The Whispering Death: The Bristol Beaufighter
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ค. 2024
- With war clouds looming in Europe, the Royal Air Force found themselves lacking a long-range fighter that had considerable firepower. In 1938 realising this gap within the Inventory Bristol set off on a private venture to produce an aircraft to fulfill the need. The Beaufighter was born. Based off the Beaufort torpedo based, the Beaufighter would be one of the most heavily armed strike aircraft of the war. Entering service as a nightfighter, a role at which it excelled in, throughout its career it was adapted to undertake a variety of roles that included anti-shipping operations, ground attack and convoy protection. Known for being a rugged and hard hitting strike aircraft, it served with distinction in all major theatres of the Second World War. It was also supossedly nicknamed the ‘Whispering Death” by the Japanese. It saw service with 52 squadrons and 5,562 were built in Britain and a further 364 in Australia.
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Images:
Imperial War Museum
San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives
Australian War Memorial
Sources:
Books:
Aircraft Made in Australia- Volume Two by Stewart Wilson
Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of Worl War II
Profile Publications No.137 Bristol Beaufighter I & II by Philip J. R. Moyes
The Encyclopedia of Aircraft of World War II by Paul Eden
The World Encyclopedia of Fighter & Bombers by Francis Crosby
Websites:
211 Squadron: www.211squadron.org/bristol_be...
Aces Flying High: acesflyinghigh.wordpress.com
BAE Systems: www.baesystems.com/en/heritag...
Classic Warbirds: www.classicwarbirds.co.uk/bri...
History of War: www.historyofwar.org/articles/...
Moorabbin Air Museum: www.aarg.com.au/dap-mk21-beau...
National Museum of the United States Air Force: www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Vis...
Royal Australian Air Force: www.airforce.gov.au/sites/def...
ThoughtCo.: www.thoughtco.com/bristol-bea...
0:00-1:22 - Origins
1:22-1:58 - Prototype
1:58-3:19 - Mk.IF
3:19-4:27 - Mk.II
4:27-4:44 - Modifications
4:44-4:50 - Mk.III & Mk.IV
4:50-5:14 - Mk.V
5:14-6:39 - Mk.IC
6:39-7:35 - Mk.VI
7:35-8:23 - Mk.VIF
8:23-8:47 - Mk.VIC
8:47-9:20 - Far East Operations
9:20-9:32 - Mk.VII, Mk.VIII & Mk.IV
9:32-10:16 - Torpedo Testing
10:16-10:43 - American Beaufighters
10:43-11:46 - Mk.X
11:46-11:55 - Mk.XI
11:55-12:26 - Strike Wings
12:26-12:33 - Mk.XII
12:33-13:16 - Australian British Beaufighters
13:16-15:29 Australian Production, Mk.XXI
15:29-15:48 - TT.Mk.X
15:48-16:30 - Survivors
16:30-17:21 - Conclusion
#bristolbeaufighter #worldwartwo #aviationhistory #history #aircraft #secondworldwar #beaufighter #whisperingdeath #WW2 #aviation #flying #documentary #raf
My dad was posted to North Africa he was an aero engineer and maintained both the Beaufighter and Blenheim at that time. He continued to work for the Bristol Aeroplane Company after the war and was involved with the early development studies relating to supersonic flight, which eventually became Concorde. Good video!
That's cool!
That is really interesting and fascinating. Thanks for sharing👍✈
Hello hurra to you father we need more like him and you . Saludos Feliz Navidad
@@pavelavietor1 He passed away in 1991, but thank you
I had a great-uncle who served in the RAF both before and during WW2. He flew almost every kind of aircraft, including Hurricanes and Spitfires. He maintained to the end his love for the Beaufighter. Not the most agile of aircraft he admitted. But - in the impressively armed version he flew in the Med - totally deadly to any enemy aircraft foolish enough to stray into his gunsights. As a boy I was thrilled by his photo of his Beau with fuselage markings of several Italian fighters plus a submarine!
Thank you for a brilliant presentation. My father joined the RAF at the beginning of the war, was selected for pilot training and went to America in a group as a "civilian" to be trained by the US Airforce before America came into the war. He got his US Airforce wings (silver) and returned to England and received his RAF wings (cloth). He flew beaufighters in RAF 144 squadron Coastal command. 144 squadron flew fighter escort to the Crown Prince of Norway on his return from exile in the last days of the war. On the way home they, along with others attacked a German airfield at Lista and destroyed plenty of aircraft on the ground and as the were trying to get airborne. Still have both sets of wings, and his log books with photos of the airdrome strike and also photos of a vessel strike in a fiord where dad got one engine/ hydraulics shot out and had to force land at Sumburg on the Shetlands. They flew so low that the props would clip the waves and bend the tips. Regular job to hammer and dolly to tips straight.
