Handley Page Halifax NA337 - National Air Force Museum - Trenton ON
Posted by: 
jiggs11
N 44° 06.928 W 077° 33.041
18T E 295896 N 4887861
Handley Page Halifax Bomber NA337
Waymark Code: WMEHAW
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 05/30/2012
Views: 12
Of the over 6,000 Halifax bombers built for the Allied Forces in WW II there are only 2 remaining in the world. The Halifax located here is the ONLY Halifax that has been restored from 1 aircraft.
NA337 was flown by 644 Sqn RAF, and was on a Resistance resupply mission over Norway when it was shot down by German AA fire. It landed in Lake Mjosa in Norway, killing 5 of the 6 crewmembers. In 1991, 2 witnesses to the 1945 crash found the exact spot.
The Halifax Aircraft Association of Canada, looking for a suitable aircraft for their purpose, discovered that a Halifax aircraft, NA337, had been located in Lake Mjøsa. If it could be salvaged and restored to its original wartime condition, it would be a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives while serving their country.
Colonel L.A. Wright, the Canadian Air Attaché to Norway, and John Stene DFC and Bar, a Norwegian, arranged with the Norwegian government that full rights of salvage be granted to the Association.
The Dacon Subsea Salvage Company, who had developed a salvage plan, was awarded a contract in 1995 to raise the aircraft from the bottom of the lake. After many difficulties, caused by weather and equipment problems, the aircraft was successfully raised.
Colonel Roare Glenn, the Director of the Norwegian Air Museum at Gardermoen, arranged with the Norwegian Army to provide heavy equipment to move the aircraft onto the beach at Hias.
A team of technicians, from CFB Trenton, dismantled, cleaned and crated the aircraft components for shipment to the RCAF Memorial Museum for restoration.
After 350,000 man-hours, the Halifax was unveiled in 2005, and serves as the centrepiece of the National Air Force Museum of Canada.
Type of Aircraft: (make/model): Handley Page Halifax Mark V
Tail Number: (S/N): NA337
Construction:: original aircraft
Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): National Air Force Museum of Canada, Trenton, ON
inside / outside: inside
Other Information::
Carries side markings of 2PX.
Access restrictions:
Admission is free.
Hours of operation:
April - October
Daily 10 - 5
October - April
Wednesday - Sunday 10 - 5
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Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)
Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.