VE Day 75: How a famous WWII bomber was brought back to life

This is a replica of one of the most successful bombers of WWII.

Nicknamed ‘Friday the 13th’, it flew 128 successful missions – more than any other Halifax aircraft.

Of the 6,000 of Handley Page Halifax heavy bombers, not one was saved for posterity, which makes this one special.

And it’s why the Yorkshire Air Museum took 20 years to peace together.

Friday the 13th got its name from Flight Officer Cliff R R Smith, who laughed off suggestions the plane might be cursed.

He also painted a scythe on the aircraft, a skull and crossbones and an upside down horseshoe.

So famous it became, the plane was displayed on Oxford Street after the war ended.

And fittingly, this replica now exists alongside flags of the Allied nations from VE Day itself.

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In This Story: Yorkshire

Yorkshire – often referred to by inhabitants as “God’s own country” – is a historic county in northern England. It’s known for its Roman and Viking heritage, as well as its Norman castles, medieval abbeys, Industrial Revolution-era cities and 2 national parks. The county town of York, founded by the Romans, is home to 13th-century cathedral York Minster, Tudor houses and medieval walls. The interactive Jorvik Viking Centre recalls the area’s 9th-century Norse occupation.

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