Bristol Beaufighter
 An RAAF Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IC in 1944. Photo: Umeyou, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Bristol |
|---|---|
| Model | Bristol Beaufighter |
| Type | Heavy fighter / strike aircraft / Torpedo bomber |
| Country |  United Kingdom
|
| First flight | 17 July 1939 |
| Built | May 1940–1946 |
| Number built | 5,928 |
| Seats | 2 |
| Engine | 2 × Bristol Hercules XVII or Bristol Hercules XVIII, 1600 hp |
| Range | 1,750 mi (Beaufighter TF Mk.X) |
| Service ceiling | 19,000 ft (Beaufighter TF Mk.X) |
| Max weight | 25,400 lb (Beaufighter TF Mk.X) |
| Developed from | Bristol Beaufort |
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Bristol Beaufighter, often called the "Beau", is a British multi-role airplane of World War II, first planned as a heavy fighter version of the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber.[1] In all, 5,928 were built. None are on the U.S. civil register.[1][2]
History
The Beaufighter first flew on July 17, 1939, and entered service on July 27, 1940, during the Battle of Britain.[1] It proved an effective night fighter: it was big enough to carry heavy guns and early airborne radar without losing much performance.[1]
It went on to many other jobs. As the "Rockbeau" it fired rockets at ground targets, and as the "Torbeau" it dropped torpedoes on Axis shipping, replacing the Beaufort.[1] RAF Coastal Command became its biggest user, and the Royal Australian Air Force used it against ships, including in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.[1] Australia built its own as the DAP Beaufighter.[1]
Specifications (Beaufighter TF Mk.X)
| Item | Beaufighter TF Mk.X |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
| Length | 41 ft 4 in |
| Wingspan | 57 ft 10 in |
| Height | 15 ft 10 in |
| Wing area | 503 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 15,592 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 25,400 lb |
| Fuel | 550 impgal normal internal fuel * Maximum fuel capacity: 682 impgal (with optional 2 × 29 impgal external tanks / 1 × 24 impgal tank in lieu of port wing guns / 1 × 50 impgal tank in lieu of stbd. wing guns) |
| Engine | 2 × Bristol Hercules XVII or Bristol Hercules XVIII, 1600 hp (14-cylinder air-cooled sleeve-valve radial piston engines) |
| Propeller | constant-speed propellers |
| Maximum speed | 320 mph |
| Range | 1,750 mi |
| Service ceiling | 19,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,600 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Bristol Beaufighter. Photo: Royal Air Force official photographer; The original uploader was Bzuk , Public domain -
Bristol Beaufighter. Photo: Sergeant W.B. Ball, RAAF; also U.S. Army Air Forces photo 342-FH-3A331, Public domain -
Bristol Beaufighter. Photo: RuthAS, CC BY 3.0 -
Bristol Beaufighter. Photo: Royal Air Force official photographer, Public domain -
Bristol Beaufighter. Photo: Hensser H (F/O), Royal Air Force official photographer, Public domain -
Bristol Beaufighter. Photo: Royal Air Force official photographer, Public domain -
IWM caption : Beaufighter Mark IIF night fighter, R2402 YD-G, of No. Photo: not stated. Assumed RAF., Public domain -
A19-144 A8-324 Bristol Beaufighter. Photo: Mark Harkin, CC BY 2.0
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Bristol Beaufighter
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Wikipedia, "Bristol Beaufighter", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.