Thank you👍✈️ That is quite the career and very interesting to read. His logbooks would be a very fascinating thing to see. Incredible, thank you for sharing👍✈️
Crown Prince Olav became a great king that I had the honor of meeting once. He was very down to earth and loved skiing in the woods north of Oslo where I met him. I served in the Royal Guard under his son King Haakon.
Thanks so much. Brought back memories of my dear departed father who worked on them in Sydney towards the end of the war.
Thanks for a great vid on the Beau. My Dad was a navigator with 30Sqn when they first deployed to New Guinea in 1942. He stayed there until Feb 1943 when he was posted back to Australia after a take-off crash that completely destroyed the aircraft. He loved them and always spoke very fondly of the Beaufighter.
Very interesting and fascinating to hear. It seems that the Beaufighters were quite loved by those who flew or worked with them. Thanks for sharing👍✈
The Beaufighter suffered a bad yaw of the tail at low speed, such as take-off and landing, and many were lost in this way.
However, from what I've read in books, the rugged design of the aircraft meant that crew survivability in a crash was high.
Unfortunately, there are also a lot of lost Beaughters that litter the jungles of the far east!
@@Cliffjumper24 that was commonly described as a ground loop which you probably know already. My father's aircraft crashed for other reasons, came to rest about 100m past the end of the runway at Wards Strip, and was completely burnt out. He and the pilot, Col Campbell were very lucky to survive!
Kudos to the brave Commonwealth men and women, Britain did not stand alone in 1940, my da left the Republic of Ireland alongside thousands of others to join the RAF, Spike Milligan' a long time parishioner of Oz ,interrogated a German officer captured in Italy ,asking who were the best shock troops, without hesitation he said....the Australians....best wishes from the wirral...ps half the cast of Neighbour's seem to hail from Birkhenhead...E
@@geoffyeatman8791 o
Thank you for covering the Beaufighter ,great aircraft often overshadowed by the Mosquito.
👍✈ it is. The Beaufighter is overshadowed by the Mosquito in a similar way to how the Hurricane is overshadowed by the Spitfire.
Although both planes had similat ops to perform, the Mosquito was ,in the main, operated in the European and African war, therefor getting most of the Media attention. The Beaufighter's were used in greater number's in the Pacific War, far far away, especially, as the Mosquito had some structural problems in Hot HUMID conditions.
Not as fast as the Mosquito , but much tougher. Being able to take punishment is a quality in itself. Both very versatile aircraft
@@MrDaiseymay If you look at the de Havilland Hornet, essentially the successor to the Mosquito it struggled during deployment to Asia and was eventually withdrawn for structural issues related to the humidity. It seems the design of the Mosquito and Hornet were designed for Europe.
They were actually quite different. The Beaufighter was a much bigger aircraft than the Mosquito and allocated different tasks. I think the reason the Mosquito is better remember is because of the raid on Berlin that put Goering off the air. While the Beaufighter is said to have been successful in every theatre in which it operated, it never really did the variety of mission performed by the Mosquito. As an anti shipping weapon, it proved its worth in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in 1943. As powerful as it’s armament was, it was later increased with the addition of rockets. And unlike the Mosquito, it was often fitted with an aerial torpedo.
One of my most favourite aircraft and doesn’t get the recognition it truly deserves.
Probably it's greatest contribution was it's use at night with airborne radar and the lessons learned from it, being a success in this role especially when it is considered that it had never been used before and in wartime conditions is amazing,a true pioneer that laid the groundwork for every other aircraft using radar since right up until the present when they are all equipped with it
Yes very true and I would agree. A very good read on the subject is that written by Guy Gibson in his autobiography 'Enemy Coast Ahead." Even though most of his career was flying bombers, he spent sometime with Beaufighters at a night fighter squadron. The book has a few chapters on it, and I found it quite fascinating to read about how they went about their business.
Australian pilots in the Pacific loved the Beau, great video
👍✈️
Thank goodness for Australian intervention and development inputv
I understand that when in the ground attack role Beaufighter pilots would throttle back the engines to better control the aircraft in the dive. Because of this the aircraft was often not heard before it started firing its guns and this is where its nomenclature of Whispering Death came from.
That would make sense. I've also read that it had to with the Hercules engines (due to the valves used) being much quieter when compared to the Rolls Royce engines. Maybe a combination of both 👍✈
@@AntiqueAirshow Yeah, the engine had a different set of valves, Sleeve valves, I believe.
I only know what my grandfather who was in the 2nd AIF during WW2 repeatedly told me, “You would be walking along and feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Then you look up and there’d be a Beaufighter and you felt like you could reach up and touch it!”
@@longrider42 I read a car magazine once about a 1920's car with sleeve valves, which was extremely quiet. The magazine's reviewer thought it hadn't started! They needed a lot of engineering, though, so were not generally adopted, especially for cars, in an age when owners frequently had to do their own repairs.
