Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Beaufighter>HA2301

General Background

The Bristol Beaufighter was designed as a two-seat long-range fighter. To speed up production many parts of the older Bristol Beaufort were used. The tail, landing gear and wings of the Beaufort were transplanted to the Beaufighter and most units were equipped with airborne radar located in the nose for night-fighting. The Mk. IF was the initial production and fitted with four 20 mm cannons in the nose along with six 7.7 mm machine guns in the wings. There were a total of 553 of the IF version produced.

The Aircraft

In April 1943 the 236 Squadron was one of three squadrons forming the new Coastal Command Strike Wing, Coastal Group #16 at RAF North Coates. The Bristol Beaufighter Mk. X commonly referred to as the “Torbeau” because of its ability to be armed with a torpedo or optional rockets or bombs. Their primary function was anti-shipping and during the final three years of WWII the North Coates squadrons sank 117 ships with over 150,000 tons. All this came at the cost of 120 Beaufighters and 241 crew members.

Specifications :

Crew:	2 X (1) pilot (1) radio/radar operator
Engines:	2 X Bristol Hercules XI engines / 1,500 hp
Fuel:	100 octane
	Capacity 550 Imp gallons / (660 US gallons) / (2,500 liters)
Performance
Maximum speed:	321 mph at 15,800 feet / (520 km/h at 4,572 m)
ICR:	1,850 ft/min at sea level / (564 m/min at sea level)
Climb to 20,000 ft:	214 minutes 6 seconds / (6,095 m in 14 min 6 seconds)
Ceiling:	26,500 ft / (8077 m)
Range:	1,170 miles at 5,000ft at 182 mph / (1,883 km at 1.524 km at 292.9 km/h)
Dimensions
Length:	41ft 8in / (12.6 m)
Wingspan:	57ft 10in / (17.63 m)
Height:	15 ft 10 in / (4.83 m)
Wing area:	503 sq. ft. / (46.73 m2)
Weight
Empty weight:	14,069 lb / (6,382 kg)
Operational:	21,100 lb / (9,571 kg)
Armament:	4 X 20mm cannon under nose 240 rounds per gun
	6 X .303 machine guns in wings 1000 rounds per gun.