[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Shamrock

Did it have any forward firing armament No 4? If it did then it's the RAF version of the the P-61!

With the turret this variant gave up not only its wing guns, but also two of the four 20mm cannons. Looks like there were two of these with one going to the No. 406 (RCAF) Squadron and the second went to No 600 Squadron were it it served until destroyed in an accident. Not sure what the fate of the first one was. This one definitely did not have the fire power fo the P-61.

[Shamrock]

Agreed Cruver. At least with two 20 x MM firing forward it could defend itself unlike the Defiant. The reference to the P-61 was in relation to the dorsal turret and cannon armament. The .303s were puny compared to the Browning.5s.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Shamrock

Agreed Cruver. At least with two 20 x MM firing forward it could defend itself unlike the Defiant. The reference to the P-61 was in relation to the dorsal turret and cannon armament. The .303s were puny compared to the Browning.5s.

Turret on the P-61 was a little more drag friendly too.

[Celtic]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

Turret on the P-61 was a little more drag friendly too.

Still a mean looking machine...sort of thing a Klingon weapons designer would come up with...

[Raven]

Originally Posted by PZL24G

Some interesting choices for the " Whispering Death " will be :
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IF 25 Squadron, Royal Air Force Ser. no. R2069 North Weald, Essex September 1940
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IF 604 Squadron, Royal Air Force Ser. no. R2101 Middle Wallop, Hampshire December 1940
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IC 252 Squadron, Royal Air Force Ser. no. T4828 Idku, Egypt December 1941
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IC 236 Squadron, Royal Air Force Ser. no. T4800 Wattisham, Suffolk June 1942
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. VIF 256 Squadron, Royal Air Force Ser. no. V8443 Woodvale, Lancashire February 1943
Bristol Beaufighter T.F. Mk. X 455 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force Ser. no. NE775 Langham, Norfolk June 1944
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. X 30 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force Tadje Strip, New Guinea August 1944
Bristol Beaufighter T.F. Mk.X 489 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force Ser. no. NV425 Dallachy, Morayshire May 1945
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. VIF 415th Night Fighter Squadron, 12th U.S. Army Air Force Ser. no. KW147La Vailon, Southern France September 1944
Bristol Beaufighter T.F. Mk.X211 Squadron, Royal Air ForceSer. no. NV862 St. Thomas Mount, India July 1945
Bristol Beaufighter T.F. Mk.X 45 Squadron, Royal Air Force Ser. no. RD815 Kuala Lumpur, Malaya November 1949
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. 21 22 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force Sanga-Sanga, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies May 1945
Bristol Beaufighter T.F. Mk. X 16 Squadron, South African Air Force Ser. no. NV139 Biferno, Italy April 1945
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IIF 456 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force Ser. no. T3370 Valley, Anglesey September 1942
Bristol Beaufighter Mk. VIF 255 Squadron, Royal Air Force Ser. no. MM924 Bo Rizzo, Sicily August 1943

Many of these (listed and pictures) would be great - I would especially be interested in a USAAF version, a RAF night fighter and D-Day stripes version. Don't forget the rockets and torpedos!

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Raven

Many of these (listed and pictures) would be great - I would especially be interested in a USAAF version, a RAF night fighter and D-Day stripes version. Don't forget the rockets and torpedos!

Rocket and torpedo armed sounds good to me!

[hawkonevoodoo]

Someone somewhere mentioned the Mk I and MK VI Beaus as good choices. With all the different variants does anyone know what the exact differences were between the MK I and MK VI ? I don't know which variants Hobby Master is going to make but if it happens to be one of these it would be nice to point out the differences so we would be assured of a correct model. This isn't anything to do with an official request, this is my being curious.

[PZL24G]

Mk IC/Mk IF
The Beaufighter Mk I was redesignated Mk IF to show it's night-fighter role after the Mk IC entered service. While the Mk IF was primarily meant to act in the night-fighter scene, the Mk IC was meant to act as a long-range day fighter. In order to operate over great distances and the resulting necessity for navigation, the aircraft received a second station to accomodate a navigator, and increased fuel capacity. These additional tanks were first situated in the lower fuselage, but later placed in the vacated room of 2 of the wing based guns.
The main differences between the Mk IF ("F" for Fighter) and Mk IC ("C" for Coastal) were that the C's had the additional six .303 machine guns in the wings - two in the port, four in the starboard wing - and increased internal fuel tanks. Or to put it the other way round, the fighter versions only had the four 20mm cannon in the nose - the wing space being occupied by radar equipment.
Mk VIF
Essentially a Mk I, it was fitted with 2 Bristol Hercules VI radials, rated at 1670 hp. Later models of this version were fitted with the slightly more powerfull Bristol Hercules XVI, rated 1,675 hp (1245 kW).r. This plane was a night fighter development, fitted with the AI.Mk VII radar, later even the AI.Mk VIII. It's armament were 4 × 20 mm canons, and 6 wing mounted 0.303 inch (7.7 mm) machineguns.
Mk VIC
Like the Mk VIF relates to the Mk IF, the Mk VIC relates to the Mk IC. It's powerplants were the Bristol Hercules VI. Provisions were made to be able to replace the 6 wing mounted machine guns with extra fuel tanks, increasing the range. Later aircraft received hardpoint under the wings, where bombs or rockets could be placed.
Mk VIC (ITF)
Before the rockets became available anti-shipping duties were carried out using torpedoes. The British Air Ministry asked Bristol to adopt the Beaufighter to replace the Beuafort in this role, because of it's smaller crew and better performance. The torpedo to be used was a standard 18 inch (457 mm) torpedo, weight 1,650 lb (748 kg). The Mk VI ITF (Interim Torpedo Fighter) received Airbrakes to give it a steadier approach to the release point. In just 2 weeks Bristol had modified an existing Mk VI which could also carry the American standard torpedo

HB should seriously consider doing this one:Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IC 236 Squadron, Royal Air Force Ser. no. T4800 Wattisham, Suffolk June 1942

This Beaufighter is probably the most famous of them all. On 12th June, 1942, crewed by Flight Lieutenant A.K. Gatward (Pilot) & Sergeant G. Fern (Observer), this aircraft dropped a French Tricolore on the Arc de Triomphe, Paris, and then strafed the nearby Headquarters of the Kriegsmarine.

Also the standard Coastal Command camouflage of Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky had been introduced - but still with roundels underwing and very pale grey code letters.

[STARMAN 352ND]

Originally Posted by PZL24G

HB should seriously consider doing this one:Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IC 236 Squadron, Royal Air Force Ser. no. T4800 Wattisham, Suffolk June 1942

This Beaufighter is probably the most famous of them all. On 12th June, 1942, crewed by Flight Lieutenant A.K. Gatward (Pilot) & Sergeant G. Fern (Observer), this aircraft dropped a French Tricolore on the Arc de Triomphe, Paris, and then strafed the nearby Headquarters of the Kriegsmarine.

Also the standard Coastal Command camouflage of Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky had been introduced - but still with roundels underwing and very pale grey code letters.

That would be this one.
JP


Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IC236 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Ser. no. T4800 Wattisham, Suffolk
June 1942

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by STARMAN 352ND

That would be this one.
JP


Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IC236 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Ser. no. T4800 Wattisham, Suffolk
June 1942

Yep & in my opinion, THE best looking one of the entire bunch......

(colours & markings)