Bristol Beaufort

Bristol Aeroplane Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1938 · bomber

The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engine torpedo bomber and general reconnaissance aircraft that served as the RAF's primary torpedo bomber in the early years of World War II.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	13.59 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Twin-engine British torpedo bomber with mid-set wing
Bristol Taurus radial engines in deep oval nacelles
Prominent dorsal turret behind cockpit

Resembles the Blenheim but is larger with deeper, more oval nacelles; the deep dorsal turret and torpedo-capable bomb bay distinguish it from other Bristol twins.

Specifications

The Bristol Beaufort has a length of 13.59 m (45 ft).
It has a wingspan of 17.63 m (58 ft).
Its maximum speed is 418 km/h (260 mph).
Typical crew: 4.

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

History

Developed from the earlier Blenheim, the Beaufort first flew in October 1938 and entered service with Coastal Command in 1940. It saw action over the North Sea, Mediterranean, and Far East, scoring notable hits against Axis shipping including the German warships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst.

Variants

The Beaufort I used Bristol Taurus VI engines; the Beaufort II used Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engines and was built in Australia as the primary version in the Pacific theatre.

Where you'll see it

Served with the RAF Coastal Command, the Royal Australian Air Force, and several Allied air arms; the Australian-built version saw extensive use against Japanese shipping.

Related aircraft

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