Bristol Beaufighter

Bristol Aeroplane Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1939 · fighter

A hard-hitting British twin-engined heavy fighter, night fighter and strike aircraft of the Second World War.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Broad, deep fuselage giving a heavy, purposeful look
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Stubby blunt nose packing four 20 mm cannon, with no visible propeller
Two large radial engines on a low tapered wing
Broad, deep fuselage giving a heavy, purposeful look

A purposeful twin-radial fighter with a notably short, blunt gun nose and no nose propeller. The deep fuselage and low tapered wing distinguish it from the slimmer Mosquito.

Specifications

The Bristol Beaufighter has a length of 12.6 m (41 ft).
It has a wingspan of 17.6 m (58 ft).
Its maximum speed is 520 km/h (323 mph).
Typical crew: 2 (pilot and navigator/radar operator).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Derived quickly from the Beaufort torpedo bomber, the Beaufighter first flew on 17 July 1939 and entered service in 1940. Its roomy fuselage made it an ideal early radar-equipped night fighter during the Blitz, and its four-cannon armament made it a devastating anti-shipping and ground-attack platform.

Variants

Marks ranged from the early Mk IF night fighter through the Hercules-engined Mk VI to the torpedo-carrying TF Mk X 'Torbeau'; over 5,500 were built, including Australian production.

Where you'll see it

Operated extensively by the RAF and Commonwealth air forces. A restored Beaufighter is held by the Royal Air Force Museum, and examples are preserved in collections in Australia and the United States; complete survivors are scarce.

Related aircraft

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