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post war beaufighter questions


phat trev

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The Beaufighters used after the war by the RAF look to be F.10 but would they have used F.XI? If so what's the difference (if the F.XI was a real version?). Also did the post war beaufighters have wing guns and why were there 4 guns in one wing and 2 in the other? I have a few other questions about post war schemes but I will put them up later. Cheers

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I understood that the Mk.XI was fitted for bomb carriers under the fuselage rather than a torpedo. I suspect they survived into postwar service but were simply not recognised as being any different from a Mk.X, once torpedoes stopped being carried anyway.

None of the Coastal Beaufighter variants had wing guns because extra fuel tanks were fitted instead.

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cheers guys, Looks like I am ok to use the Matchbox Beaufighter to create a post war mod.

A few more questions then in that case:

I have found to versions on post war camo on this aircraft, Grey/Green camo over PRU Blue (much like DH Hornets?) and Grey over 'Night' black, was this a change in camo styles or do they serve differnet purposes (ie. Tropical camo? and some kind of night fighter scheme? -although I have seen mosquitos and lincolns in the grey.black scheme-)

Not many photos of Beaufighters carrying bombs? mainly rockets.

Also, If I were to hack of the ugly looking late style fin, is it easy to convert the fuselage thats left to an earlier config or would it be a good idea to purchase the airfix fuselage and remove the relevant parts from it?

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There were no postwar Beaufighter night fighters. Medium Sea Grey over Night was a postwar bomber scheme - the Beaufighters as strike aircraft counted as bombers. The schemes were mixed because there was no money or manpower available to paint aircraft just to keep a unit consistent in camouflage.

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Also, If I were to hack of the ugly looking late style fin, is it easy to convert the fuselage thats left to an earlier config or would it be a good idea to purchase the airfix fuselage and remove the relevant parts from it?

From memory if you remove the fin extension and radar nose you can do wartime Coastal VI, X and XI variants. If you then add the wing guns you can do the nightfighter VI which can also have the radar in the nose after a certain serial number. If you want the I you need to reduce the tailplane area - there was a thread on this not too long ago. For the II the only way I can think of is the Airfix kit plus the Magna conversion which works quite well - see the article on my website http://www.hrmtech.com/SIG/articles/Magna_BeauII_72_build.asp

Ross

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For the II the only way I can think of is the Airfix kit plus the Magna conversion which works quite well - see the article on my website http://www.hrmtech.com/SIG/articles/Magna_BeauII_72_build.asp

There is also the High Planes offering: not cheap and with the limitations common to all High Planes offerings (at least the earlier ones) but an accurate kit once you've cleaned it up. Modelcraft were selling them at a discount until recently but they all seem to have gone now:

http://www.model-craft.co.uk/catalogue/High-Planes-1-72-scale.cfm

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From memory if you remove the fin extension and radar nose you can do wartime Coastal VI, X and XI variants. If you then add the wing guns you can do the nightfighter VI which can also have the radar in the nose after a certain serial number. If you want the I you need to reduce the tailplane area - there was a thread on this not too long ago. For the II the only way I can think of is the Airfix kit plus the Magna conversion which works quite well - see the article on my website http://www.hrmtech.com/SIG/articles/Magna_BeauII_72_build.asp

Ross

Looks like the Matchbox kit is very versatile in what can be done with it! I have ordered etch for it and I now have some plans so I can start addiing details to the outside and upgrading the basic model a bit. Keeping it a late 'ugly version'.

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  • 2 weeks later...

One thing to note is that some Firedog era Beau's used different pylons for the rockets - more like a tiered affair than the WW.2 standard rails. I've been trying to track down some decent photo's and AP illustrations of these for years to no avail!

Wez

Edited by Wez
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One thing to note is that some Firedog era Beau's used different pylons for the rockets - more like a tiered affair than the WW.2 standard rails. I've been trying to track down some decent photo's and AP illustrations of these for years to no avail!

Wez

There are a couple of grainy photos in Jeff Jefford's history of 45 Squadron - thinking about it, didn't I post them on here a few years back? - but you're right that finding good, clear pictures of them is a challenge. There were also a couple put up on ARC - http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=231935

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There are a couple of grainy photos in Jeff Jefford's history of 45 Squadron - thinking about it, didn't I post them on here a few years back? - but you're right that finding good, clear pictures of them is a challenge. There were also a couple put up on ARC - http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=231935

That's the fellers! Thanks for that, it at least gives the general idea of the things and proves I wasn't making it up as I go along... ...it's a start, I wonder where there's a copy of the AP....

Wez

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Hi Folks,

I’ve also been trying to nail down what these rails looked like for a FIREDOG Beaufighter project I’d like to do. I’ve found a few details that might help in the search for drawings and additional records.

The rails and mount were manufactured by Malcolm Ltd, the same folks who made the Malcolm Hood for the P-51B/C. There are some side-view drawings in the October 2003 issue of Scale Aircraft Modeling, page 549 by David Howley. If anyone knows David, perhaps they could contact him and see if he has any detailed images that might help. Knowing that Malcolm made the mount and rails might help in a search at IWM, Hendon, or Cosford for additional info or records.

Another source of pictures of the vertical mount and rails is Air Enthusiast, Nov/Dec 2005, Page 120. This shows the Malcolm racks and rails on Mustang III, RX983, at Boscombe Down.

I look forward to hearing if this helps and to seeing what you can find on your side of the pond.

Cheers

Geoff Hays

Edited by Geoff Hays
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