The unarmed and unpainted prototype at Filton in July 1939
R2052 was the first of four Beaufighter prototypes and initially flew six weeks before the beginning of World War II.
Detailed Origins of the Bristol Beaufighter
- The Bristol Beaufighter originated from a need for a heavily armed fighter capable of long-range escort and night defense duties.
- In the mid-1930s, the arrival of the French Hispano 20 mm cannon presented the opportunity to develop such an aircraft.
- By late 1938, it was clear that the cannon-armed Westland Whirlwind was experiencing delays, prompting Air Marshal Sholto Douglas, the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, to seek alternative solutions.
- The Bristol Aircraft Company, recognizing this need, proposed the Beaufort Fighter (Bristol Type 156), later shortened to Beaufighter.
- The Beaufighter design, led by Leslie Frise, proposed leveraging the existing strong wings, tailplane, and undercarriage of the Beaufort bomber, modifying it into a fighter by adding four cannons and more powerful engines.
- This approach was favored by Douglas, leading to the immediate conversion of two Beauforts to begin the project.
- The first prototype, R2052, took flight on July 17, 1939, a remarkably fast development period of just over six months from the initial layout proposal.
- This rapid development was possible due to the utilization of already designed and proven components from the Beaufort bomber.
- In July 1939, an order for 300 Hercules-powered Beaufighter Is was placed under Specification F17/39.