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The 100 Club.

Five Handley Page Halifax BIII's are known to have reached at least 100 operations. A tough enough feat in itself, however a remarkable fact is that three of these aircraft spent time on 578 squadrons books. A great tribute both to the skill of the aircrews and to the high quality of maintenance carried out by the ground crews.

 

LV937: Flew with 578 until April1944 as LK-X & LK-R. It was then transferred to 51 squadron where it completed at least 100 sorties. As MH-E it became known as "Expensive Babe". LV937 suffered a tail wheel collapse when it was bounced on landing at High Ercall on 1st July 1945. The veteran bomber was struck off charge and scrapped three weeks later.

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LV937 at 100 ops with 51 squadron

LW587: Flew as LK-V and LK-A. LW587 completed its 100th op on 3/4th March 1945 to Kamen. It went on to complete 104 operations before 578 was stood down. It did not fly with any other squadrons and was struck off charge in September 1946.

MZ527: Flew as LK-W and LK-D, this aircraft also completed its 100th op on 3/4th March 1945. It completed at least 105 ops before 578 were stood down. It did not survive long once its time with 578 was over and MZ527 was struck off charge in April 1945.

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MZ527 beats up the Burn control tower, F/Lt "Maxir" Baer at the controls