beaufighter marks and squadrons used on D-Day?

[phat trev]

What Beaufighter squadrons were used on D_Day? And what versions I have seen many pics of TF.X but were there any other marks decked out in stripes?

[mike romeo]

Trev,

I have heard of one instance, at least. According to Neil Robinson's "Operation Overlord, Vol. 1" AIRfile, No.406 Sqn flying MkVIfs 'flew defensive patrols over the Channel shipping on the night of 5 / 6 June, before being temporarily withdrawn . . . ", and converting to Mossies.

I based my model below on the profile in question:

regards,

Martin

[Edgar]

The only fighters, noted by Michael Bowyer in "Aircraft for The Many," were VIf with 68 & 406 Squadrons; being nightfighters, though, it's uncertain they carried stripes (they were specifically excluded from the SHAEF HQ orders.) Apart from them, there were only TF.X, mostly attacking E boats, in 143, 144, 235, 236, 254, 404, 455 & 489 Squadrons.

Edgar

Edited June 8, 2013 by Edgar

[smackers]

Beaufighter Squadrons in Focus is available on google books - http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=GxN5kZK060QC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=beaufighter+d-day&source=bl&ots=BHdPEwcJzb&sig=d_9ro4tuBrDZjMyYm_2d5KXjcfk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=nFiyUaLJMsnv0gW1-YDABA&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=beaufighter%20d-day&f=false

Found at least one squadron, 143 sqn, with Mk.XI (basically a Mk.X without torpedo capability) operating Britain then. May be others

[mike romeo]

The only fighters, noted by Michael Bowyer in "Aircraft for The Many," were VIf with 68 & 406 Squadrons; being nightfighters, though, it's uncertain they carried stripes (they were specifically excluded from the SHAEF HQ orders.) Apart from them, there were only TF.X, mostly attacking E boats, in 143, 144, 235, 236, 254, 404, 455 & 489 Squadrons.

Edgar

Edgar,

Thanks for the information, although it appears that I have once again been led astray by relying on profiles (one day I'll do my own research - honest!)

Re nightfighters in invasion stripes, there appear to be a number of Mossies so marked (in partial stripes at least), so was there a subsequent amendment to the order post D-day to bring nightfighters "into the fold"?

regards,

Martin

[rossm]

Thanks for the information, although it appears that I have once again been led astray by relying on profiles (one day I'll do my own research - honest!)

Don't panic, I think your model is ok as 406 did have invasion striped Beaufighters even though the only photo I can lay my hands on immediately shows them on undersurfaces only - probably later in the summer. That exact scheme has featured on a number of decal sheets so I guess there is a photo somewhere.

406 was one of the squadrons (415 another) that I think caused a bit of a 'run in' between RAF and RCAF as they felt they were marginalised with old equipment - 415 had Albacores until July 1944! 406 was based at Winkleigh in Devon and had started conversion to Mosquito XIIs in April 1944 but never fully converted using a mix of Mosquito and Beaufighter until later in the year when they got Mosquito XXXs. This didn't stop one crew - Williams and Kirkpatrick - claiming two Fritx-X equipped Do217s at the end of April with a Mosquito XII.

Ross

Edited June 8, 2013 by rossm