Bristol Beaufighter

Bristol's design team, led by Leslie Frise and Roy Faddon, set about working on a new design heavily based on its recent Beaufort torpedo bomber. This new aircraft was to be powered by a pair of Bristol's Hercules engines and would use the Beaufort's landing gear, wings and tail, based around a newly designed fuselage and would have a crew of two, pilot and navigator. Bristol submitted this aircraft in October 1938 to the Air Ministry, who ordered four prototypes. On the 17th July 1939 the first prototype flew, with Captain Cyril Uwins at the controls.

The Royal Air Force received their first Beaufighter Mk I on the 27th July 1940. Powered by the 1,560-hp Bristol Hercules XI engine, its top speed was 320 mph, range 1,500 miles with a service ceiling of 29,000 ft. Armament was four 20mm cannons, six 0.303-in machine-guns and 2,000lb bombs. It would be the Fighter Interception Unit based at RAF Tangmere who would be the first squadrons to receive the Beaufighter Mk IF, which had Airborne Interception radar Mk IV installed. They started to get theirs on the 12th August 1940 and, after moving to RAF Shoreham, undertook the Beaufighter Mk IFs first operational sortie on the 4th September 1940.

A further five squadrons, Nos. 25, 29, 219, 600 and 604, would take delivery of small numbers of the aircraft by October 1940. No. 219 Squadron scored the type's first aerial victory when a Dornier Do 17Z was shot down on the 25th October 1940. No. 604 Squadron scored the Beaufighter's first radar assisted victory, shooting down a Junkers Ju 88 on the 19th November 1940. A Beaufighter Mk IC for use by Coastal Command was developed and No. 143 Squadron based at RAF Aldergrove, which had been reformed on the 15th June 1941, would be the first to receive the type.

With Bristol's Hercules engines in demand elsewhere, it was decided to look for an alternative engine in case of a shortage. So two airframes were installed with Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, testing showed the centre of gravity in the Beaufighter moved which resulted in directional instability, which would require the tail of the aircraft to be redesigned. This led to the 1,250-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin XX powered Beaufighter Mk II, with the first example flying on the 22nd March 1941. These had a top speed of 327 mph, a range of 1,500 miles and a service ceiling of 29,000 ft. Armament consisted of four 20mm cannons, six 0.303-in machine-guns and 2,000lb bombs.

The Bristol Hercules II, X or XI engine was to power a proposed Beaufighter Mk III and the Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engine the Beaufighter Mk IV, but none were built. Two Beaufighter Mk Vs powered by the 1,250-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engine were, but no further Beaufighter Mk Vs were produced.

The next variant to enter production was the Beaufighter Mk VI. Powered by the 1,650-hp Bristol Hercules VI engine, its top speed was 330 mph, range 1,500 miles with a service ceiling of 29,000 ft. Armament was four 20mm cannons, six 0.303-in machine-guns and either torpedoes or rocket projectiles. Fighter Command and Coastal Command started to receive their first Beaufighter Mk VIs in early 1942. This was followed in May 1942 with tests which saw the aircraft able to be armed with torpedoes, to begin with sixteen Beaufighter Mk VICs would be modified to carry torpedoes and these would enter service during June 1942 with No. 254 Squadron based at RAF Dyce.

The next three intended variants were the Beaufighter Mk VII, to be powered by the Bristol Hercules 26 engine and the Beaufghter Mk VIII and Beaufighter Mk IX, which were both to be powered by the Bristol Hercules XVII engine. These were to be built in Australia, but none were produced.

This meant the Beaufighter TF.Mk X was the next production variant, Powered by the 1,735-hp Bristol Hercules XVII engine, it had a top speed of 323 mph, a range of 1,500 miles and a service ceiling of 29,000 ft. Armament consisted of four 20mm cannons, six 0.303-in machine-guns and either 500lb bombs or torpedoes or rocket projectiles. The Beaufighter TF.Mk X would be used for anti-shipping operations and was fitted with Airbone Interception radar Mk VIII.

The Beaufighter Mk XI was the next production version, essentially a Beaufighter Mk X but without the ability to carry torpedoes. The Beaufighter Mk XI provided the basis for the Beaufighter Mk XII, with the main change being an increased range, but this would never enter production.

The Royal Australian Air Force would also take delivery of a small number of Beaufighters in 1941 and 1942. One of the squadrons to be equipped with the aircraft was No. 30 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force and they would use the type in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea (2nd March 1943 - 4th March 1943). No. 30 Squadron, RAAF Beaufighters would be among a number of aircraft, including those of the United States Fifth Air Force, which during these three days would attack a Japanese convoy on its way to Lae, New Guinea which was ferrying troops and supplies.

Australia would build a number of the type under licence in 1944 and 1945, these were based on the Beaufighter TF Mk X. Known as the Beaufighter Mk 21, it was powered by the 1,735-hp Bristol Hercules XVIII engine, this gave the aircraft a top speed of 320 mph, range of 1,750 miles with a service ceiling of 29,000 ft. Armament was four 20mm cannons, four 0.50-in machine-guns and either 1,000lb bombs or torpedoes or rocket projectiles. The first flight of the Beaufighter Mk 21 was made on the 26th May 1944 from Victoria, Australia. In total 365 examples would be built in Australia, with the 6th November 1945 seeing the Royal Australian Air Force receiving their final Beaufighter Mk 21.

The final variant was the Beaufighter TT.Mk 10. These were a number of different variants converted to target tugs. These would be the last of the type to serve with the Royal Air Force, its final sortie occurring on the 12th May 1960.

During its Royal Air Force career the Beaufighter would serve in a number of roles, including night fighter, torpedo bomber and ground attack. During September 1942 Nos. 143, 236 and 254 Squadrons, who operated the type, formed the North Coates Strike Wing which would target North Sea shipping. It would be Nos. 236 and 254 Squadrons who undertook the first operation for this new force, attacking a convoy on the 20th November 1942. By the time the war in Europe ended on the 8th May 1945, the North Coates Strike Wing would be credited with sinking over 150,000 tons of shipping.

One of the most audacious operations of the Second World War (1939 - 1945) was carried out by Coastal Command. This saw a Beaufighter Mk IC of No. 236 Squadron, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Ken Gatward with Sergeant George Fern as his navigator, perform a low-level daylight operation on the 12th June 1942. Known as Operation Squabble, they dropped a French Tricolore over the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France.

The Beaufighter would be used by a number of other air forces, including the United States Army Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force, and by the time production ended, a total of 5,928 had been built.