Beaufighter Bristol-board

The Bristol Beaufighter was one of the British fighters most valid of the Second world war. night Hunter, hunter bomber, destroyer, plane of attack on the ground, it was useful brilliantly in all its roles and on all fronts.

Design

The project started at the end of 1938 with an aim of carrying out a heavy hunter twin-engine, powerful, well armed and equipped with a good autonomy. The plane preserved the wings and the back part of the Bristol Beaufort, the part before and the engines them were new. The prototype stole on July 17th 1939. On this date a command of three hundred specimens had already been sent, first MkIF arrived in September 1940 in the detachments of the Fighter Command. The Beaufighter fast, was well armed and very powerful what enabled him to compensate for the weight of the various on-board equipment. Some 5562 specimens were produced.

Its operational career

The first MKIF were used like hunters as night and when the Germans stopped the raids on London, Squadron 615 had obtained fifty victories including thirteen for John Cunningham and his observer Jimmy Rawnsley. They were also used like diurnal hunter for long operating range. Thereafter, in Europe, following versions of the " Beau" were distinguished in the attacks from ships by torpedoings and using rockets. The Japan board baptized it Whispering Death , whispering death. The Beaufighter remained in service in first line in RAF until 1950.

Campaigns of the Pacific

Beaufighter arrived in Squadrons in Asia and in the Pacifique running 1942.

Southeast Asia

In the Theater of the South Asia East, Beaufighter Mk SHARP operative since the India for missions of night against the lines of Japanese communications in Burma and Thailand. The high speed and the low altitude of the attacks were highly effective, and this in spite of often execrable time.

The Pacific of South-west

Before the arrival of the DAP Beaufighters (of Australian design) in Squadrons of the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force), the Bristol-board Beaufighter Mk IC was employed for missions anti-marine. Most known of those is the Bataille of the sea of Bismarck in which they operated with the Douglas A-20 and B-25 Mitchell of USAAF.

Post-war period

End 1944, the units of Beaufighter of the RAF were committed in the Greek Civil war and were withdrawn finally in 1946. Beaufighter was also used by the Portugal, the Turkey as well as the Dominican Republic. It was also briefly used by the Israeli Air force.

Alternatives

MKIC drives out diurnal.
MKIIF Rolls-Royce Merlin XX of 1280 ch, drives out night.
MKVI Hercules of 1650 ch.
MKVI equipped with rockets and torpedes for the attack of ships.
MKX Hercules of 1770 ch.

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