS
HI to all our Donors, Supporters and friends of the exciting “Halifax Project”, to restore and display a Halifax bomber for the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta.
As we approach Remembrance Week, up to Nov.11th, with all the special articles and ceremonies of the sacrifice and Victory of our Veterans, especially our Bomber Boys, we wanted to review all that has happened since our last report in September.
The most exciting event was the 2 outer wings for our Halifax rebuild arriving on July 30 from Scotland thanks to the RCAF C-17, over 50 feet of wings that will save us thousands of hours on the restoration.
All the details and special effort to get the wings to Canada can be seen by all of you on YOUTUBE if you just click on this BLUE line below, a half-hour show of all our efforts for this winged treasure from the Yorkshire Air Museum and the RAF Museum, see it all here:
No sooner had we got the 2 outer wings back to the REBUILDSHOP at Arnprior Airport, Ontario than Scott had more good news with the building of the rear wing spar ribs that go from the rear spar to the flaps. Scott has been able to hand make the rear wing ribs that are missing from the center wing and they are looking very good as they are attached to the rear spar.
See below, the rear wing ribs in situ, as we progress along the back of the 29 feet of the center-section. Scott has recently begun building and adding rib stringers to the trailing edge.
Also, we have a new sponsor for helping out with the Halifax wing rebuild, Kelowna Flightcraft in BC.
Thanks to D’Arcy Barker, Manager and his staff at Kelowna Flightcraft, who rebuild airliners into firebombers and cargo aircraft they also have the interest in warbirds and are working on warbirds too.
They agreed to make several Halifax wing nose ribs for us, after our request to have them replicate the nose ribs while we worked and continued on the back of the wing in Arnprior. Well, the fruits of their labours have arrived at the Rebuildshop as we received several nose ribs in a shipment just a couple of week ago.
SEE the nose rib examples we received, which will be installed in the coming weeks. Our hats off to D’ARCY and Kelowna Flightcraft for this great assistance to our Halifax assembly line.
While all this was going on I was wheeling and dealing on parts for the Halifax. I found another 4 NEW prop blades for the project in the UK. The deal is pending but we agreed on a price of 6,500 pounds sterling for the crate of blades which is $11,700. for all 4 prop blades.
Well, the 99’s Womens Pilot group of Canada started the ball rolling and donated $3,500. to the “Prop Fund”, then we got a donation of $1,000. from the Wright family. Then my favourite cousins David and Jim came up with big donation so we are over the half-way point to get these props.
See photo example of new props just like the ones I have located – the ones in the crate are the correct serial numbers but due to space limits I could not get them out of their oil cloth wrappers in the crate !. But they are pristine. You get the picture. I hope you will donate to the Prop Fund!
Further to this, I have found a 90 per cent complete early model Boulton-Paul Halifax mid-upper turret and the owner has quoted me a price of $16,000, which includes a large amount of Boulton-Paul spare parts besides the turret. While this is a rare turret and we do need one, as all we have is a Tail turret so far, I am going to make a counter offer soon to see if a deal can be made.
Photos of the mid-upper turret are restricted by me, BUT will be provided to any Halifax die-hard supporter and keen donor who wants to sponsor the mid-upper turret acquisition , obviously a gem for our Halifax!
To all of you who could NOT make my Sept. 21 “HALIFAX Presentation” at BCMC it was well received with about 200 people attending as I explained the Halifax Projects years highlights with the big news about the 54 feet of outer wings airlifted by the RCAF in July.
The good news is Ken Cook a videographer from Calgary recorded the entire Halifax presentation at BCMC on Sept. 21 and it is available to view – the short version is here – just click on the uploaded video at the bottom of this report. This is a SHORT version, the long version – 1 HOUR – will be ONLINE soon.
While Scott and his team work on the Halifax airframe at Arnprior, Karl K. and his team in Nanton, Alberta at BCMC are hard at it on No. 2 running Hercules engine fitting engine cowlings and assembling the giant propellers for the Halifax.’
Bob and Zack from our team admiring the 13 foot propeller waiting to go on the Hercules engine
Cowlings and air scoop in place with leading edge cowling – on right ready to go on
Frontal view of fitting leading edge cowling for Hercules engine
H57RC is still looking for more Halifax bombers underwater as we have 2 new targets in other countries.
I should tell you the Sweden recovery of Halifax HR871 is still on the front burner. We had a sonar survey done this last summer of 2024 to look for MORE Halifax HR871 parts that we may have missed in our recoveries in 2023 — so I am waiting for SCSC Sweden to let me know when the survey processing is complete and they can let me know what they found.
I did spend a week in the UK in early OCT. loading up 3 BIG crates of Halifax wing, props, flap, tail, and fuselage parts, and now we are waiting till my next trip over in late Nov. to launch these crates to Canada.
Each crate will cost about $500. to send on Air Canada air cargo, so hope you will consider sponsoring the cost of a crate to ship the parts home to Scott and the rebuild crew.
Also, we have decided to put #2 Hercules engine – running great – into hibernation and take her off the yellow engine-run trailer. Now we will bring #3 Hercules – new from a crate – from static display at BCMC and install her on the engine-run trailer and get her operational for next summer at our engine runs in 2025.
Here are the EVENTS – Engine runs schedule for 2025, so mark them down for when you want to come to Nanton, Alberta to BCMC.
BCMC – 2025 EVENT SCHEDULE
Sat, May 10 – 80th Anniversary of VE Day/Night Run
Engine runs: 2:00pm & 9:00pm*
Sat, Jun 21 – Open Cockpit Day
Engine run: 2:00pm*
Sat, Jul 19 – Mosquito Celebration Day
Engine run: 2:00pm*
Mon, Aug 4 – Nanton Parade Day
Engine run: 2:00pm*
Sat, Aug 23 – Bikes & Bombers
Engine run: 2:00pm*
Sat, Sep 20 – Halifax 57 Rescue Update/Night Run
Engine runs: 2:00pm & 9:00pm*
Well that is about most of the news for now, there is a lot more cookin’ in the “Halifax kitchen” –- ”you don’t know the half of it” — but I will not announce anything until we have fully investigated and we are ready to go after these treasures for our Halifax.
We still urgently need your support with donations and continued funding to gather and rebuild all things Halifax.
I will send out a Remembrance Message very soon as we approach Nov 11th.
But for now, thanks for your support and let us not waver nor blink in the face of Halifax Project adversity, we can do this, just as our heroes did, so many in Halifaxes, that gave us Victory and FREEDOM.
Give us a shot in the arm with your DONATIONS, you know we are worthy to receive your support.
WE LEAVE NO HALIFAX BEHIND’
Regards, KK
Halifax 57 Rescue email: 57rescuecanada@rogers.com
Remember, to DONATE any funds to ”Save the Halifax” and support us, we will still use the Fundrazr 417498 site. IF you click on the DONATE button on the NEW website it will direct you back to Fundrazr. We may have a new method in the future to Donate but not right now.
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