@@AntiqueAirshow A fortunate combination.
The Beaufighter´s almost cute appearance belies its strike power and combat performance.
It earned its good reputation in so many different roles and on battlefields all over the world.
Few planes left such a mark on WWII.
Agree. It deserves more recongition. 👍✈
My father was in the RCAF and was on a course in Jarvis Collegiate in Toronto with 2 brothers, Herbert Reginald (Reg) and E, George Dowding. My dad was posted to 411Sqn and flew Spit IXs. The Dowding boys were both posted to 254 Sqn flying Beaufighters, attacking flack ships in the North Sea. Reg was killed in action in 1944.
The amount of dihedral on the tailplane of the Beaufighter is striking, where applied. I'm not surprised it was needed though, looking at the airframe. War throws up some niche applications, and the Whispering Death certainly had its night.. Great! Thanks for posting. ⭐👍
The Beaufighter in the right role certainly was a formidable aircraft. No problem, thanks for watching 👍✈️
I recall reading a story about the Beaufighter in North Africa. I don't remember much about it (we're talkin 60+ ears ago). Loved the story and became a Beaufighter fan. IMO a much underappreciated aircraft.
Nice, it is a great aircraft. Being able to see one is person is also a great experience. Agree.👍✈
Very good video with a good explanation. The Beaufighter was a very under-rated aircraft and deserves better recognition.
Thank you 👍✈ Definitely agree.
Post war the Beaufighter continued to be operated by the RAF in a secondary role, chiefly that of target towing. The last example, a TT10 based at RAF SELETAR in Singapore finally being withdrawn from service during May 1960. Target towing Beaufighters being identifiable by the long dorsal fillet just before the tail-fin.
@@EVISEH A rather unglamourous task for such a fine aircraft
I've never heard anyone "under-rating" it tbh. Its a well known and respected aircraft, even for those with a basic knowledge of ww2 aviation.
@@JohnyG29 I probably would under-rate it. In simulations it flies like a brick very much betraying it's medium bomber heritage, and it lacks the phenomenal speed which the Blenheim and the Mosquito had at introduction. It just seems to me it never managed to really excel at anything in it's time baring it's traits of long range and interior space. That said I am probably underrating it because it worked, unlike say the Ba.88 (shudders).
Very interesting clip.Thankyou for posting. Proud to say my Grandfather flew Beau's, (as he called them) with 30 Sqdrn, RAAF. He was very fond of the aircraft.
Great video , thanks for posting , the Beaufighter was a versatile & tough old bird. The Australian MK 21 variants had the best gun firepower , with 4 x 20 mm cannon & the 4 x .50 cal HMGs in the wing , giving same firepower as the larger US P-61 Black Widow.
Thanks. It certainly packed a punch. Some considerable fire power. 👍✈
I never thought of that .. the p61 had some awesome firepower ... And the Beau had the same in the M.K.21 thank you for pointing this out. The beautiful BEAUFIGHTER might not be the fastest of Aircraft but she made up for that by it's Heavy punch firepower ..so thanks again buddy ☮️🍺😊👍
@@kevinwhitaker119 You're welcome .Also , the Beau could take a good kicking , and keep on ticking , toughness is a big asset in a combat aircraft. The Beau must have partly inspired todays fearsome A-10.
@@kevinward3088 There are many stories from the war highlighting the Beau's toughness. One such comes from Burma, where one on a low level attack hit a tree stump, ripping off half of one wing. Still managed to get home and the crew walked away from the incident. 👍✈️
My uncle was a pilot in the RAF and flew Beaufighters during the war. Unfortunately he died in one crashing shortly after take take off in Singapore, 1947.
Hello GOD SPEED to uncle. Feliz Navidad. Saludos
No Grant, your uncle, succumbed to clap after a visit to a house of ill repute on Orchard Rd. Just sayin' ....
Then in 1948 it was Screwball Beurling, while departing from Rome with a Norseman loaded with armament for Israel...
Loved this plane as a young lad. It was my favourite Airfix model.
Sam McAughtry flew out of North Africa in the Beaufighter torpedo bomber. In his later life he became a much loved writer and broadcaster on both sides of the Irish border, and he recounted his war experiences as a navigator. In a television feature late in life he talked of the training, and the immediacy of life in the moment during action that stays with one forever. If he was placed right there and then in the dome of a Beaufighter to navigate by the stars he could do it instinctively.
My Uncle flew the Beaufighters in Africa. They apparently could take an enormous amount of punishment and still get him home. He loved that aircraft and was later equipped with Mosquitos, also an aircraft he loved.
I lived in Berwick shire ase a child during the war near charter hall aerodrome beus were based there then there were a lot of crashes with them I saw one lying in a field near the town of Duns pilots name was a Mr hills killed they might fly the one at Duxford some day
Total respect for all the good men that flew these things. I'm not sure I would have been man enough. I knew the Australians used them to good effect against Japanese shipping.
