Bristol Beaufighter

[Karnak]

I remember the Mossie VI launching from Bomber Hangars in v1.08.  It was moved to Fighter Hangers in v1.081 or v1.082, but for that short period there were an awful lot of Mossie VIs getting vulched as they tried to act as last ditch fighters.

Beaufighter will launch from Fighter Hangars.

[Butcher]

I dont think that many players will make it their main ride, but it will not be a total hangar queen either. Very very useful in scenarios, serving in all theaters throughout the war, in many roles. In the MA, if it rolls out of the BH it will become the desperation fighter much like the A20 is used now when the FHs are down. For this reason, and to disable F3 view it should roll out of the FH. Decent attack plane and heavy fighter for the advanced players.
 

The Beaufighter is more of a tactical bomber then it is a "fighter". Every aircraft the Axis has can out run it, out climb, and out fight it, on the Japanese side it would be interesting since Aussie Beau's went against A6m3's and Oscars which would put the durability to a test.

I just wonder which aircraft would be better, 410 or Beau.

[PJ_Godzilla]

She's got about 20% larger wing area, being derived from a bomber. Need to know more than wing-loading though such as the elevator movement and control authority etcetera. Usually larger planes have more docile handling.

I think especially if you watch that documentary (and assuming it's modeled realistically) it would be one of the toughest aircraft in the game. On a par or surpassing an A-20, which sort of makes sense.

Would be nice to have something Bristol-engined in the game. In the documentary you can see them refitting one of the heads with the engine still mounted. 

Fair enough... You'd also need to know the structural limits. Mr. Spitty being a prime example of what can happen with low wingloading, lots of control authority, and suboptimal structural limits... Still, this all looks promising, so far. My own take: this thing will be a real threat low and slow, on the deck and in the ack.

[Rich46yo]

The Beau continues to be dissed, most of all by History. I Love this Doc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psUvAUw37D8

[Xavier]

410 should come first. Becuase it is sexier than the beuafighter

The prophecy has been fulfilled! 

Now give us the Beaufighter, us 410 pilots need another dog to duel! 

[Xavier]

Now in all seriousness, how would it be used? Jabo? It's got 4 hispanos but carries less ammo & ords than a mossie, and is quite slower too.

[Karnak]

Now in all seriousness, how would it be used? Jabo? It's got 4 hispanos but carries less ammo & ords than a mossie, and is quite slower too.

IIRC, it carried 1200 rounds of Hispano ammo.

[Xavier]

IIRC, it carried 1200 rounds of Hispano ammo.

Where have you seen that figure? I've always heard they carried 60rpg (one drum), but I could be mistaken.

[Karnak]

Where have you seen that figure? I've always heard they carried 60rpg (one drum), but I could be mistaken.

The early versions had Hispano Mk I's that had 60 round drums, but even then it carried many drums with the navigator being expected to replace them as needed.  Later versions had the belt fed Hispano Mk IIs.

[Xavier]

If they weren't drum-fed anymore yes, more than 60rpg is to be expected. But what version would we get? A late war variant?

[Karnak]

If they weren't drum-fed anymore yes, more than 60rpg is to be expected. But what version would we get? A late war variant?

Even the drum fed version would have more than 60rpg.  The tail gun on the G4M1 was drum fed, but in AH drums aren't modeled so all the ammo is available as though on a belt.  The early Beaufighter would be the same.

As to which version we'd get, only HTC can say.

[bozon]

But what version would we get? A late war variant?

If we get only one version it will probably be one of the later to make it more main arena viable. But even "late" Beau is not a 1945 plane... it pretty much reached its peak in mid war. iirc the last models were mostly about various weapon carrying capabilities and only minor improvements in performance. Earlier models will be available in the BoB.

[Fish42]

I found these just now.

[SmokinLoon]

I found these just now.

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Sweet pics!  Good stuff!!!!   

[Fish42]

With a total of 582 British-built and Australian-built aircraft accepted by the RAAF, the Beaufighter was one of the most important types of aircraft operated by that Service. Illustrated here is A19-120, LY-H, a Beaufighter VIC from No. 30 Squadron seen flying over Goodenough Island in 1944.
(via Frank Smith).