Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Beaufighter>HA2304

General Background

The Bristol Beaufighter was developed in about 8 months by using sections from the earlier designed Bristol Beaufort. It was given more powerful engines and a variety of modifications making the aircraft capable of many tasks. It was a night fighter, fighter bomber and torpedo bomber performing anti-shipping duty as well as ground attack and long range interdiction. The different variants, 14 in all, were capable of carrying bombs, torpedoes, rockets, canons and machine guns. The Beaufighter was operated by 11 countries.

The Aircraft

Beaufighter Mk. VIF ND220 belonged to Sqn Ldr J.H. Etherton of the 176th Sqn stationed at Minneriya Ceylon from late 1944 until April 1945. Etherton was a Beaufighter Ace with 6 kills in North Africa before joining the 176th. He used the aircraft to visit remote units of the squadron and was painted in full South-East Asia Command markings but lacked aircraft letters. On June 28 1945 the aircraft swung on take-off collapsing the undercarriage and writing the aircraft off.

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.