Thanks Britain, the Beaufighter was a very worthwhile addition to Australia’s defence during ww2. I also think they’re a nice looking plane with their stumpy nose. Cheers Stuart 🇦🇺
You're welcome. Pick on family, one in all in.
@@alangood8190 Absolutely 👍👍👍
Agree. It served with the RAAF valiantly and with distinction. Agree and seeing one in person in quite the experience. 👍✈️
@@scroungasworkshop4663 History might repeat itself if it kicks off with China. The subs might be a prelude.
So that's down to the Falkland Islands again but turn left and not right. ;-)
@@alangood8190 👍👍👍
I worked at G.A.F. in the mid-to-late 70's.
Beaufighters were manufactured and produced at G.A.F. (Government Aircraft Factories: Lorimer Street, Fisherman's Bend, Port Melbourne, and Avalon), some bits were made next door at the commercial manufacturing company Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation.
Only G.A.F. was a state-run establishment. Federal police guarded the entrances.
That would have been interesting place to work. The Beaufighter was quite the aircraft. Now that whole area is a mixture of factories
My Dad was a Photographer with 31 Squadron RAAF. They flew the Beaufighters.
BTW … I just commented on your Winjeel video.
Your videos bring back such wonderful memories mate.
Thank you !!!
That is really quite interesting. Do you have any of his photographs still?
That's great to hear, I'm glad. One of the best parts of running the channel is hearing the different connections and stories people have with the planes in the videos. Thanks for sharing ✈️👍
My Father worked on these Aircraft during WW2 and was in NW Australia as well.
A place along the side of the Fitzroy River and if I recall correctly Nukembar Station.
There are some pictures in his photo albums of his time there.
RIP Father, John, Australia.
Kudos to your father....
Great video mate, extremely informative, well researched and well presented. I've always had a soft spot for the Beaufighter, it was something of a quiet achiever (pardon the pun). Not as well-known to the general public as some of its more illustrious contemporaries, but its contributions were substantial. Thanks for making and uploading this, cheers!
Thank you 👍 I like to believe the Mosquito overshadowed the Beaufighter like the Spitfire overshadowed the Hurricane. 👍✈
The Beaufighter was definately an unsung hero of WW2!
@@AntiqueAirshow I always liked building the Hawker Hurricane models as they came in so many variants and were a workhorse like the American F4F Wildcat or the Curtis P-40 which was utilized by Americans and British under different names as well as allies.
@@redesert_boy8202 Nice so good. The Hurricane would also have a very wide range of markings and paint jobs you could use. The Hurricane, Wildcat and P-40 I believe are all a little overshadowed.👍✈️
@@Cliffjumper24 agree 👍✈️
The Beaus fuselage was a very tough assembly the ground handling was always tricky ...theres an account of one ploughing through a brick wall and the crew made it out alive.
The Beau was a great ground attack and antishipping aircraft. That could give and take damage.. kitted with rockets and or bombs it was brute .
A pregenator of the A10 in anti shipping and ground Attack role's.
In a similar fashion, a Mk VI Beaufighter in service with 27 squadron and flown by WO Ron Thorogood made a high speed (no brakes) landing at Agartala in Burma on 4/7/43. The aircraft collided at speed with the air traffic control tower and disintegrated into component parts. The crew walked away ...
It was a very tough machine. Another story goes that in Burma on a low level attack a Beaufighter hit a tree stump and part of one of its wings were ripped off, but still managed to get home and the crew walked away from it. Quite amazing
@@AntiqueAirshow All accounts must prove that the Beaufighter truly was a good ground attack aircraft! ;-)
I’ll get my coat.
@@AntiqueAirshow The only thing the mosquito have over this plane is speed . That armament on the mossie originated from the Beaufighter.
@@paulhicks6667
The Mosquito suffered in the tropics ... The heat and constant rain and high humidity attacked the balsa core material ...these days we would use epoxy resins to seal it but that adds wt
There's a lot of high grade balsa in the tail empinage and fuselage of a mosquito.
Its one of the reasons the Beaus got to beat up the ground and sea in the far east so much
Longer.😁🇬🇧 The core of a Beaus fuselage is an armoured cage.. theres a famous account of one plowing through a brick out building after slewing on take off.. the pilot and Navigator walked away.. shaken but having ripped the wing off.
Think of it as an A 10s great grandad but better at night fighting... and you start seeing why it earned its reputation three times over in both war theatres.
Plus it didnt warp or rot in the tropics..and was tough and could hall a shed load of weapons off crappy jungle strips .
You omitted the South African Air Force's (SAAF) use of the type during WW2. No.16 Squadron SAAF operated from Italy and conducted many strikes against Axis forces in the Balkans, from mid- 1943 until the end of the War.
