<-- **** DONE: 1/48 Beaufighter TF X - Twin Engined Aircraft of WWII

[Wurger]

Here is a better shot of the pipe. The AJ-Press books also state it was the part of the cabin heating system and was on the starboard side.

 

[Wayne Little]

Doing great work there Andy!

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks guys and great pic there Wojtek.

 

[dogsbody]

This image from the IWM looks to show the same setup on both exhausts.

ROYAL AIR FORCE 1939-1945: COASTAL COMMAND (CH 9755)

This one shows the port side:

ROYAL AIR FORCE FIGHTER COMMAND, 1939-1945. (CE 21)


Chris

 

[Wurger]

I have seen the second shot too. It appears that the same was for the port side. However I didn't find any diagram showing the running of the system pipes.

 

[Airframes]

I found a 'cutaway' section drawing on-line, viewed from the port side, showing the pipes on the interior, with the drawing ending at the wing root.
The pipes are shown exiting (from the interior) into both wing roots, quite near to the leading edge. Unfortunately, only the fuselage wing root is shown - no wing or engine nacelle - so it isn't possible to determine exactly where the pipes run inside the nacelle.

 

[dogsbody]

Another port-side image from: 404 Squadron, RCAF - Welcome

In the lower right corner of the picture.

Chris

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks for the input everyone. I figured it was on both sides as Terry Higgins at Avieology showed it as such and also the Hendon bird has the hole in both nacelles.

Terry, I know the diagram you are talking about and have it on file. To me, there must have been a heat exchanger arrangement somewhere as surely they did not pipe exhaust directly to the crew!

 

[Airframes]

I would guess so, otherwise those yellow gas detector patches would be working overtime !
I've had a look at the Mk.1 and Mk.VI cutaway drawings I have, but haven't found anything. Got one more to look at - but it's in Hungarian !
Evan !!?!

 

[Wurger]

I'm not sure but it seems the diagram shows the a heat exchanger ( the red marked area ..) The red arrow may point the entry for the hot air from the engines. It looks like the same entry was on the starboard. However these two pipes at the ending of the flame damper could have been the heat exanger too. To make it sure we need to know what is marked with the number "9". Unfortunately the reference doesn't state that.

The pic source ... The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum • View topic - Fighting the Beau

 

[Airframes]

The area in the red ring looks more like just a step, over the pipes.
The pipe or hose which is exiting into the wing root, on both sides (the upper pipe / hose) doesn't seem to be going anywhere, except into the wings on both sides. But the hose running off the vertical feed to the heating duct, runs down under the floor - maybe it's this one, fed from both engines, which is the heater hose ?

 

[Wurger]

You might be right, Terry. However , marking the area red as the heat exchanger I meant two pipes pressed tight together. One of them could have warmed up the another one while being filled with the hot air. The step over that might have protected pilots against scorching with the heat, for instance.

 

[Airframes]

Yes, could be.

 

[Crimea_River]

Possibly. Begs the question: where does the diverted exhaust exit the aircraft?

 

[Wurger]

I was trying to find out more about the Beau heating system. But not too much can be found. However it seems that the system started with these two short pipes protruding from the housing at the front engine ring. These were inlet pipes for the heating of carburetors, a couple of other engine devices, gun breeches and the cockpit interior. It might mean that there were two thin pipes going through the flame damper and put together at the cap mounted to the flame damper endings. The question is where the pipe with the hot air was attached to. If it was in the pilot's compartment the exhaust exit could be at the bottom gun section as the diagram suggests ( the pipe going down on the right side ). As a result these guns could be kept in warm during a flight too and the hot air could be evacuated via the shell ejector slots for instance.

 

[Crimea_River]

Could be my friend.

 

[dogsbody]

Not all Beaufighter exhausts had two pipes for heating. The early models didn't have any pipes and the first ones that did have the heater intake pipes only had one. Photos will need to be checked to make sure you have the right ones on your kit.


Chris

 

[Crimea_River]

Chris, any idea how these things worked? Exhaust gases routed to where to heat fresh air and then ejected where?

 

[Crimea_River]

A quick update on the landing gear work. After spending time studying close-ups of the Duxford Beaufighter restoration, I went ahead and added the brake lines on the undercarriage. The brake fluid enters from a single line down one leg in a flexible hose, enters a metal tube that runs down one strut to the wheel hub. The second line Tees into the first part way down the metal line. There also is what appears to be a pressure equalization tube that connects the two oleos and I've added this complete with loop and attachment nipples near the top of the bare metal section.

Problem is, this is all WRONG! Turns out that the DAP Beau being restored at Duxford has a different arrangement which I of course discovered AFTER finishing this off and then seeing the below pics of 404 squadron TFXs (one being a detail crop) which clearly shows that there were two separate brake lines and no evidence of what I call the pressure equalizer line.

Fortunately, its an easy fix but I somewhat regret losing the line with the little loop in it as it turned out nicely.

On the other side, I broke up the boring monotone green/grey and sprayed in some patches of a slightly darkened version of the same colour and highlighting the high pints and edges with a much lighter version of the same colour. I think this makes the details stand out nicely.

Hopefully more will be achieved tomorrow and, if so, I'll post up some more pics. Thanks again for your input.

 

[dogsbody]

Chris, any idea how these things worked? Exhaust gases routed to where to heat fresh air and then ejected where?

No more than has already been posted here. I've been through every book and reference that I have and have been trawling through The Net, but info is thin on the ground.



Chris