The Royal Air Force Bristol
Beaufighters and Beau Nightfighters in aviation art prints by Geoff Lea,
Ivan Berryman and Frank Wootton. Aviation art print available from Cranston
Fine Arts, the aviation art print company.
BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER
The
Bristol Beaufighter was a Torpedo Bomber and had a crew of two. with
a maximum speed of 330mph and a ceiling of 29,000 feet. maximum normal
range of 1500 miles but could be extended to 1750 miles. The Bristol
Beaufighter carried four 20mm cannon in the belly of the aircraft and upto
six .303in browning machine guns in the wings. it could also carry eight 3
-inch rockets, 1605 lb torpedo or a bomb load of 1,000 lb.
The
Bristol Beaufighter first flew in July 1939 and with some modifications
entered service with the Royal Air Force in July 1940. IN the winter
of 1940 - 1941 the Beaufighter was used as a night fighter. and in
March 1941 the aircraft was used at Coastal Command as a long range strike
aircraft. and in 1941, the Beaufighter arrived in North Africa and
used as a forward ground attack aircraft. The Bristol Beaufighter
was used also in India, Burma and Australia. A total of 5,564
Beaufighters were built until production in Britain finished in 1945, but
a further 364 were built in Australia for the Australian Air Force
Buffalo by Robert Tomlin.
Beaufighter TFX L2451 EE-M was the personal aircraft of Wing Commander A K (Ken) Gatwood DSO, DFC of 404 Squadron from Davidstow Moor in Cornwall, England. On 21st August 1944, Wing Commander Gatwood was involved in attacking warships at Le Verdon amongst the anti-aircraft fire exploding around him in the sky.
Following intelligence reports that the German destroyer Z.33 was anchored in Førde Fjord, Norway, together with a selection of minesweepers, tugs and trawlers, Beaufighters of 144, 404 and 455 Sqns were at once scrambled to attack the shipping, fully expecting their assault to take the Germans by surprise. Quite the contrary transpired to be true however and the attacking Beaufighters had to fly through a hail of flak and anti aircraft fire to line up on their targets. Moreover, Focke-Wulf 190s of 9/JG 5 joined the melee and a frantic battle ensued. Here, one Beaufighter has become a victim of an Fw.190, whilst a 144 Sqn aircraft tries to make a low level escape, close to the forbidding Fjord rock face.
Item Code : DHM6105
The Blackest Friday by Ivan Berryman. - Editions Available ***New Release !*** (October 2011)
Strike Wing Attack - Beaufighter by Frank Wootton.
Coastal Command Strike Wings by Neil Wheeler
It was not until ten years ago that the first detailed account appeared recording the achievements and sacrifices of the Beaufighter anti-shipping Strike Wings. Surprisingly, these important and, as a whole, very successful activites semmed to have been forgotten in the years immediately after the war. Until 1942 the attack of enemy shipping, particularly that to and from Dutch ports and North German and Scandinavian ports, ahd been carried out in the main by individual attacks by bomber aircraft, at times with considerable losses. The concept of using a Wing of Beaufighters, with two squadrons to suppress enemy anti-aircraft fire and one with torpedoes to sink the ships in the convoy, gradually developed in 1942. Unfortunately, the first strike on 20th November 1942 was disastrous, largely through failure to rendezvous with the fighter escort, the casualties were heavy and the results poor. The Wing was not to operate again unti.........
The Bristol Beaufighter was one of the most successful twin-engine fighters utilized by the RAF during WW II. The forerunner of the Beaufighter was the Bristol Beaufort, which was the first modern torpedo bomber to enter service. The Beaufort, known officially as the Type-152 was derived from the earlier Type-150, which in turn had been influenced by the Bristol Blenheim. About the time the first Beauforts were being flight tested, the aircrafts chief designer, Leslie Frise, commenced a study to see if the Beauforts airframe could be adapted to create a twin engine fighter design. The modified design (Type-156) incorporated a narrower fuselage, a shorter nose section utilizing a single-seat cockpit, and a dorsal observers position. The prototype Beaufighter made its first flight in July of 1939. A year of flight testing and refinement followed. Only Hercules III engines were available for the first production models. This gave the first marks performance roughly comparable to a Hawker.........