I did mention towards the end of the video that the SAAF used the type, but it was very brief. Apologies for this. It can be difficult to include everything and cover it in detail. Also usage of the Beaufighter by the SAAF was rarely mentioned in the sources I utilized, which meant I had a lack of detail. Thanks for highlighting it👍✈
@@AntiqueAirshow There is a very good documentary on TH-cam titled "SAAF attacks on the village of Idrija, Slovenia" which you might find interesting. It shows the "surgical" ability of the Beaufighter in actual footage of the attacks, to take out specific targets with minimal collateral damage.
@@philipjooste9075 Thanks for the recommendation. Seems really interesting and I'm intrigued to find out more. Will have to give it a watch 👍✈️
I have long had a soft spot for the Beaufighter. I understood from my Dad (Army, 9th Signals Regiment) that they were reliable and could take a lot of punishment. Good video. All the best, Rob in Switzerland.
Why listen to your old man; he was clearly deluded.
@@jimtaylor2404 As you are.
I've always liked the Beau, beautiful aircraft and one hell of an attack aircraft.
It was indeed 👍✈
Glad to see this aircraft get it's due. Australian here, and it's remarkably under known.
👍✈. Agree it deserves more recognition than it gets.
Hi and thanks for a great video! My dad was 16 SAAF (South African Air Force) and served in East and North Africa, Sicily, Italy then seconded to Balkan Air Force. Said the Beau was the best and toughest. My thumbnail is 16 SAAFs current unit insignia with motto HLASELANI the Zulu word for ATTACK!
An excellent and informative comment, cheers.
My grandfather was in the raf ww2 he was a flying officer and flew the Bristol beaufighter as did his brother his brother was shot down over Malta and every couple of years until his death at 97 two years ago he would visit his brothers grave in Malta I have all his medals and log book he was my hero
They were brave men, fighting for freedom. RIP, Lest we forget.
THE BEAUFIGHTER IS MY FAVOURITE AIRCRAFT OF WW 2 IT MIGHT NOT BE THE FASTEST OF AIRCRAFT BUT...??? The beau had an awesome amount of Firepower with it's 4 × 20 MM CANNON'S and the 6 × 0.303 (7.7mm ) Browning's plos bombs / Rocket's / Torpedoes . AND LATER WHEN THEY PUT 4 × .50 Cal's ( 12.7mm ) Instead of the 6 Browning 7.7 guns (MK 21 ) also the G.I.B. Rader operator also sometimes had a gun (s) IE... Vickers K ,OR Browning both (0.303 ) 7.7 mm or even a Browning 50 cal I just love this aircraft ❤️🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🍺😊👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Awesome, this aircraft is also one of my favourites. The firepower on it was absolute devastating. 780lbs per minute. A great aircraft indeed.
4x 20mm + 4x .50 will clear the decks of most ships 😳
And then cut them in half ☠️
CorePathway the Battle of the Bismarck Sea proves it could
The Beaufighter was an extraordenery aircraft ! Thank you for this vidéo !
My dad was a Navigator/wireless operator in a Beaufighter in 252 squadron. Thanks for this-really informative and great photos.
I always liked the look of the Beaufighter.
My Grandfather was with 177 squadron in Burma, I have his photo album which he took while there it is very interesting
Never knew the Beaufighter had a Merlin engined version, good stuff 👍👍
Thanks 👍✈
Beaufighter deserves more credit than she gets.
Agree 👍✈
Really??
One of my favourite aircraft, thanks Tomato.
one of my favourites as well. A great aircraft. 👍✈
As a kid I really enjoyed finding and building models which were different than the traditional American aircraft and built as least 1 Bristol Beaufort or Beaufighter. To this day I wish I had I had an Avro Lancaster kit as I always liked the twin tail bombers like that and the B-24 over the B=17. I did realize how many variants including the nightfighters and ocean patrol were built. Thank You.
I built a DO 335 1/48 Monogram kit, and an Entex Tu-144 SST. talk about odd ball.
Good to see the yanks using British aircraft for a change
I'm aware of a Lancaster model from Airfix, which was terrible, and another from Revell that was much better, both at 1/72 scale. I still own the Revell model.
@@duartesimoes508 Think I might start looking for a Lancaster again as I might have the time again. Thanks sir!
@@roybennett9284 One of my very favorite aircraft was the Hawker Hurricane as I felt it seemed very reliable as was underappreciated in film portrayals, especially here in the States. I believe it was Monogram that had a great model of it with various versions including deeper cooling scoop, folding landing gear, and fighter and tactical configurations if I remember right. You are correct that many fine aircraft were British. Thanks sir!
My two most favourite fighter/bombers is the Beaufighter and Mosquito, both very versatile aircraft.
