Beaufighter part 1
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A19-15 over Owen Stanley Range
Air Interception radar AI Mk VIIIA mounted on the nose of a Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF night fighter
American Beaufighter Mk VIc 415th NFS "94" Sicily 1943
American Beaufighter Mk.VI 1943 North africa
Armourers of No 89 Squadron RAF installing a 0.303 Browning machine gun in the wing of a Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF at Castel Benito Libya
Armourers of No 89 Squadron RAF servicing the 20mm Hispano cannons of a Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF at Castel Benito Libya
Australian Beaufighter of No. 31 Squadron RAAF
Beaufighter 416th NFS Grottaglie Italy 17 November 1943
Beaufighter attacking enemy ship North Sea
Beaufighter being serviced by RAF groundcrew Libya
Beaufighter England 1943
Beaufighter I X7718 1942
Beaufighter I X7718 1942 2
Beaufighter I X7718, Orlando, USA 1942
Beaufighter in Grottaglie Italy 17 November 1943
Beaufighter KV912 named Fluff of the 416th NFS Italy 1943
Beaufighter Mk IC T3316 'M' of No. 272 Squadron RAF on the ground at Idku Egypt 1942
Beaufighter Mk IC T4776 WR-F of No 248 Squadron at St Eval - October 1941
Beaufighter Mk IC T4800 code ND-C of No. 236 Squadron RAF on the ground at Wattisham Suffolk 12 June 1942
Beaufighter Mk IC T4916 LA-T of No. 235 Squadron RAF
Beaufighter Mk IC T5043 'V' of No 272 Squadron RAF in flight over Malta.
Beaufighter Mk IF night fighters of No 600 Squadron RAF: code BQ-P, BQ-L. BQ-T
Beaufighter Mk IF PN-B R2158 of No. 252 Squadron RAF 1942
Beaufighter Mk IF PN-B R2158 of No. 252 Squadron RAF 1942 in flight
Beaufighter Mk IF R2153 PN-W of No 252 Squadron RAF
Beaufighter Mk IF R2198 code PN-B of No 252 Squadron RAF
Beaufighter Mk II FAA Gibraltar January 1944
Beaufighter Mk II Gibraltar 1944
Beaufighter Mk IV T3177 at Hucknall in 1943
Beaufighter Mk V R2274 with Boulton Paul turret
Beaufighter Mk VI England 1944
Beaufighter Mk VI No 252 squadron RAF Libya 1943
Beaufighter Mk VIF V8380 'K' of No. 89 Squadron RAF running up its engines at Castel Benito Libya
Beaufighter Mk VIF V8565 ZQ-F of the Fighter Interception Unit in a revetment at Wittering Huntingdonshire
Beaufighter Mk VIF X7579 night fighter prototype with centimetric AI radar
Beaufighter Mk VIF X8023 BQ-I of No 600 Squadron RAF. Night fighter in black camouflage
Beaufighter Mk X and crews of No 16 Squadron SAAF and No. 227 Squadron RAF sitting in a dispersal at Biferno Italy
Beaufighter North Africa airfield
Beaufighter of No. 404 squadron code EE-C attacking German ship North Sea
Beaufighter of the 416th NFS Grottaglie Italy 17 November 1943
Beaufighter of the 416th NFS Italy 1944
Beaufighter R2055 with 40mm guns 1941
Beaufighter R2186 1940
Beaufighter T3032 with extended dorsal fin
Beaufighter TF Mk VIC EL223/G torpedo trials
Beaufighter TF Mk X LZ293 code MB-T of No. 236 Squadron RAF
Beaufighter TF Mk X NE543 code UB-E of No. 455 Squadron RAAF. Beaufighter with D-Day invasion stripes
Beaufighter TF Mk X NE798 of No 455 Squadron RAAF carrying two 500 lb bombs. Plane with D-Day invasion stripes
Beaufighter TF Mk X NT921 of No 254 Squadron RAF
Beaufighter TF Mk X NT946 of No 489 Squadron RNZAF in flight with torpedo
Beaufighter TF Mk X NT950 MB-T of No. 236 Squadron RAF 1944
Beaufighter TF Mk X NV427 code EO-L of No. 404 Squadron RCAF 1945
Beaufighter TF Mk X NV427 EO-L of No 404 Squadron RCAF
Beaufighter TF Mk X of No. 455 Squadron RAAF line up on the runway at Dallachy
Beaufighter TF Mk X Sharjah Trucial States during a ferry flight to the Far East
Beaufighter with USAAF markings and captured Ju88
Beaufighter X7583
