Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear  Handley Page Halifax LK797 LK-E.   Pilot Officer Cyril Joe Barton, VC:  Born 5th June 1921 in Suffolk, Cyril Barton volunteered for aircrew duties and joined the RAFVR on 16th April 1941, qualifying as a Sergeant Pilot 10th November 1942. He and his crew went to No.1663 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) at Rufforth in Yorkshire. On 5th September 1943, they joined No.78 Squadron. Barton was commissioned as a pilot officer three weeks later. Undertaking their first operational sortie (a raid against Montlucon) they served with No.78 squadron until 15th January 1944. Having completed nine sorties, they were posted to No.578 Squadron. Their second sortie with the squadron, was against Stuttgart in Halifax LK797 which was a brand new aircraft. On 30th March 1944, having now completed six sorties in LK797 - which the crew had named Excalibur, they took off on a raid against Nuremburg. Whilst still 70 miles from the target, they were attacked head on by two enemy fighters. Excalibur had two fuel tanks punctured, both the radio and rear turret disabled, the starboard inner engine was on fire and the intercom lines were cut. Despite several determined attacks by a Ju88 nightfighter, and with the aid of his crew, Barton managed to avoid the attacks. Unfortunately following the first attack, the navigator, bomb aimer and wireless operator had misinterpreted signals given to them and bailed out. Despite these difficulties, Barton decided to press on to the target and drop his bombs. Guided only by the Pole Star and his pilot's flight map,, Barton started for home, crossing the English coast ninety miles north of Burn. Low on fuel he ordered the three remaining crew to crash positions behind the main spar. Soon after three engines cut out and Barton attempted the forced landing. He made a gallant attempt to put down clear of the houses over which he was flying and the aircraft ploughed through several gardens and greenhouses. The rear fuselage broke off and landed in a deep railway cutting with the three crewmen inside. Excalibur had crashed near Ryhope village colliery, Co. Durham. Pilot Officer Cyril Barton died of his injuries but as a result of his selfless actions, the three crewmen survived. On 27th June 1944, Cyril Barton was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.  Mutual Support by Philip West  In the depths of winter, Halifax aircraft of 158 Squadron based at RAF Lissett, Yorkshire, make their final preparations before take off. A remarkable aircraft much loved by its crews. Halifax Legend by Robert Taylor  RAF Pathfinder founder and Commander signs print featuring the four engined Halifax bomber.  Signatories: Don Bennett. Welcome Sight by Stephen Brown  The Handley Page Halifax, together with the Avro Lancaster, formed the backbone of the RAFs night offensive against Germany from 1942 to 1945 and finished the campaign with an impressive record of achievement.  "Welcome Sight" depicts Halifax Mk IIIs of 158 Squadron passing over the village of West Tanfield on the River Ure, heading for the bomber base of Lisset, Yorkshire.

Leading the Way by Gerald Coulson   On August 15th 1942, under the leadership of Don Bennett, a new group was formed from Bomber Command to develop specialised target finding and target marking.  Made up purely from experienced volunteers, this elite and highly trained group of men were known as the Pathfinders.  Up until this point the means available to Bomber Command of accurately finding their targets were totally lacking and the task of the Pathfinders was to develop techniques to precisely define these targets ahead of the main force.  Initially made up of four squadrons - Nos. 7 (Stirlings), 35 (Halifax), 83 (Lancaster) and 156 (Wellingtons) - they were based at a clutch of airfields between Cambridge and Huntingdon.  Originally part of No.3 Group Bomber Command the Pathfinder  Force was directly answerable to C-in-c Air Marshall Arthur Harris until January 1943 when it became a separate group, No.8 (PFF).  Personally selected for the task by Arthur Harris, the Australian born Don Bennett, just 32 years of age proved to be an inspired choice to form the Pathfinders.  A navigation expert without peers he was widely experienced in flying all types of aircraft including fighters, flying boats and bombers and already an experienced operational bomber captain.  Along with many of his colleagues, such as Hamish Mahaddie and John Searby he was responsible for instilling in his men the 'Pathfinder Spirit' - an intangible quality of dedication which bonded them together.  Pathfinder crews used a combination of personal skill and technical equipment to locate their targets.  Often flying against overwhelming odds and in appalling conditions they transformed the performance of a bomber force that in 1941 was dropping almost half its bombs on open countryside.  The first Pathfinder unit to fly the Halifax was 35 Squadron based at Graveley.  With some of the greatest Bomber Aircrew amongst their number the unit quickly gained a reputation for excellence that was second to none.  This superb new painting from one of the worlds most highly regarded Aviation Artists, Gerald Coulson, depicts a Halifax B MkII series 1A of 35 (PFF) Squadron on an operation over occupied Europe.  Flying at around 20,000 feet and completely alone and unprotected, the crew navigate their bomber well ahead of the main force, leading the way to their target.