Awesome, both are great aircraft that contributed a lot to the war effort. 👍✈
That is the Definition of a Successful Design . Bristol was building some Outstanding Aircraft at the time .
Their torpedo strikes from Malta are a gripping tale.
They are indeed
Great video. You can look up Operation Squabble - in early may 1942 a single beaufighter flew at roof top height to Paris in a moral eboosting sortie, dropped a Tricolour over the Arc de Triumph, flew along Champs Elysee, dropped another flag and strafed the Kriegsmarine headquarter formerly of the French Navy.
There are pictures taken by the navigator/gunner of the Eiffel Tower and of people in the street as they flew the mission.
Thanks👍✈️. Quite an incredible story Operation Squabble is. Very interesting and I could imagine quite useful as propaganda.
The development if night fighting, radar interception, started with the Beaufighter in the Early years of WW2 its a fascinating story! But that plane was pretty good in a number of roles. And it served in many theaters, successfully. A great British plane, now the UK needs to make great planes, Again!!
Great video. As much as I like the De Havilland Mosquito, for me the Bristol Beaufighter pips it to the post, I just love it's brutal looks and it never gets the recognition it truly deserves.
Thanks. They were both quite important aircraft 👍✈
Fantastic! Beautiful job, British cousins!!
Thank you 👍✈️
@@AntiqueAirshow
Yessir! Cheers! 🫡
You guys kicked ass!!!
Loved the Beaufighter, some great photographs and videos, lovely to here the Aussie twang of the narrator. Excellent.
It is a great aircraft. Thank you 👍✈️
As a young guy in the late seventies I worked with a few old RAAF guys mainly electricians. They spoke highly of the Beaufighters as a attack aircraft but required very experienced pilots many personnel lost there lives in take off and landing accidents.
The story related to me was that it was a joy to take USAF pilots up,particularly P38 pilots. Who had contra rotating engines. Apparently the Beaus did not,so torque swing on takeoff could be brutal. As full throttle was applied the swing would usually have the hapless visiting pilot reaching for the escape hatch.
i read of a Squadron that was complaining of the=landing characteristics of the Beau when one new one flew in did a=neat stall turn and landed when it taxied in they crowded round to see who the ace pilot was a+young lady from the delivery service stepped out oer no more complaints , !
My father was a flight sergeant in RAAF 30 squadron during WW2.
Im very glad your channel popped up on my feed. Very well done!
Thank you 👍✈️
Excellent video, very well produced. Thanks!
Thank you 👍✈
One of my most liked aircraft often overlooked by other craft that were given more recognition .
Agree 👍✈️
Love this!! Thank you 🙏🏻
My Grandad Albert Matthews maintained the engine’s on Beau’s in India with 211 Squadron 🙂
Beautiful looking plane . British is Best .
"A lovely airplane, always seen preceded by two giant engines".
I believe it was one of the few, if not the only aircraft from the war to have engines that extended past the front of fuselage.
A tough, pugnacious fighter, one of the best.
Indeed. Couldnt agree more 👍✈
My dad was involved in installing and testing radar in Beaufighters! He later went on to fly in Mosquitos, the ultimate WW2 plane in his opinion.
I think your dad was right ,happily I witnessed a Mosquito buzzing the length and breadth of the River Mersey between Bootle and New Brighton....brilliant best wishes from the wirral...E
I never thought of the Beaufighter as a sub-killer until I saw this video - hat tip for all the well researched info
It was an extremely versatile aircraft. Thanks 👍✈️
Seconded
Excellent clip. Lucid narrative, relevant images and logically laid out. Very well done.
Thank you ✈️👍
Great post ,sir ,my da , RIP, served in the RAF in Egypt,Libya and Malta and finally Germany, our headmaster at Primary school actually flew this much underrated plane for Coastal Command, a fearsome plane,best wishes from the wirral ....E
Omg... thats what it was! My nan had a solid bronze plane in her back room, thanks to you, i now know what it was
Awesome, glad this video was able to help identify it 👍✈️
Probably a priceless heirloom now....
New to your channel. Informative and extensive content. Subscribed and thank you!
Thank you 👍✈
Once described as, "Two bloody great engines, hotly pursued by an airframe".
There aren't many aircraft, especially from the Second World War that has the engines extend out in front on the fuselage.
The unarmed Mosquito bomber version is similar, apart from the engines being merlins, of course.
Excellent ! . With every video You show you go from strength to strength & as Your experience grows so do's Your narrative and detail . I like this and look forward to seeing You & the channel becoming a significant and high subscribed contributor at some point in the not too distant future . Keep this up and You'll soon be flying fast & high . Thanks .
