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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 2257.PDF
53° FLIGHT Halifax A-IX Airborne Transport New Version of Handley Page Bomber : Bomb Bay to Carry : •' Fuel or Supplies <•- ! ;• ^ > Illustrated by "Flight" photographs MEETING the requirements of both the R.A.F. andthe Airborne Forces, Handley Pages have pro-duced a specialised "version of the Halifax anddesignated it the A-IX, - Although designed primarily for use by the Airborne. Forces, it can still be operated as a bomber or transport. A crew of six is carried, and there is accommodation for • 16 fully-equipped paratroops and two dispatchers. The outline of the aircraft is scarcely altered, but inter- nally there are a number of innovations. The rear turret, which formerly carried four 0.303m. machine guns, is now replaced by a Boulton Paul D turret mounting two 0.5m.' guns. There is no mid-upper gun position. v An inward-opening main entrance door also provides the paratroop exit. The dimensions of the door are 33m. by 59m., and it is operated by a hand lever on^the port wall of the fuselage. Two rails take the static lines from the paratroops' canopies and, after a drop, these lines are hauled aboard by winches attached .to the rear spar. On the ceiling of the fuselage, immediately above the jumping aperture, there is a signalling panel operated by the air bomber who "aims" the paratroops or supplies. All the crew and paratroop positions have controlled heating available to counteract cold weather or high-flying conditions. Considerable, supplies of oxygen are also car- ried. The batteries of. oxygen bottles are in the floor, below the flight engineer's position. - A streamline pannier may be fitted into the bomb bay to carry 8,ooo lb. of military, equipment or, if required, long-range fuel tanks can take the place of the pannier. Two large-capacity "J" type inflatable dinghies are provided for the safety of the crew, and stowage space is available for " K " dinghies for both crew and troops.- (Top) The retractable tailwheel and the glider-towing cable attachment. (Bottom) A glimpse of the pilot's cockpit showing the engine control box. The air bomber's panel with its row of bomb selector switches. is on the starboard side of the clear-vision nose. The release switch is stowed in a spring clip.
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