The print depicts the three squadrons that comprised the first, and most successful Coastal Command strike wing, based at RAF North Coates, Lincolnshire. Using Beaufighters nicknamed whispering death due to their speed and armament and low noise, they worked together as a team, destroying enemy shipping with terrifying efficiency. A Beaufighter from 143 Squadron would go in first using 20mm nose cannon and wing guns. Secondly a Beaufighter from 236 Squadron would follow with eight 60lb or 25lb rockets - 25lb warheads were found to be more effective as they penetrated deeper into the hull, creating more damage. These two initial attacks reduced the on-deck anti aircraft initiative. You only have to look at some of the spectacular photos of convoys under attack, the ships can hardly be seen for water spray and explosions. This mayhem allowed a 254 Squadron Beaufighter with its 21in torpedo to finish the job off. The three squadrons operated together on three occasions durin.........
Without doubt one of the most outstanding and versatile aircraft in the Allied inventory during World War II, the Bristol Beaufighter was to endure a cautious reception by its crews when it first entered service, not least due to difficulties experienced by crews attempting to abandon a stricken aircraft in an emergency. Its performance and hard-hitting potential quickly overcame such doubts, however, and it went on to earn a commendable reputation - and the nickname Whispering Death. Here, two 254 Sqn TF. MkXs attack a captured Norwegian vessel in 1945.
HMS Valiant and HMS Phoebe at Alexandria, 1941 by Ivan Berryman.
A pair of 272 Squadron Bristol Beaufighters roar over the extensively rebuilt battleship HMS Valiant as she lies at anchor at Alexandria late in 1941, accompanied by the cruiser HMS Phoebe and Valiants sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth (in the extreme distance)
Item Code : DHM1176
HMS Valiant and HMS Phoebe at Alexandria, 1941 by Ivan Berryman. - Editions Available
By the spring of 1945, Germanys once all-conquering submarine fleet, driven by allied forces from its bases in estern France, had fled to the relative safety of the Norwegian fjords - territory still remaining under German occupation since 1940. In one of Hitlers last stands, more than 100 U-Boats, merchant freighters, flakships, and other military vessels were hathered in the narrow fjords, laying up by day and sailing undercover of darkness. They were a menace that had to be dealt with. Tasked with the difficult job of eliminating this force were the Beaufighters and Mosquitos of RAF Coastal Commands Strike Wings based in Scotland. - Our job was to go after this shipping and sink it - recalled Wing Commader Colin Milson, C.O. of No. 455s Beaufighters. - The fjords were often just 200 - 300 yards across with cliffs rising vertically up 2000 feet, the deep water allowing the German shipping to get in beneath these high overhanging cliffs. This made for difficult and dangerous fly.........
A pair of Beaufighters attacking Axis shipping in the North Sea. Without doubt one of the most outstanding and versatile aircraft in the Allied inventory during World War II, the Bristol Beaufighter was to endure a cautious reception by its crews when it first entered service, not least due to difficulties experienced by crews attempting to abandon a stricken aircraft in an emergency. Its performance and hard-hitting potential quickly overcame such doubts, however, and it went on to earn a commendable reputation - and the nickname Whispering Death.
Item Code : B0289
Beaufighter Attack by Ivan Berryman. - Editions Available
Tribute to Flight Sergeant Ladislaw Bobek by Ivan Berryman.
On the night of 28th / 29th May 1942, Beaufighter X7583, piloted by Flt Sgt Ladislaw Bobek with Sgt Kovaric as navigator, intercepted a lone Dornier Do217 off the coast of Norfolk, sending it plunging into the North Sea after a 20 minute chase. This was the first of Bobek's victories for 68 Sqn which was made up almost entirely of Czech exiles, the squadron being based at High Ercall. Flt Sgt Ladislaw Bobek would go on to become an Ace with 5 confirmed victories.
Item Code : DHM6102
Tribute to Flight Sergeant Ladislaw Bobek by Ivan Berryman. - Editions Available ***New Release !*** (October 2011)
Buffalo
by
Robert Tomlin Beaufighter TFX L2451 EE-M was the personal aircraft of Wing Commander
A K (Ken) Gatwood DSO, DFC of 404 Squadron from Davidstow Moor in
Cornwall, England. On 21st August 1944, Wing Commander Gatwood was
involved in attacking warships at Le Verdon amongst the anti-aircraft fire
exploding around him in the sky.