Thank you 👍👍✈ Just a quick question. Do you prefer the longer videos with the greater levels of details or shorter videos? Thanks again 👍
@@AntiqueAirshow I like them All , the quick video "Bites" fit the bill for when the chores are piling up and I just want a short break and an interlude between tasks with a well earned brew , the longer episode are great if I have more time when I can relax and watch at leisure or crave more detail . All the same I enjoy all of them so Thanks for Your hard work on creating these great episodes . Stay Well & catch You next episode .
@@richarddixon7276 Thanks for the feedback, it will help me plan future videos. I'll aim to mix it up with a variety of lengths. A little also depends on the topic covered. Thank you 👍✈
@@AntiqueAirshow Your Welcome . Have a Great Christmas & an even Better New Year .
@@richarddixon7276 Thanks, you too👍✈
Early Beaufighters had drum ammunition, rather than belt-fed. The observer was required to change drums during combat. Not easy, when the aircraft is frequently diving, tipping on its side, performing +G or -G turns.
The drums were exchanged for belts soon after introduction.
I'll bet they got a good few bruises and grazes, what a job !! a great aircraft and some great comments.
@@ianwilkinson4602 SOURCE: "Night Fighter", by C. F. Rawnsley. He was the radar operator with the British night fighter ace, "Cats Eyes" Cunningham.
@@raypurchase801 Thanks Ray for the info. that makes it two books I need to "Purchase" :-) have a happy and health new year. ps. Many years ago I read a fascinating book I think entitled "The First and the Last" by Adolf Galland. cheers
@@ianwilkinson4602 Yep. I've read that too. Funny how Mr. Galland excludes his experiences from the Spanish Civil War.
@@raypurchase801 Ah I wasn't aware of that side of his career, I will have to see what I can find on the subject, thanks. I may have to reread his book anyway, as it was rather a long time ago :-)
I saw the Moorabbin Beaufighter fairly recently, and it looked absolutely terrifying!
It really does. Such a big aircraft. The one at Moorabbin is great display at the museum 👍✈
Would love to see them get her going.
@@barrythatcher9349 It really would be great to see her running. It is capable of ground running, but as it currently located in the main hangar they are unable to do it. Maybe one day....
@@AntiqueAirshow as mentioned earlier the boffins at RAF Cosford ,and Duxford under the auspices of the Imperial war museum would probably be delighted to assist...
Its a real forgotten hero, the Beaufighter.
agree. it did a lot during the war, but seems to get little recognition for it.
Excellent. Thank you!
Thank you 👍✈
Amazing aircraft! Great vid! Cheers!
Thank you 👍✈️
As stated in a documentary about Australian historical aircraft, it was the Japanese who called the Beaufighter "whispering death" because it came low, fast and you almost couldn't hear it until it was right on top of you.
It seems to be, although there is some speculation that the story is made up, and it was just a U.S propaganda trick. Either way, it would be frightening to see one of these things coming in over the tops of the trees.
@@AntiqueAirshow I believe that was the Corsair called whistling death by the US.
@@barrierodliffe4155 By what I can gather it seems the Allies invented both the Whistling Death nickname for the Corsair and the Whispering Death nickname for the Beaufighter.
Yes none of these unlikely nicknames were really made up by Axis pilots, they were all cooked up by the Allied propaganda machine. The silliest must be the “Fork-tailed Devil” for the P38 - that’s a heck of a mouthful in German, and in any case the P38 was a mediocre aircraft that would hardly merit a scary nickname.
Be good to see a few of those restorations back in the air
Agree. Can't wait to see one fly. Hopefully not to long👍✈
You'll be lucky most of them went to simes for scrap
@@richardglen9761 There is two currently under restoration to flight. Both are a fair way off, but hopefully not to far in the distant future we will see one fly.
rockbeau, torbeau, flakbeau.................loved the upload.............well done......h6......uk vet
It was quite versatile as those names highlight. Thanks 👍✈
Amazing how many significant British aircraft designs began as private undertakings as compared to military requests.
It really is quite surprising. Highlights some problems with the RAF during this time period, but also the great hindsight of British aircraft manufacturers.
Although it's greatly exaggerated in a lot of ways, the WW2-era film 'First of the Few' about R J Mitchell and the history of the Spitfire fighter highlighted enormous issues with the Air Ministry and RAF headquarters in the 1930s. It was incredibly difficult to get the civil servants and Air Marshals to accept modern designs as they were still stuck in the late Great War in terms of their ideas of what was 'needed'. So, it was mostly necessary for British aircraft manufacturers to build prototypes at their own cost and then demonstrate that they could beat the best 'orthodox' designs out there.
@@benrussell-gough1201 I'll have to check it out, seems very interesting. Thanks for providing the additional depth. Makes a lot of sense. Another highlight to this older style of thinking, was how quickly the RAF was to dismiss dive bombing in the mid 1930s where as other countries such as Japan and Germany were mastering the technique.
The "other" great British multi-role combat aircraft. Love the Beaufighter...
Great video, thanks.
