Duxford Beaufighter

[surely not]

I have used google but to no avail. Does anyone have any news on the progress being made with getting the Duxford based Beaufighter into the air?
Or even an up to date website with news and photos.

Alas I am out of the country presently so a quick trip to Duxford to have a look for myself is out of the question.

Many thanks for any news.

[Peter Barron]

What happened to the Beaufighter in Australia that used to run up its engines every now and again, I thought they were going to restore it to fly again.

Does anyone know when a Beaufighter last flew.

Peter.

[surely not]

Thanks Mike, I had looked at the TFC website, but looking at the bar on the right hand side of the page the info on the Beau doesn't seem to have been updated since 2000, unless I am misreading it?

Thks for the response though.

[Peter Barron]

Mike.

Seen that video before, dreadful crash, but they are not Beaufighters.

The Beaufighter I am thinking of that ran it engines was definitely in Oz but none of the links seem to be the one, unless it was the one that was exchanged for the Connie.
I am thinking back to the 1980s here when I remember it doing it.

Peter.

[ozplane]

I was at Duxford this morning and it does appear that the work progress on the Beaufighter is getting more visible. Of course a lot of the detail has to be done early in the plot and is then covered up. I also understand that the right type of Hercules engine has been difficult to find and the mark they have would need quite different "plumbing". When I last asked, the engineer in charge said "it will be ready when it's ready". My guess is another 3-4 years but I would like to be proved wrong.

[surely not]

Rethe video clip, The first solo aircraft is a Beau, but those that crash are Beauforts I think.

Thanks Ozplane for the update on the Duxford Beau. I guess I will have to be patient

[brickhistory]

Last Beau flight

question:
Does anyone know when a Beaufighter last flew?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Believed to be June 11, 1960.
A Mk TT10 from RAF Selatar for the Queen's Birthday Parade.

My source was an engineering officer stationed at Selatar with photos to document said flight. Beau was scrapped following the flight.

Cheers,
Brick

[JDK]

The Australian Beau queried, that used to engine run is the Morrabbin example, A8-328. One engine was run a number of years ago, but there was never any intent to fly it by the owners, as they are a 'static-to-preserve' museum, their prerogative.

See here

The crash clip features a single Beau and the trio of aircraft of which two collide are certainly Beauforts. Note the lower rear fuselage aft of the turret.

There is a fair amount of discussion of matters Beau, both qualified and not, on the forum sponsored by a well known UK vintage av rag. Have a search there.

[London Jets]

Surely not,

You are right, the first solo a/c in the film was a Beaufighter and the ones that colided were indeed Beaufort's.

I'll hopefully be up at Duxford next week so I'll try and get a picture or two for you.

Hope all is well in Nigeria/Ghana - loose track of where you are these days!!

Best wishes.

L J

[surely not]

Thanks LJ, and if there is anyone around perhaps you could enquire for me if it is expected to fly in the next year or two

Currently down in JNB. Hoping to get over toLanseria next weekend to have a look for the DC4 and 6 based there.




sorry..................guilty of hijacking my own thread!!!

[JDK]

Sorry to get between the lovebirds again but I'm happy to state that the TFC Beaufighter will not fly within the next two years. However I am optimistic it's the best chance we have to see one fly, and will fly when its ready - between 5 and 15 years for an educated but non-LAME guess.

If Beauforts float your boat, the next example of that type to fly will be the Beaufort under rebuild in Queensland.
See here.

And yes, it's the only example likely to ever fly again, too.

[ICT_SLB]

There was also a very complete Beaufighter fuselage (in nightfighter black) on its gear outside in the weather at the Canadian Air Museum in Ottawa. Beleive the wings & engines were inside. Anyone got an update?

[brickhistory]

According to a Canadian museum curator I contacted while working on a book about US-use of Beaus, the hulk at the Canadian Museum is a fuselage and up to the engine mounts only of a well-worn Mk VI that the RAF Museum traded for a Canadian held aircraft. When the hulk arrived, the Canucks were not overly impressed. There are no engines, wings, or interiors to the Canadian-hulk. The Museum said it had no plans or funds to restore the carcass.

I had a chance to get inside the USAF Museum's (ok, Nat'l Museum of the USAF) Beau, still lots of work to do on it, but it was a treat to actually be allowed inside the cockpit and nav/RO's position. Didn't really conceive of the size of the aircraft until I saw it in person. D***, it's a big 'un!

[London Jets]

Surely Not

I was at Duxford during the week, I'll get some pictures posted in the next few days for you

L J

[surely not]

Cheers LJ.

My interest in the Beau is down to it being the aircraft my father enjoyed working with the most during the second global disagreement with the Germans and he was hoping he might still be around when it takes to the air again. I think the odds on that happening are shortening though!!

[brickhistory]

Surely not,

Check your PMs, please.

brickhistory

[Inverted81]

Hey,
Haven't seen you on MSN lately... I never realised you had interests in the Beau.. my grandfather was an engineer on them during WWII and was on john Cunninghams squadron when he flew and got his nickname "cats eyes" flying the night fighter variant. cant remember the squadron number, think it was either 603 or 604.....
I saw the beau at duxford a month or so ago... looking in top condition,.
catcha soon
81

[brickhistory]

USAAF Beaufighter book

Mine. To hijack this thread for a bit, I was just notified that a publisher has accepted my book on a USAAF Beau squadron and is suppossed to appear towards the end of next year.

I'm a little happy!

[Kemble Pitts]

TFC Beaufighter

Does anybody have anything definitive on the progress, or otherwise, of the Beaufighter at Duxford?

A little while ago there were some hopeful noises about engines being available (in Australia I think) and I was wondering if this had caused work on the Beau to start again.

[treadigraph]

Pete Rushen at TFC very positive on Flypast forum over the last few months about renewed progress; I think they have acquired the engines they need and are now on the search for bits, bobs and manuals.