In my ongoing quest to find any an all Beaufighter books, I came across a privately printed book that proves once and for all we have to have the Beau in AH. It's clearly meant to be my plane!
"The Bristol Beaufighter Crash Log" compiled by David Smith.
800 Category E losses of Beaus, not related to combat but due to pilot error, engine failures, shoot downs by friendlies etc. While not making light of the human cost in a real war, it is amazing to see the details of some of the losses. Just a few examples
-Swung on take off, overcorrected, ran off runway into sand, still attempted take off and hit windsock
-See flying low and slow then propellor tips hit water.
-Dived into the ground on an air firing exercise.
--Swung on take off, collided with huts.
-Struck tree in the dark.
-overshot and collided with a building
-Undershot landing, hit house
-Shot down in error by friendly anti-aircraft fire.
-Low level camera gun attacks on house, pilot misjudged distance and struck roof.
-Crashed after attempted take off by two unqualified airmen who had escaped from the guardroom.
-Overshooting, swung to avoid a row of hangers, became airborne, but stalled and crashed.
-Crashed due to pilot being blinded by search light beams
-Heavy landing due to sun glare and salt on the windscreen from low flying over the sea.
-Force landed on approach . Pilot forgot to change tanks due to excitment from probably destroying an E/A on his first operation.
-Hit hill while circling the airfield. Pilot was probably watching another aircraft burning on the ground.
