Britain's Bristol Beaufighter fighter1
Nickname: "Whispering Death"1,3,4
Bristol Beaufighter fighter: |
Bristol Beaufighter fighter: |
Bristol Beaufighter fighter: |
Bristol Beaufighter fighter: |
Bristol Beaufighter fighter: |
Bristol Beaufighter fighter: |
Bristol Beaufighter fighter: |
Design
The Bristol Beaufighter was designed privately from some of the components of the Beaufort.3,4 The design work on the Beaufighter started in late 1938.4
The early Hercules engines were replaced by Merlins and the first one flew on July 26, 1940.1
The observer's rear bubble could have a Vickers "K" Machine gun installed.1
In the rear fuselage was an emergency store of food and water.1
When carrying a torpedo the Beaufighter had some instabilities so a dihedral tail plane was installed.1
Prototype
The first Beaufighter Type 156 prototype flew on July 17, 1939.1,2,3,4 Orders were already made for 300 Beaufighter Mk IF fighters before the prototype first flew.3,4
The Beaufighter Mk IIF prototype flew for the first time in July 1940.3
Production
Produced by Bristol and Australian factories.1
- Beaufighter Mk I prototype: 43
- Beaufighter Mk IC and Beaufighter Mk IF: 9103
- Manufactured by Bristol and Fairey3
- Beaufighter Mk IIF: 4503
- Manufactured by Bristol3
- Beaufighter Mk VI prototype: 13
- Beaufighter Mk VIC and Beaufighter Mk VIF: 1,8324, 1,8513
- Manufactured by Bristol, Fairey, and Rootes3
- Beaufighter TF.X: 2,2053
- Manufactured by Bristol and Rootes3
- Beaufighter Mk XIC: 1633
- Beaufighter Mk XXI: 3653
- Manufactured in Australia3
- Total: 5,5622,4, 5,5641, 5,5843
- Manufacturer: Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd.4
Variants
- Beaufighter Mk IC: Produced for Coastal Command.2 Night fighter.2
- Beaufighter Mk IF: Produced for Fighter Command.2 Night fighter.2 Had AI.Mk IV radar.2
- Beaufighter Mk IIF: Powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin XX inline engines.2 Joined night fighter squadrons in 1941.2 Had dihedral tail plane to help with stability.3
- Beaufighter Mk IVC: Produced for Coastal Command.2 Used Bristol Hercules radial engines.2 Had rear firing Vickers MG firing from navigator's hatch.2
- Beaufighter Mk III: Was to have two fins and rudders.3 Never produced.3
- Beaufighter Mk IV: Was to have merlin engines.3 Never produced.3
- Beaufighter Mk V: Was to have a dorsal turret with four guns.3 Two prototypes were tested in 1942.3
- Beaufighter Mk VIF: Produced for Fighter Command.2,3 Used Bristol Hercules radial engines.2 Had centimetric AI Mk VII radar in a larger nose.2
- Beaufighter Mk VI: Had an extended dorsal fin to help counter the swing of the tail on takeoff.2
- Beaufighter Mk VIC: Some carried an 18" / 0.447 m torpedo.2 Produced for Coastal Command.2
- Beaufighter TF.X: had a thimble shaped nose with centimetric radar to detect surface ships.1,3
Usage
The first 50 produced shot down 60 enemy planes during the night battles over Britain in 1941.1
United States
US Army Air Force in the Middle East and Mediterranean had Beaufighter Mk IVs in the 1st Tactical Air Command.1
Against Japan
The Japanese nicked named it the "Whispering Death."1,3,4
In 1945 Australian units outfitted with Beaufighters sank more than 400 Japanese ships.1
| Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF2 | Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Night fighter2 | Low level strike fighter1 |
| Crew | 22 | 21 |
| Engine (Type) | 2: Bristol Hercules VI or XVI pistons2 | 2: Bristol Hercules XVIII piston1 |
| Cylinders | Radial2 | Radial1 |
| Cooling | ||
| HP | 1,670 each2 | 1,770 each1 |
| Propeller blades | 3 | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Span | 57' 10"2 17.63 m2 |
58'1 17.63 m1 |
| Length | 41' 8"2 12.7 m2 |
42'1 12.7 m1 |
| Height | 15' 10"2 4.82 m2 |
16'1 4.83 m1 |
| Wing area | 503 ft2 2 46.73 m2 2 |
503 ft2 1 46.73 m 2 1 |
| Weight | ||
| Empty | 14,600 lb2 6,623 kg2 |
15,507 lb1 7,076 kg1 |
| Loaded | 21,600 lb2 9,798 kg2 |
25,200 lb1 11,431 kg1 |
| Performance | ||
| Speed @ 1,312' / 400 m |
330 mph1 488 kph1 |
|
| Speed @ 15,600' / 4,755 m |
333 mph2 536 kph2 |
|
| Climb to 15,000' / 4,570 m |
7.8 minutes2 | |
| Service ceiling | 26,500'2 8.075 m2 |
29,000'1 4,570 m1 |
| Range | 1,480 miles2 2,382 km2 |
1,470 miles1 2,366 km1 |
| Armament | ||
| Nose | 4: 20 mm2 | |
| Port wing | 2: 7.7 mm MG2 | |
| Starboard wing | 4: 7.7 mm MG2 | |
| Forward firing | 6: 7.7 mm MGs | |
| OR | 4: 20 mm1 | |
| Bombs / Rockets | 230 lb bombs1 113 kg bombs1 |
|
| OR | 8: 90 lb/ 41 kg air to surface rockets1 | |
| Dorsal position | 1: 7.7 mm Vickers "K"1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
- World War II Airplanes Volume 1, Enzo Angelucci, Paolo Matricardi, 1976
