BRISTOL TYPE 152 BEAUFORT
- The Bristol design
team under Frank Barnwell evolved the Type 152 as a variant of the Blenheim
to meet the combined requirements of Specifications M.I5/35 and G.24/35,
as a land-based twin-engined tor-pedo-bomber and general reconnaissance
aircraft. With a crew of four, the Type 152 could carry an 18-in (45.7-cm)
torpedo par-tially exposed in the fuselage, and an initial contract (for
78 aircraft) was placed in August 1936 to Specification 10/36, the name
Bristol Beaufort being adopted. From total UK production of 1,429 against Air
Ministry contracts, 64 Mk I and 40 Mk II to FAA, 20 Mk I and 40 Mk II
to SAAF for No 16 Sqn in North Africa, 1942/44; 13 Mk I and 12 Mk II to
Turkish Air Force, eventually to 105th Torpedo and Reconnaissance Group
in 1945, and 12 Mk I to RCAF for No 149(TB) Sqn on Vancouver Island, 1942-43.
One Mk I to Australia as pattern aircraft for Mk V pro-duction. Remainder
to RAF torpedo-recon-naissance squadrons in UK, Malta, Middle East, India
and Ceylon; and in large num-bers for training.
Bristol Beaufort I: Two 1,035 hp Taurus III or VI, or 1,130 hp Taurus XII
or XVI engines and armament of one or two Vickers 'K' guns in a Bristol
B.IV dorsal turret (or two Brownings in later B.I Mk V turret) plus one
or two Vickers guns in nose and one or, later, two Brownings in wings;
some later aircraft with two Vickers 'K' beam guns and optional rearward-firing
Browning under nose, all guns of 0.303-in calibre. First flown October
15, 1938, and delivery of 1,014 Mk Is began November 1939, initial-ly
to No 22 Sqn; first (minelaying) opera-tions April 1940.
Max speed, 260 mph (418 km/h). Cruising speed, 200 mph
(322 km/h). Service ceiling, 16,500ft (5,030 m). Range, 1,035-1,600 mis
(1,665-2,574 km). Endurance, 6 hrs. Empty weight, 13,100 Ib (5,947 kg).
Gross weight, 21,230 Ib (9,638 kg). Span, 57 ft 10 in (17.63 m). Length,
44 ft 3 in (13.49 m). Wing area, 503 sqft (46.73 m2).
Bristol Beaufort II: Designation
first used for Mk Is with Taurus II in place of Taurus III engines, 1939.
Reallocated in 1940 to Bristol Beaufort I with 1,200 hp R-1820-S3C4G Twin Wasp
engines. Prototype flown November 9, 1940, and first production Mk II
on August 17, 1941; production totalled 415, last 250 of which were deliv-ered
as Mk II(T) trainers, without dorsal turrets.
Bristol Beaufort III: Projected variant of Mk I with R-R Merlin XX engines.
Merlin instal-lation in W6518 as prototype did not pro-ceed.
Bristol Beaufort IV: A single Bristol Beaufort II (AW372) converted to have 1,250
hp Taurus XX engines and a four-gun Bristol B.XV dorsal turret.
Bristol Beaufort V: Version of Bristol Beaufort II built by Bristol Beaufort Division of
Australian Dept of Aircraft Production, at Mascot and Fishermen's Bend,
for RAAF. One British Mk I (L4448) fitted in Australia with Twin Wasp
engines flown May 5, 1941, and first of 50 production aircraft flown August
22, 1941, followed by 30 Mk VA in 1942 with enlarged fin and Curtiss in
place of Hamilton-Standard propellers. Operational use began June 1942
with No 100 Sqn RAAF; Mk VAs used primarily by No 14 Sqn.
Bristol Beaufort VI: Forty Australian-built air-craft in 1942 with imported
1,200 hp R-1820-S1C3G Twin Wasps and Curtiss Electric propellers. Enlarged
fin. First in service with No 100 Sqn.
Bristol Beaufort VII: Sixty Australian-built air-craft with R-1820-S1C3G
engines and Hamilton-Standard propellers. Enlarged fin. Served with No
7 Sqn.
Bristol Beaufort VIII: Final 520 Australian-built Bristol Beauforts, with R-1820-S3C4G
engines, B.I Mk V (first 380) or Australian-made B.I Mk VE twin-Browning
0.50-in (12.7-mm) dorsal turrets, LORAN and extra fuel. Enlarged fin.
Deliveries November 1942-August 1944 and exten-sively used in nine RAAF
operations against Japanese targets in the SW Pacific. Max speed, 268
mph (431 km/h). Service ceil-ing, 22,500 ft (6,858 m). Range, with auxil-iary
fuel, 1,450 mis (2,333 km). Empty weight, 14,070 Ib (6,382 kg). Gross
weight, 22,500 Ib (10,215kg).
Bristol Beaufort IX: Forty-six Bristol Beaufort VIIIs converted as unarmed transports
with dor-sal turret faired over, in 1944-45. Gross weight of 20,000 Ib
(9,080 kg) and nine seats including pilot.