Beaufighters of the 415th and 417th NFS La Vailon airfield France
Beaufighters of the First Tactical Air Force attacking ship off Cape Couronne West of Marseilles France
Beaufighters of the Royal Australian Air Force fly over the Finschhafen area
Beaufighters Shoot Up German Convoy 1945
Bristol Beaufighter 252 Squadron being serviced in the North West African Desert (color photo)
Bristol Beaufighter Firing Rockets
Bristol Beaufighter Mk I in flight
Bristol Beaufighter Mk I R2268 with twin fins
Bristol Beaufighter Mk IC No 235 Squadron RAF Detachment preparing to taxy at Ta Kali Malta June 1942
Bristol Beaufighter Mk IC T3314 'O' of No 272 Squadron RAF running up its engines at Idku Egypt
Bristol Beaufighter Mk IF cockpit interior
Bristol Beaufighter Mk IF X7643 1941
Bristol Beaufighter Mk IIF R2270
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VI C with rockets
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VI F of No. 153 Squadron RAF at Setif Algeria 1943
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VI F V8748 ZJ-R of No 96 Squadron being re armed at Honily 23 March 1943
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIC torpedo strike fighter EL223/G
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF F-Freddie of No 272 Squadron Malta (color photo)
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF in the Far East
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF MM849 VA-I of No 125 Squadron RAF being prepared for a night sortie at Exeter
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF of No 255 Squadron RAF undergoing maintenance at Setif Algeria
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF of No 27 Squadron RAF piloted by Flying Officer D. J. Innes as he prepares to take off at Agartala India
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF of No 89 Squadron RAF running up its engines at Castel Benito Libya 1943
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF X7898 G of No 89 Squadron RAF Detachment at Sadaung Burma
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF X8092 'R' of No. 27 Squadron RAF Agartala India
Bristol Beaufighter Mk X LZ114 with torpedo flying on one engine Old Mixon 1941
Bristol Beaufighter Mk X NE285 torpedo fighter operating in the Far East
Bristol Beaufighter Mk XI JL899 'Z' of No. 227 Squadron RAF Cyprus 1943
Bristol Beaufighter NF Mk VI ZJ-R of No 96 Squadron RAF
Bristol Beaufighter of No 252 Squadron with an F14 camera in its nose North West African airfield (color photo)
Bristol Beaufighter Prototype R2268 with twin fins
Bristol Beaufighter RAAF New Guinea
Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X LZ295 code 2-Z of No. 404 Squadron RCAF at Davidstow Moore
Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X NT913
Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X of No 144 Squadron RAF armed with rockets
Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X of No 455 Squadron RAAF about to depart from Langham Norfolk. Beaufighters with D-Day invasion stripes
Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X of No 603 Squadron RAF running up their engines at Gambut 3 Libya 1943
Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X of No. 404 Squadron RCAF armed with rockets
Bristol Beaufighter TFX RD758 with SNAKE code word
Bristol Beaufighters of No 272 Squadron RAF in flight over Malta - Mk VIC X8079 code 'K', behind Mk IC T5043 'V' 1943
Bristol Beaufighters TF Mk X of No. 603 Squadron RAF start their engines at Gambut Libya
Bristol Beaufighters TF MX of No 144 Squadron RAF armed with rockets
Crashed Bristol Beaufighter of RAAF New Guinea
Damaged Beaufighter TF Mk X NE831 coded PL-O of No. 144 Squadron RAF at Dallachy. February 1945.