Double Trouble by Stan Stokes.The
Bristol Beaufighter was one of the most successful twin-engine fighters
utilized by the RAF during WW II. The forerunner of the Beaufighter was
the Bristol Beaufort, which was the first modern torpedo bomber to enter
service. The Beaufort, known officially as the Type-152 was derived from
the earlier Type-150, which in turn had been influenced by the Bristol
Blenheim. About the time the first Beauforts were being flight tested,
the aircrafts chief designer, Leslie Frise, commenced a study to see if
the Beauforts airframe could be adapted to create a twin engine fighter
design. The modified design (Type-156) incorporated a narrower fuselage,
a shorter nose section utilizing a single-seat cockpit, and a dorsal
observers position. The prototype Beaufighter made its first flight in
July of 1939. A year of flight testing and refinement followed. Only
Hercules III engines were available for the first production models.
This gave the first marks performance roughly comparable to a Hawker
Hurricane. Most Beaus were armed with four nose-mounted canon and an
additional six machine guns in the wings. This gave the Beaufighter an
impressive amount of firepower. As the Battle of Britain raged priority
was given to modifying existing aircraft to the night fighter role.
German bombers were relatively free from RAF fighters when attacking at
night. The Beaufighter represented an ideal platform for this night
fighter role. It was fast enough at 360-MPH to catch German bombers, it
was heavily armed, and the observers position was an ideal spot to
incorporate a radar operators controls. These night fighter versions
were painted a matte black. On October 25, 1940 a Beaufighter recorded
its first night victory. The Beaus utilized a transmitting antenna
mounted on the nose, and receiving antennas mounted on the leading
section of both wings. As the War progressed the Beaufighter would also
become an important ground attack and fighter/bomber for the RAF. As
depicted in Stan Stokes dramatic painting entitled Double
Trouble, an RAF Beaufighter piloted by Group Captain John Cunningham
downs a Ju-88 bomber. Cunningham was the RAFs top night fighter ace. He,
and his radar operator Jimmy Rawnsley, were credited with nineteen night
victories. Cunningham also downed one enemy aircraft during daylight.He served with No. 604 Squadron, which had both a day and night
fighter capability. The squadrons night fighting proficiency rose
dramatically from late 1940 until mid-1941. By 1943, the Beaufighters
were replaced with faster Mosquitoes. Cunningham was demobilized
following the War. He joined DeHavilland Aircraft as its Chief Test
Pilot following the War, and retired from British Aerospace in 1980.
Strike and Strike Again by
Robert Taylor By the spring of 1945, Germanys once all-conquering
submarine fleet, driven by allied forces from its bases in estern France,
had fled to the relative safety of the Norwegian fjords - territory still
remaining under German occupation since 1940. In one of Hitlers last
stands, more than 100 U-Boats, merchant freighters, flakships, and other
military vessels were hathered in the narrow fjords, laying up by day and
sailing undercover of darkness. They were a menace that had to be
dealt with. Tasked with the difficult job of eliminating this force
were the Beaufighters and Mosquitos of RAF Coastal Commands Strike Wings
based in Scotland. - Our job was to go after this shipping and sink it -
recalled Wing Commader Colin Milson, C.O. of No. 455s Beaufighters. - The
fjords were often just 200 - 300 yards across with cliffs rising
vertically up 2000 feet, the deep water allowing the German shipping to
get in beneath these high overhanging cliffs. This made for
difficult and dangerous flying, exacerbated by the heavy flak and machine
gun fire that always welcomed us.
RAF North Coates Strike Wing by Robin Smith The aircraft in the print above, are of three squadrons
thatr comprised the first, and most successful coastal command strike
wing, based at RAF North Coates, Lincolnshire. Using Beaufighters,
nicknamed the whispering death due to their speed, armament andlow noise,
they worked together as a team, destroying enemy shipping with terrifying
efficiency. A Beaufighter from 143 sqdn would go in first using 20mm
nose cannon and wing guns. Secondly a Beaufighter from 236 sqdn
would follow with eight 60lb or 25lb rockets, (25lb warheads were found to
be more effective as they penetrated deeper into the hull, creating more
damage.) These two initial attacks reduced the on deck anti aircraft
initiative (heads down). Youve only got to look at some of the
spectacular archive photos of convoys under attack, the ships can hardly
be seen for water spray and explosions. This mayhem allowed a 254
Beaufighter, with its 21in torpedo to finish the job off. The three
sqdns operated together on three occasions during the war at North Coates
- October 1942 - August 1943; February 1944 - May 1944 and September 1944
- October 1944.
