Bristol Beaufighter

[morfiend]

They're still making cars - all handbuilt. I want a Blenheim Speedster! I used to drive to work past their showroom in my Skoda. Dream on!!

http://www.bristolcars.co.uk/index2.htm

 Nice,looks like it borrowed some design from the Healey but then thats nothing new for Bristol.

 Their postwar cars "borrowed" heavily from BMW....

[Guppy35]

Sadly, a great aircraft which will never be modeled well because of the statistical data thats available. The ones I've flown on line had great climb and the guns were beyond belief.

Kinda too bad you've decided that a cartoon plane we don't have, and may never get, is already modeled wrong

Could be us Beaufighter fans just want the chance to get together in AH someday and pretend we're Beau drivers?

[phatzo]

I think this guy has a love for them, the hours and dollars in this would be incredible

[FTJR]

Wow Phatzo, where does he live?

[Majors]

Hi Mates

I have been over this subject many times over the years.  So, here is one more thought.  Why is it that AH has a Brewster, which served maybe two years into WWII and no Beaufighter which served in Europe, Med, South Pacific for the entire war.  Or, what about the A-36 which served with the USAAF from North Africa through the war in Italy until War in Europe was over?

Just a very old low level buff driver letting off some steam.

cheers to you all

Majors
249RAF
Oldest Yank in the RAF

[phatzo]

Wow Phatzo, where does he live?

this is the site I got the picture from. If your into that stuff its worth a look

http://www.largemodelassociation.com/keith_mitchell_bea.htm

[morfiend]

Something that's brought up a few times in Parnell's book is that the 20mm didn't have any tracer ammo, anyone know why that was?

  Soul,
  I know alot of the nightfighters left out the tracers as it affected their nightvision!

   Not saying thats why the Beaus didnt use tracers so dont quote me,but it seems like a logical reason.

   

[lyric1]

  Soul,
  I know alot of the nightfighters left out the tracers as it affected their nightvision!

   Not saying thats why the Beaus didnt use tracers so dont quote me,but it seems like a logical reason.

   

  Per the book Queen of the midnight skies that is exactly the reason most night fighters had no tracers.

[morfiend]

 Yes Lyric1 I know,the problem is Soulyss never stated the Beaus were NF or not.


  I know reading about the Mossie NF's that the 303 muzzle flash caused the same problem,yet the location of the hispano's didnt.From the looks of the Beaus their 20mm's were locate undeneath much like the Mossie.


  So I guess the question is,Soulyss were they nightfighters or daytime Beaus?

   

[Soulyss]

Yes Lyric1 I know,the problem is Soulyss never stated the Beaus were NF or not.


  I know reading about the Mossie NF's that the 303 muzzle flash caused the same problem,yet the location of the hispano's didnt.From the looks of the Beaus their 20mm's were locate undeneath much like the Mossie.


  So I guess the question is,Soulyss were they nightfighters or daytime Beaus?

   

Sorry should have been more clear on that, these were not nightfighters.  I'll have to go grab the book during a break today but I believe it was talking about 30 Squadron RAAF which was flying low level daytime raids in New Guinea.  Another interesting things was on earlier models it seemed that the cannon were drum, not belt fed. 

[Guppy35]

Sorry should have been more clear on that, these were not nightfighters.  I'll have to go grab the book during a break today but I believe it was talking about 30 Squadron RAAF which was flying low level daytime raids in New Guinea.  Another interesting things was on earlier models it seemed that the cannon were drum, not belt fed. 

That would be a concern in modeling the earlier Mk IF or IC.  They had 60 round drums that had to be changed by the Nav, something that was difficult to do in flight, in particular when maneuvering.  The VI had belt fed canisters that carried 240 rounds per gun and did away with the problem.

[Soulyss]

Sorry should have been more clear on that, these were not nightfighters.  I'll have to go grab the book during a break today but I believe it was talking about 30 Squadron RAAF which was flying low level daytime raids in New Guinea.  Another interesting things was on earlier models it seemed that the cannon were drum, not belt fed. 

I found a passage here in Parnell's book (Pg. 21).

The Beaus had a speed advantage of at least 15 knots, but neither side scored any clear victories.  Several of the Oscars appeared to suffer some damage, trailing smoke.  One of the Beaufighters was a newer model, A19-73, and had a technical difference which the pilot was not familiar with.  There were separate buttons for the cannons and machine guns and by failing to press the machine gun button, he had no tracer to see if his aim was true.  Despite this he claimed several good cannon burts at an Oscar. With no hits on the Beaufighters, the enemy's marksmanship was considered worse.

[cactuskooler]

What a KI-57 looks like from the back of a Beau.

[lyric1]

What a KI-57 looks like from the back of a Beau.

(Image removed from quote.)

Interesting picture you have eight guys standing & running but none seem to have hit the dirt? I wonder what the Japanese were instructed to do in that circumstance of being strafed?

[Plawranc]

I WANT THE BEAU!!!