Damaged Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF of No. 177 Squadron RAF parked in a dispersal at Feni India
First Australian Beaufighter Mk XXI A8-1 armed with rockets
Ground crew overhauling a Bristol Beaufighters Hercules engines
Ground crew re arm a No. 489 Squadron Torbeau at Langham in Norfolk July 1944
Italian Beaufighter Mk IC X7887 (T4887), ex 252 Squadron RAF, Catania
Merlin-engined No. 252 Sqn Mk IIF YD-G, with the original pattern "flat" tailplane at Coltishall, September 1941
Night fighter Beaufighter Mk IIF T3019 with AI Mk IV radar
Night fighter Bristol Beaufighter Mk IF V8322 with A.I. Mk .IV radar
No 144 Squadron Beaufighter Mk VI being fitted with an 18″ Mk XV torpedo 25 April 1943
RAAF Beaufighter Strafes Japanese Zero on Kai Island 1943
RAF Coastal Command Beaufighter Blasts German Ship 1944
Sqn Ldr Hank Henry of 30 Squadron RAAF Beaufighter Australia 1943
The navigator radar operator of a No 125 Squadron Beaufighter Mk VIF Exeter 14 September 1943
The unarmed and unpainted prototype at Filton in July 1939
Torpedo Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIC ITF of No 144 Squadron RAF
USAAF "Honeychile" 416 NFS refueling Grottaglie, Italy 17 Nov 1943
W/C Green of No 600 Squadron RAF at Cassibile Italy Beaufighter Mk VIF V8762 code 'A'
Wg Cdr A. K. Gatward commander of No. 404 Squadron RCAF standing in the cockpit of his Beaufighter TF Mk X at Davidstow Moor
British long range heavy fighter, night fighter, fighter bomber Bristol Beaufighter. Based on the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber, the first of four Beaufighter prototypes (R2052) flew on 17th July, 1939, a fortnight after 300 Beaufighters Mk IF had been ordered. The first reached Fighter Command in September 1940 (29 and 604 Squadrons), being fitted two months later with A.I. (Airborne Interception) radar for night fighting. With its high speed, 2816 km range and a firepower from its four 20 mm cannons and six 0.303 in machine guns, the Beaufighter was a most welcome arrival. The Beaufighter Mk IC joined Coastal Command in the Spring of 1941 and was followed into production by the dihedral tailplane Beaufighter Mk IIF powered by 1280 hp Merlin XX engines, since the Stirling programme had first call on Hercules engines production. Next major version being the Hercules-powered Mk VI which came into service in 1942. More than 1000 Mk. VI were built, including the first rocket firing version and the first to carry a torpedo (Torbeau). In January 1943 the Mk VI arrived in the Far East, where it quickly acquired the title “Whispering Death” from the Japanese. It also served with USAAF night fighter units. Beaufighter The Beaufighter Mk. XIC (163 built) was an interim version of the Beaufighter Mk VI C without torpedo gear. The last major version (2231 built) was the Beaufighter Mk X, probably the finest torpedo and strike aircraft of its day, counting many U-boats among its victims. This version introduced the “thimble” radar nose and compensating dorsal fin, which were afterwards added to certain earlier models. Total production: 5962
Variants
Mk IF - Initial night-fighter production variant. Early aircraft had drum-fed cannon with spare racks for drums, but later belt-fed cannon were introduced. Mk IF fi rst entered RAF service with the Fighter Interception Unit at Tangmere on August 12, 1940. Mk IC - coastal command variant with additional radio and navigational equipment included navigators table and instruments, D/F radio and Radar, provision for flame and smoke floats, etc. Mk IIF - re-engined night-fighter with two Rolls-Royce Merlin XX 1280 hp. Owing to the heavy demand for Bristol Hercules engines for heavy bombers the ”Beau” was temporarily fitted with Merlin liquid-cooled engines in nacelles identical to those fitted to the Lancaster Mk I. Mk IIF’s were not popular because, although faster at altitude, they lacked the punch of the Hercules for a short take-off at night. The first production Mk IIF, powered by Merlin XX engines, was first f own on March 22, 1941. Mk III - Beau R2268 with twin fins anil rudders and Bristol Hercules III, X or XI engines Mk IV - Mk III with Rolls-Royce Griffon B engines Mk V - Mk II with Boulton Paul turret behind the pilot's cockpit. Turret containing four .303 in machine-guns in place of wing guns and one pair of cannons. Only two Mk II were fitted out experimentally as Mk V. Both aircraft were trialled by 406 and 600 Squadron RAF. Mk VI - fitted with two Bristol Hercules VI or XVI engines, Vickers K machine-gun at the observer's station. First type to be fitted with dihedral tailplane to improve fore and aft stability. The extra power generated by the new