johnbr
2nd Lieutenant
The unarmed first prototype Bristol Beaufighter R2052 in July 1939.
The impressive, powerful and heavily-armed Beaufighter was one of Bristol's most important aircraft contributions to the Second World War.
Originally conceived as the Beaufort Bomber for use during the Munich Crisis following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, the Beaufighter night fighter and maritime strike aircraft was eventually developed as a private venture against Specification F.37/35. It was based upon re-use of the wings and tail surfaces of the Type 152 Beaufort so that both aircraft could be produced on the same jigs meaning that manufacturing could be switched between aircraft types at very short notice.
The Design Team, led by L.G. Frise, determined that one of the most notable characteristics of the Beaufighter would be the heavy armament of four 20 mm cannon mounted in the lower nose, below the cockpit and six 0.303 machine guns, four in the starboard wing and two in the port wing.
During the early design stages multiple configurations were formalised including a 3-seat bomber with a dorsal gun turret (later designated Type 157). The design was accepted as an 'interim' aircraft due to various delays in the production of the Westland Whirlwind.
Designated as the Beaufighter in March 1939, four prototypes and seven pre-production aircraft were ordered, followed by production aircraft (Beaufighter Mk.I) powered by the Bristol Hercules engine.
The first prototype (R2052) was flown unarmed on 17th July 1939 and two types were developed as the Beaufighter Mk.1F for Fighter Command and a Beaufighter Mk.1C for Coastal Command. The Beaufighter Mk.II however was purely a night fighter version and was equipped with much improved Merlin XX engines.A number of experimental versions were produced during the War, including two examples R2274 and R2306 fitted with a four-gun turret immediately behind the pilot's cockpit. In this variant, the six wing-guns and two of the cannons were removed.
The impressive, powerful and heavily-armed Beaufighter was one of Bristol's most important aircraft contributions to the Second World War.
Originally conceived as the Beaufort Bomber for use during the Munich Crisis following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, the Beaufighter night fighter and maritime strike aircraft was eventually developed as a private venture against Specification F.37/35. It was based upon re-use of the wings and tail surfaces of the Type 152 Beaufort so that both aircraft could be produced on the same jigs meaning that manufacturing could be switched between aircraft types at very short notice.
The Design Team, led by L.G. Frise, determined that one of the most notable characteristics of the Beaufighter would be the heavy armament of four 20 mm cannon mounted in the lower nose, below the cockpit and six 0.303 machine guns, four in the starboard wing and two in the port wing.
During the early design stages multiple configurations were formalised including a 3-seat bomber with a dorsal gun turret (later designated Type 157). The design was accepted as an 'interim' aircraft due to various delays in the production of the Westland Whirlwind.
Designated as the Beaufighter in March 1939, four prototypes and seven pre-production aircraft were ordered, followed by production aircraft (Beaufighter Mk.I) powered by the Bristol Hercules engine.
The first prototype (R2052) was flown unarmed on 17th July 1939 and two types were developed as the Beaufighter Mk.1F for Fighter Command and a Beaufighter Mk.1C for Coastal Command. The Beaufighter Mk.II however was purely a night fighter version and was equipped with much improved Merlin XX engines.A number of experimental versions were produced during the War, including two examples R2274 and R2306 fitted with a four-gun turret immediately behind the pilot's cockpit. In this variant, the six wing-guns and two of the cannons were removed.