Thank you 👍✈
Just stumbled across your channel and I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work!
Thank you 👍✈️
Just found this somehow! I'll check your back catalogue.
Cheers from Canberra _just around the corner from the AWM lol._
Awesome, thanks 👍✈
Beaufighters and Mosquitos were both very fine twin engined multi functioned aircraft. Hard to choose between the two. Probably the Beaufighter was more rugged
Indeed they were. Both valuable to the Allies
Those Aussie Beaus must have been pretty impressive with four 50 inch machine guns...14.05!
They definitely contained some punch.
@@AntiqueAirshow 4 x 0.5 inch (12.7mm), or 50 calibre. "50 inch" is 1,270mm.
@@OneLeatherBoot Its meant to be 4 x0.5inch, but I accidentally said the wrong number. Got the decimal point in the wrong spot. Apologies.
Good stuff . Thank you.
Thank you 👍✈️
Fascinated to learn (at 14:04) that Australian Beaufighters carried "50 inch machine guns"!! Quite a heavy armament I'm thinking.
Great video about an outstanding combat aircraft.
Thank you 👍✈.
@@AntiqueAirshow 8iì
I enjoyed that. Cheers Cobber.
👍✈
Interesting: My father was based in La Sabala in 1943 and flew Beaufighters there before relocating to Sicily and then home.
My step-father's father (step-grandfather?) came from Orange in central NSW, and went to the UK in late 1940. He ended up flying Beaufighters off the coast of Scotland, and was decorated 3 times, DSO, DFC & Bar. What his score of U-boats was, I don't know, but I know it wasn't zero. He also scored a very flash British girlfriend, the daughter of the 1930 British Ambassador to Iran, and the grand daughter of the 1901 British Ambassador to China. She was also the owner of a Panther 600 Sloper Single, because it had some torque, and a set of made to measure red one piece leathers, 15 ~ 20 years before bike racers started wearing stuff like that. Of course they didn't have the figure to show off that she did. She presented her very new husband with his first son as the ship was approaching the dock at Circular Quay. My Dad is an Australian citizen, by about 10 minutes....
Great story. She sounds like a hell of a girl. My father loved old bikes and I inherited his BSA 500 single. I think I remember him saying the Panther Sloper was often used to pull a sidecar because of its good torque. I keep a Beemer 1200 roadster in my garage. Torque's not bad on that either!
I love stories like this. If you are really interested in his war record and his decorations, then his war time details will be in the archives, which family members can request, or you can go through an official historian.
That is really interesting and fascinating. Quite the story. thanks for sharing 👍✈
Thanks for sharing a great story. cheers
Splendid stuff...
My all-time favourite 2 ww aircraft just a beast
Awesome, it sure is one of my favorites too 👍✈️
Agreeable tone and diction, and informative.
Thank you 👍✈
The Beaufighter was very effective in coastal operations, but the fact remains that the most tonnage sunk by aircraft type belongs to the legendary Fairey Swordfish. 👍
Yeah, l read that too somewhere about swordfish attacking the Italian fleet, but also the most tonnage sunk in ww2. Only reason l can think of was their slow speed, manoeuvrability maybe?
My uncle Stan was in North Africa groundcrew on Blenheims made model of one I still have !!
excellent programme , well done,
Thank you 👍✈
Beaufighter go Brrrrrrt
Very good presentation , on par with a combat aircraft that receives little popular attention. Beaufighter , it’s look , it’s power plants , simply , has a vibe about it , brave airmen , bringing violence of action with a weapon system that hit hard , hit very hard . Mobile , Hostile , Agile.
Beaufighters were stationed in my home town in 1943-44. Dad reckoned you could hear them start up from 10km away. There was nothing fundamentally quiet about them, although the Bristol radials were not as rowdy as the Wright or Pratt and Whitney. I recall hearing Connie's with Wright 3350s from at least 10km on startup.
That is really interesting to hear. When compared to the other engines they were probably considered quieter and the name stuck
It was because on a dive, the pilots would completely throttle back the engines for control purposes.
A tiny conglomerate of different peoples that invented the modern world,the sheer balls on that the British have is incredible,the fact that the axis powers thought they even had a chance!
I would very much love to see one returned to flight.
Same here. Maybe not to far in the future we will see on fly again
@@AntiqueAirshow maybe consider contacting the Imperial war museum, or RAF Cosford museum, they have restored a few WW2 aircraft....E
@@eamonnclabby7067 I believe there is one with one of the groups involved with the Imperial War Museum being restored to flight.
If you can find it, there was a book published in 1978 by Chaz Bowyer (published by Ian Allan) called 'Beaufighter at War' which you might be able to get second hand. It's a very interesting book.
Thanks for the recommendation, I'll try and track it down. Seems a very interesting book. 👍✈
ABE Books have second hand copies of this book, as well as various other Beaufighter books.