engines gave the Beaufighter more flexibility from an equipment and weapons point of view. Machine guns in the wings could be replaced by a 190 l (50 gallons) tank on the starboard side and a 90 l (24 gallons) on the port to give a potential range of 2816 km (1750 miles). A pair of 113kg (250 lb) bombs could be carrier under the wings or 8 rockets. Mk VIC - coastal command torpedo fighter similar to the Mk IC Mk VIF - night fighter equipped with AI Mark VIII radar Mk VI (ITF) - interim torpedo-fighter version with eight underwing rockets in place of wing guns Mk VII - proposed variant with Bristol Hercules VIII engines with turbo superchargers and driving four-blade airscrews., not built Mk VIII - reserved for Beau to be built in Australia with Hercules XVII engines, not built Mk IX - proposed Australian-built variant with Hercules XVII engines, not built TF Mk X "Torbeau"- Mk VIC with Hercules XVII engines and ASV radar fitted in a modified thimble shaped nose. Mk X was fitted with a rear-firing Browning gun for the observer. Mk X fi rst entered service with 248 Squadron RAF at Predannock in June 1943 Mk XIC - coastal command version of the Mk X without torpedo gear Mk XII - proposed long-range, strengthened variant of the Mk XI with drop tanks and provision for carrying two 454 kg (1000 lb) bombs outboard of each nacelle. Not built Mk 21 - Australian T.F. Mk X, some equipped with Sperry auto-pilot. First “21” A8-1 was test flown on 26 May 1944. TT Mk 10 - Beaufighters were converted for target-towing duties and delivered to RAF co-operation units for gunnery practice.Serials
Prototypes: R2052 to R2060 Mk I: R2063 - R2269; T4623 to T4647; V8219 to V8385; X7540 to X7879 Mk Ic: T3228 - T3355; T4648 - T5099 Mk II Prototypes R2058, R2061, R2062; Mk II: R2270 - R2479, T3009 - T3447, V8131 - V8218 Mk V: R2274 and R2306 Mk VI: V8386 - V8901, X7880 X8269, BT286 - BT303, EL145 - EL218, KV896 - KV981, KW101 - KW203, MM838 - MM948, ND139 - ND322. Mk VIc: T5100 - T5352, X7925 - X8099, EL219 - EL534, JL421 - JL875. Mk X: JM268 - JM417, KW277 - KW416, LX779 - LX799, LZ113 - LZ544, NE193 - NE832, NT888 - NT999, NV113 - NV632, RD130 - RD867, SR910 - SR919. Mk XI: JL876 - JL948, JM105 - JM267Bibliography and sources
- Philip J. R. Moyes: The Bristol Beaufighter I & II, Aircraft Profile Number 137
- Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II
- C. H. Barnes: Bristol Aircraft Since 1910
- Bill Gunston: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Combat Aircraft of World War II
- Jim Winchester: Aircraft of World War II, The Aviation Factfile
- Jerry Scutts: Beaufighter in Action, Squadron/Signal Publications Aircraft Number 153
- Bristol - Company Profile 1910-1959, Aeroplane Company Profile
- Alan W. Hall: Bristol Beaufighter, Warpaint Series №1
- Andrew Thomas: Beaufighter Aces of World War 2, Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 65
- Beaufighter, FlyPast Special
- Pilot's Notes Beaufighter II aeroplane Two Merlin XX engines, Air Publication
- Pilot's Notes for Beaufighter - Mark VI - Two Hercules VI Engines, Marks TFX & XI - Two Hercules XVII Engines, Air Publication
- Kamil Nowicki: Bristol Beaufighter cz. 1 &2 , AJ-Press Monografie Lotnicze 74 & 75 (polish)
- Richard Pike: Beaufighter Ace. The Nightfighter Career of Marshall of the Royal Air Force Sir Thomas Pike
- Richard A. Franks: The Bristol Beaufighter. A Comprehensive guide for the modeller, SAM Modellers Datafile 6
- James Goulding: Bristol Beaufighter. RAF Northern Europe 1936 - 45, Camouflage & Markings Number 9
- Marin Bowman: Deep Sea Hunters - RAF Coastal Command and the War Against the U-Boats and the German Navy 1939-1945
- Andrew Hendrie: The Cinderella Service, RAF Coastal Command 1939 - 1945
- Chaz Bowyer: Beaufighter at War
- Roy Conyers Nesbit: The Armed Rovers - Beauforts and Beaufighters over the Mediterranean
- Graham White: Night Fighter over Germany. Flying Beaufighters and Mosquitoes in World War 2
- Brick Eisel: Beaufighters in the Night. 417 Night Fighter Squadron USAAF
- Jerry Scutts: Bristol Beaufighter, Crowood Aviation Series
- David J. Innes: Beaufighters Over Burma. No. 27 Squadron, RAF, 1942-45
- Stewart Wilson: Beaufort Beaufighter and Mosquito in Australian Service
- Brian Cull: Fighters over the Aegean. Hurricanes over Crete, Spitfires over Kos, Beaufighters over the Aegean 1943-44
- Steve Stevens: Beaufighter over the Balkans. From the Balkan Air Force to the Berlin Airlift
- Simon W. Parry: Beaufighter The Photographic History, In Focus
- Victor F. Bingham: Bristol Beaufighter
- Lee Heide: Whispering Death my wartime adventures
- Neville Parnell: Whispering Death. A history of the RAAF's Beaufighter Squadrons