Aussie Beaufighter In Living Color

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:42 pm

I found some disks scattered around my trashed backyard after all
this time since the fire

Beaufighter AB-173 SR+__ (as I read it?)

Dave Homewood · **Posted:** Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:19 pm

That would be A8-173 SK-Y

From http://www.adf-serials.com/

28/02/45 1 AD. 18/03/45 93 Sqn Code: SK-Y Crew: Troy and Dawes (photo Ventura p.4). 20/11/45 swung and crashed on take-off at Labuan. 18/12/45 converted to components.

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2007 7:54 am

sweet!!! & with rockets too!!

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2007 9:16 am

tom d. friedman wrote:

sweet!!! & with rockets too!!

4 x 20mm cannon, (6 x .303mg in some versions) 8 rockets, allegedly the punch of a medium cruiser.

oz rb fan · **Joined:** Fri Dec 17, 2004 8:33 am **Posts:** 474

being an australian built mk21 it's 4x20mm canon 4x50cal mg plus rocket rails

Mudge · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:50 pm

One of the all-time killer a/c. I love 'em. And yes...green is a color. Sure is a lot of it.

Mudge the selective

"Just funnin', son. Just funnin'."

Cripes · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2007 1:49 pm

Cool photo! I hope you don't mind, I was curious what the restored color might look like.

Mustang51 · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2007 9:27 pm

I wish I could view these shots...... Dont know why but nothing I do seems to work and the Beau is one of my all time favourite aircraft.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:02 pm

Quote:

I wish I could view these shots......

Send me a email at Ordy1Jack@msn.com
Let me know what you can't see and i'll send you a scan.

hang the expense · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:53 pm

Great pics.I watched as the fighter collection rebuilt their beau over years in the early ninties. Whomever gets that bird will get a top notch rebuild for sure.

oz rb fan · **Joined:** Fri Dec 17, 2004 8:33 am **Posts:** 474

jack have you got any more beaufighter pics (preferbly raaf ones)she's always been one of my favorite birds :shock:

i only hope to see a beau in the air

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:58 am

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14448&highlight=beaufighter

oz rb fan · **Joined:** Fri Dec 17, 2004 8:33 am **Posts:** 474

thanks jack

Keith Gaff · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:42 am

Many years ago I saw a piece of 35mm colour movie film of two Beaufighter Mk21's carry out strafing attacks at the Evans Head bombing range in Queensland. Unfortunately the film is now too fragile to be shown and is held by the State Library of Victoria.

On the subject of a flying Beaufighter; it is highly unlikely that this will ever happen. The stumbling blocks are engines and propellers. While the Bristol Hercules radial from a Mk21 Bristol Freighter will fit, the later and much more common Hercules engine from a Mk31 Bristol Freighter won't.

The prop problem is even worse. The only other aircraft to use the prop type fitted to the Beau was the Bristol Pegasus engined Sunderland flying boat. As all surviving Sunderlands are Twin Wasp powered there's no joy there.

Assuming you could get engines the only alternative is to fit four bladed Freighter props which does change the appearance and character of the aircraft.

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:00 am

I know it would change the look, and some might regard it as sacreligeous, but could you equip a Beau with P&W R-2800s and Ham Standard props? I know they rotate in the opposite direction from the Bristols, but would that screw up the handling?

SN

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