Lucky for some! World War 2 bomber named 'Friday the 13th' which flew more successful missions than any other remembered on the 70th anniversary of its first flight

  1. •RAF 158 Squadron lost a succession of Halifax bombers during the Second World War all with the registration F

  2. •When their new plane arrived with same registration crewmen refused to fly on it, believing it was cursed

  3. •Flight Officer Cliff R R Smith branded the superstition 'stuff and nonsense' and named the plane Friday the 13th

  4. •He also pained a scythe on the side, a skull and crossbones and an upside down horseshoe to break the curse

  5. •The bomber ended up flying 128 missions without being shot down, more than any other Halifax aircraft

  6. •The 70th anniversary of its maiden flight on March 30 1944  is being celebrated at the Yorkshire Air Museum

By Chris Pleasance

PUBLISHED: 19:29, 30 March 2014 | UPDATED: 21:22, 30 March 2014

A Second World War bomber nicknamed 'Friday the 13th' which was never shot down despite flying 128 missions is to be celebrated on the 70th anniversary of its first mission.

The Halifax bomber got its black-humoured name after 158 Squadron lost seven of the same bombers in succession, all bearing the registration letter F.

When their newest aircraft LV907 arrived with the registration NP-F some crewmen refused to fly in it, so Pilot Officer Cliff R R Smith gave it the unusual name, decorated it with a grim reaper's scythe, a skull and crossbones and an upside down horseshoe in order to break the curse.


Friday the 13th was a Halifax bomber serving with 158 Squadron during the Second World War. She flew a total of 128 missions, more than any other Halifax aircraft


The unusual name was given to the plane after 158 Squadron had several aircraft with the registration F shot down in succession. When their new aircraft arrived with the same letter on it, the Flight Officer decided to try and break the curse


Flight Officer Cliff R R Smith branded the superstition 'stuff and nonsense', named the plane Friday the 13th, and painted a skull and crossbones, a Grim Reaper's scythe and an upside down horseshoe on the side

Smith even painted an open ladder above the crew hatch so they would have to walk under it as they climbed on board, and painted over the parachute escape hatch on the belly of the plane, but these details were later removed.

Smith's efforts proved successful, and on its very first mission Friday the 13th saved the life of its pilot, Joe Hitchman, who was swapped from his regular aircraft on to the new bomber at the last minute.

Hitchman's regular plane was shot down during that raid on March 30th 1944, along with 100 other aircraft, but Friday the 13th returned to base safely.

The plane went on to fly a total of 128 missions, more than any other Halifax aircraft, making it one of the most successful bombers to fly during the war.


On the bomber's first mission on March 30 1944 it saved the life of pilot Joe Hitcman who was swapped from his regular aircraft on to the new one at the last minute. His old plane was shot down, but Friday returned to base unscathed


The original Friday the 13th was scrapped after the end of the war along with all other Halifax aircraft, but the Yorkshire Air Museum have rebuilt it from spare parts. It is the only surviving Halifax anywhere in the world


There were more than 6,000 Handley Page Halifax aircraft built during the War to fly heavy bomber missions into Europe, but their role in the conflict is often overshadowed by their more well known contemporary the Avro Lancaster which completed the famous dam-busters raid

Seventy years after its first outing, the story of the famous aircraft which cheated disaster time and time again is being remembered at the Yorkshire Air Museum with the only complete Halifax in the world.

The Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington, York, North Yorks., proudly displays an exact replica of Friday the 13th, which was unceremoniously scrapped after the war, at the York Aircraft Repair Depot at Clifton airfield.

The museum's spokesman, Ian Richardson, said: 'The project to recreate this legendary aircraft was started in 1986, soon after the museum's formation, and work is still going on. However, standing as a tribute to all air and ground crews of Bomber Command, it draws visitors from all over the world.


The Halifax aircraft is actually a reconstruction made from other aircraft parts. Before being bought by the museum the fuselage was in use as a hen coop on the Isle of Lewis


The full crew of Friday the 13th were: Pilot Officer Cliff Smith, from London. Harold King, Navigator and Keith Smith, bomb aim, both from New Zealand. Flt. Sgt. Eric King, air gunner, from Ipswich. Rod Neary Flt. Engineer from Enfield. Ron Clarkson, Mid Upper Gunner, from Australia and Stan Hardacre, Rear Gunner, from Bradford, Yorkshire


During its first mission, 100 other Bomber Command aircraft were shot down, with seven crew on each aircraft, but Friday the 13th returned to base safely

'Over the years we have had hundreds, even thousands of visitors who travel to see the aircraft. We've had a lot of visitors from Australia and Canada who have discovered relatives who were in service and are hoping to retrace their steps.'

Talking about the restoration work, Mr Richardson added: 'It has been a real labour of love. We have had lots of different people working on it over the years and some who are no longer with us, but there has always been people willing get involved with the project.'

The replica is a product of years of painstaking restoration and rebuilding work by dozens of dedicated volunteers keen to see one of the iconic aircraft saved for posterity.