During the Berlin Airlift Halifaxes were used as heavy freight transporters. A detachable pannier was fitted to the underside of the fuselage to increase the capacity. This proved invaluable for the transportation of salt. Sunderland flying boats were earmarked for this task as they were treated against the corrosive effects of salt water. However when Lake Havel froze over in the winter months the Sunderlands were unable to operate and the Halifaxes took over. Because the panniers were separate from the main airframe the controls were protected from the corrosive effect of the salt and any spillage just blew away in the slipstream. G-ALEF ‘Red Eagle’ was operated by Eagle Aviation Ltd, one of several civil airlines to offer their services during the operation. ‘Red Eagle’ completed a total of 227 sorties during the airlift, carrying 1,481 tons of cargo. The aircraft was scrapped in 1950. Estimated release date: Coming Soon