Signatures for 'Leading the Way':  The following three signatures an on all editions: Flight Lieutenant John Rollins DFC AFC :  After joining the RAF in 1940 he was called up in early 1941 and entered OTU where he qualified as an observer and was then posted operationally to 466 Sqn at Leconfield on Wellingtons.  At the end of 1942 he joined 35 Sqn as a Navigator at Gravely as part of the Pathfinder Force, initially on the Halifax and later converting to Lancasters.  He remained with the Pathfinders until 1944 when he was posted to Stoney Cross to convert back to Wellington 1C's as a way of becoming reacquainted with two engined aircraft.  he spent the remainder of the war flying Dakota's in the Far East and left the RAF in mid 1946. Warrant Officer Ernest Kenwright DFC DFM : Joining the RAF in 1940 he was initially posted to Cardington as a driver and ended up on the Isle of Sheppey releasing explosive met balloons in order to hamper enemy aircraft.  Volunteering for aircrew he attended a gunnery course at Stormy Down in 1942 and shortly after joined 51 squadron at Snaith in Yorkshire, as a Rear Gunner on Lancasters.  In 1943 after many operations with the main force he volunteered for the Pathfinders and joined 35 Squadron at Gravely on both the Halifax and Lancaster.  He remained with this unit until the end of the war completing 82 operations and left the RAF in 1946 Squadron Leader Pat Carden DFC AE : He initially joined the RAF in 1932 on a short service commission and qualified as a pilot, becoming an instructor.  He served at the Central Flying School at Uphaven between 1939 and 1942 and was then released for an operational tour with 15 squadron at Mildenhall, flying Lancasters.  He then moved to Feltwell as Chief Flying Instructor before volunteering for the Pathfinder Force and joined 35 squadron at Gravely on Halifax's followed by 582 squadron at Little Staunton on Lancasters, gaining a Mention in Despatches.  He finished the war with 66 operations and joined Transport Command, serving in Cairo and Malta, leaving the RAF in 1946. The following three signatures an on the Artist Proof and Pathfinder Proof editions : Flight Lieutenant David Codd DFC : Joining the Army in 1938 he initially served with Royal Engineers at Dunkirk before volunteering for aircrew and transferring to the RAF in 1941.  He qualified as a navigator and in 1942 joined 10 squadron at Leeming on Halifax's before moving to 35 squadron with the Pathfinders, again on Halifax bombers.  In 1943 his aircraft was shot down near Cologne and he became a POW at Stalagluft 3, having completed 42 operations.  He returned to England in May 1945 and left the RAF in 1947. Flying Officer Sir Michael Hanham DFC : He joined the RAF straight from school in 1942 and initially qualified as a navigator but then retrained as a flight engineer in 1943.  He volunteered for the Pathfinder Force and joined 35 squadron as a flight engineer on Halifax's and Lancasters, completing 55 operations with this unit.  In May 1945 he became a Flying Control Officer and was posted to India, leaving the RAF in 1946. Flying Officer Don Carruthers : Joining the RAF in 1941 he trained as a wireless operator and completed his ops training at Lossiemouth on Wellingtons where he formed up with a crew that was to stay together for his entire operational career in Bomber Command.  In 1943 he was posted to 466 squadron at Leconfield on Wellingtons before converting to the Halifax.  He and his crew volunteered for the Pathfinder Force and joined 35 squadron on Halifax's and then Lancasters.  In 1945 having completed a total of 63 operations he moved to Transport Command flying Dakotas in India with 238 squadron and then Calcutta with 52 squadron.  He left the RAF in 1946. The following five signatures are only on the Pathfinder Proof edition : Warrant Officer Harold Kirby : Called up in 1942 he attended a flight mechanics course at RAF Halton and then qualified as a flight engineer in 1943, joining 467 squadron at Waddington on Lancasters.  In August 1944 his aircraft was forced to crash land after an operation when a 1000lb bomb from another Lancaster ripped through their port wing and destroyed the undercarriage over France.  In September 1944 he joined 97 squadron at Coningsby on Lancasters as part of the Pathfinders and remained with this unit until the end of the war.  He left the RAF in 1946. Wing Commander Ernest Rodley DSO DFC AFC AE : He initially joined the RAFVR in 1937 and was commissioned and posted to Bomber Command in 1941.  Joining 97 Sqn, flying Manchesters he was involved in the famous Augsberg daylight raid for which he received a DFC.  At the end of 1942 he joined RAF Scampton helping to convert to Lancaster bombers before rejoining 97 Sqn at Bourn as a Pathfinder.  After a spell at Warboys as an instructor he took command of 128 Sqn at Wyton, flying Mosquitoes as part of the Light Night Striking Force.  Staying with this unit he finished the war having completed 87 operations. Air Vice Marshal Don Bennett CB CBE DSO : Born in Australia, Bennett had joined the RAF before the war.  He became widely experienced in flying all types of aircraft including fighters, flying boats and heavy bombers commanding 77 squadron, flying Halifax's.  In 1942 whilst commanding 10 squadron he was shot down on one of the attacks on the Tirpitz, but evaded capture and returned to England.  Widely regarded as a navigation expert beyond compare, he was personally selected by Arthur Harris to form the Pathfinder Force and his uncompromising attitude and ceaseless devotion to his men made him a legendary figure in WWII history. Group Captain Hamish Mahaddie DSO DFC AFC : Initially joining the RAF in 1928 as a Halton apprentice he qualified as a pilot in 1935 and was involved in the first bombing raid of WWII on the island of Sylt.  In 1942 after a period instructing, he joined one of the first Pathfinder units 7 squadron, flying Stirlings from Oakington.  After 50 ops he was given the task by Don Bennett of finding 'volunteers' for the Pathfinder Force and over the next two years he recruited around 17,000 of the best aircrew in the business for No 8 group.  In 1944 he took command of Warboys, the PFF training unit and had become a living legend in Bomber Command. Air Commodore John Searby DSO DFC : He joined the RAF in 1929 as a Halton apprentice but was a Sergeant flying bombers when war broke out.  Joining 106 squadron he flew Lancasters with Guy Gibson and eventually took over as Squadron Commander when Gibson left for 617 squadron.  A specialist in navigation, he was then chosen by Arthur Harris to take command of No 83 Pathfinder Squadron at Wyton.  Searby quickly developed a superb reputation as a Pathfinder and was involved in countless precision raids including his role as Master Bomber on the Peenemunde raid, coordinating the attack by over six hundred heavy bombers.