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Of Beaufighters and rockets


Jim Kiker

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One of my long-term projects is a Tamiya 1/48 scale Beaufighter armed with 25 lb rockets.  I've read somewhere that the kit rockets are not especially well done.  I cannot find any direct observations on this, and I am also looking for the rocket colors beyond the rocket body being in Bronze Green.  My Google-fu is weak tonight!  If any one can spread some light here I would really appreciate the help!

 

Cheers, Jim

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Hi Jim. In my humble opinion, the best RAF WWII rockets are those from the Aires Aerobonus line, but they only do the 60 lbr's, no 25's! Maybe combine the rocket tubes and fins with the Tamiya warheads???

 

Hannant's are only showing the 1:32 scale kits in stock, none in 1:48. Kit numbers are 480-067 and 320-064. I did a quick review of these for our club's newsletter back in 2016..a couple of quick snapshots attached below:

 

1u2rULll.jpg

 

KhPZmWKl.jpg

 

Hope these help. I will also dig out my Revell kit to see what they are like, but I've just finished a move to a new apartment, and many kits are still sitting in large cartons in the lounge!

 

Cheers,

Pete M.

 

 

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Hallo

Before you start:

Get this book and read.

The Armed Rovers: Beauforts and Beaufighters Over the Mediterranean by Roy Conyers Nesbit (Paperback, 2002)

Happy modelling

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If I recall, the rails in the Tamiya kit are the Mk Ib type and the RPs had the 60lb warheads. I wanted the Mk III rails and 25lb RPs and ended up using spare rockets from the Revell Mosquito B. IV kit. I lopped off the fins and made new ones from card stock. I also made the hangers from brass sheet and added the various cables from lead wire. The process is described in my build thread here:  https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/done-1-48-beaufighter-tf-x-twin-engined-aircraft-of-wwii.45798/page-24#post-1318399

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From what I've gathered, the Tamiya kit comes with the Mk 1b projectors (rails) - the flat, tapered rails, and what passes for the AP Mk 1, the 25 Lb armor piercing warhead.

However, the Tamiya Mosquito comes with the later Mk III projectors (the tubular style) (but with the mounts in the wrong place for a Beaufighter), and much better AP Mk II 25 Lb armor piercing warheads.

 

 Eduard's Brassin is releasing Mk III rails with 60 lb warheads for the Tempest II soon (no idea how the mounts will line up) ...

Eduard's/Brassin Tempest II rockets

 

The Aerobonus gives you only the Mk 1b rails, but excellent rockets, warhead choices, and decals.

Aerobonus RAF rockets

 

 

For my Beaufighter, I needed the Mk 1b rails with 60 Lb warheads, and had to rob the warheads from an Airfix kit, and attach them to the Tamiya rockets, as well as dress up the rails.

(would have much easier going with Aerobonus, but at the time, I didn't know about them!)

Edited by Tail-Dragon
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Gentlemen,

 

Thanks for the images and information; you have been most helpful!  A final question if you please.  I am doing a Beaufighter from 236 Sqn, a Mk VIC, from early June 1943.  What would be the correct combination of rails and rockets?

 

Thanks again, Jim

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17 hours ago, Jim Kiker said:

Gentlemen,

 

Thanks for the images and information; you have been most helpful!  A final question if you please.  I am doing a Beaufighter from 236 Sqn, a Mk VIC, from early June 1943.  What would be the correct combination of rails and rockets?

 

Thanks again, Jim

I've found 2 shots of a 236 Sqdn Beaufighter X, from early 1944. It was armed with the Mk 1b projectors (rails) - the flat, tapered rails, and 25 Lb A/P rockets, possibly the earlier Mk 1 warheads, but it is hard to tell.  

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  • 1 month later...

Hugely useful thread everyone.

 

I am trying to understand whether a rocket equipped beaufighter would also carry wing machine guns. The bay for the wing MGs could also carry long range fuel tanks, or indeed nothing. I ask because the rocket mounting plate obscures the shell ejection chute holes and it looks like the gun holes in leading edge are filled in the few photos with rockets installed. I am not sure whether the outer fuel tanks would also be carried with rockets or if this loading would be too heavy.

 

Any ideas?

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The gun ports and the landing light would be plated over, and fuel tanks installed. On the Tamiya kit, don't forget to correct the inaccurate panel lines, and remove the 'battle damage' repair plates.

 

Image7

 

359f58ab

 

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15 hours ago, Tail-Dragon said:

The gun ports and the landing light would be plated over, and fuel tanks installed. On the Tamiya kit, don't forget to correct the inaccurate panel lines, and remove the 'battle damage' repair plates.

 

Image7

 

359f58ab

 

Thanks for this. I hadn't realised that the landing light would need to be plated over. Do you know why this was?

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7 hours ago, mahavelona said:

Thanks for this. I hadn't realised that the landing light would need to be plated over. Do you know why this was?

As I understand it, the rocket exhaust could destroy the Plexiglas landing light cover. 

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On 14/08/2021 at 15:51, Tail-Dragon said:

As I understand it, the rocket exhaust could destroy the Plexiglas landing light cover. 

Thanks - that makes total sense. It's interesting that the rockets would not just bolt on as you might imagine when building a kit!

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On 7/8/2021 at 10:16 AM, dov said:

Hallo

Before you start:

Get this book and read.

The Armed Rovers: Beauforts and Beaufighters Over the Mediterranean by Roy Conyers Nesbit (Paperback, 2002)

Happy modelling

It's a good book but only covers the Mediterranean.  He did another book covering the UK based Coastal operations, but IIRC wouldn't provide any of the more technical assistance on which aircraft was in what fit when - nor can I think of any other book that would.  Andrew Bird had a more recent book but this only covered the later operations from Scotland, and mainly the Mosquitos at that.

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27 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

It's a good book but only covers the Mediterranean.  He did another book covering the UK based Coastal operations, but IIRC wouldn't provide any of the more technical assistance on which aircraft was in what fit when - nor can I think of any other book that would.  Andrew Bird had a more recent book but this only covered the later operations from Scotland, and mainly the Mosquitos at that.

This is his other book on the UK based Beaufighter strike wings.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strike-Wings-Special-Anti-Shipping-Squadrons-ebook/dp/B01MS5VKJC/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+strike+wings&qid=1629233860&s=books&sr=1-1

 

Agreed though, it is more an operational history than a technical one.

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Hi all,

 

Mainly I want to give you all belated thanks for all the information you have provided- thanks!  I also have yet another question; namely, when the Coastal Command a/c received those new wing tanks and lost the .303" wing guns, where were the refueling points?  Top of the wing over the outward tank?  Connected somewhere else to the main fuel system?  Anyone have a clue, much less a picture?

 

Thanks in advance, Jim

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