27 Facts About Bristol Beaufighter

1.

The Bristol Beaufighter proved to be an effective night fighter, which came into service with the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain, its large size allowing it to carry heavy armament and early airborne interception radar without major performance penalties.

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2.

Bristol Beaufighter was used in many roles; receiving the nicknames Rockbeau for its use as a rocket-armed ground attack aircraft and Torbeau as a torpedo bomber against Axis shipping, in which it replaced the Beaufort.

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3.

Bristol Beaufighter saw extensive service during the war with the RAF, Fleet Air Arm, RAAF, Royal Canadian Air Force, United States Army Air Forces, Royal New Zealand Air Force, South African Air Force and Polskie Sily Powietrzne.

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4.

Variants of the Bristol Beaufighter were manufactured in Australia by the Department of Aircraft Production ; such aircraft are sometimes referred to by the name DAP Bristol Beaufighter.

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5.

Bristol Beaufighter proceeded to suggest their concept for a fighter development of the Beaufort to the Air Ministry.

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6.

On 16 November 1938, Bristol Beaufighter received formal authorisation to commence the detailed design phase of the project and to proceed with the construction of four prototypes.

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7.

Bristol Beaufighter began building an initial prototype by taking a partly-built Beaufort out of the production line.

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8.

Roy Fedden, chief designer of the Bristol engine division, was a keen advocate for the improved Hercules VI for the Beaufighter but it was passed over in favour of the rival Griffon engine, as the Hercules VI required extensive development.

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9.

The armament of the Beaufighter had undergone substantial changes, the initial 60-round capacity spring-loaded drum magazine arrangement being awkward and inconvenient; alternative systems were investigated by Bristol.

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10.

Bristol Beaufighter's proposed recoil-operated ammunition feed system was rejected by officials, which led to a new system being devised and tested on the fourth prototype, R2055.

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11.

Large orders for the Bristol Beaufighter were placed around the outbreak of the Second World War, including one for 918 aircraft shortly after the arrival of the initial production examples.

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12.

Maximum rate of production, sub-contracting of the major components was used wherever possible and two large shadow factories to perform final assembly work on the Beaufighter were established via the Ministry of Aircraft Production; the first, operated by the Fairey Aviation Company, was at Stockport, Greater Manchester and the second shadow, run by Bristol, was at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

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13.

The DAP Bristol Beaufighter was an attack and torpedo bomber known as the "Mark 21".

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14.

Bristol Beaufighter is a fighter derivative of the Beaufort torpedo-bomber.

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15.

The wing of the Bristol Beaufighter used a mid-wing cantilever all-metal monoplane arrangement, constructed out of three sections.

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16.

Bristol Beaufighter's armament was located in various positions on the lower fuselage and wings.

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17.

Bristol Beaufighter was commonly operated as a night fighter, such as during the Battle of Britain.

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18.

The Bristol Beaufighter was the only heavy fighter aircraft available, as the Westland Whirlwind had been cancelled due to production problems with its Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines.

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19.

On 12 August 1940, the first production Bristol Beaufighter was delivered to RAF Tangmere for trials with the Fighter Interception Unit.

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20.

The Bristol Beaufighter showed its merits as a night fighter but went on to perform in other capacities.

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21.

On 12 June 1942, a Bristol Beaufighter conducted a raid which Moyes said was "perhaps the most impudent of the war".

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22.

Bristol Beaufighter soon commenced service overseas, where its ruggedness and reliability quickly made the aircraft popular with crews.

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23.

In June 1941, the Bristol Beaufighter-equipped 272 Squadron based on Malta claimed the destruction of 49 enemy aircraft and the damaging of 42 more.

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24.

The Bristol Beaufighter was reputedly very effective in the Mediterranean against Axis shipping, aircraft and ground targets; Coastal Command was, at one point, the majority user of the Bristol Beaufighter, replacing its inventory of obsolete Beaufort and Blenheim aircraft.

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25.

Bristol Beaufighter arrived at squadrons in Asia and the Pacific in mid-1942.

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26.

From late 1944, RAF Bristol Beaufighter units were engaged in the Greek Civil War, finally withdrawing in 1946.

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27.

Bristol Beaufighter was used by the air forces of Portugal, Turkey and the Dominican Republic.

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