Piper PF-1C Black Pearl

[comrade harps]

Piper PF-1C Black Pearl
White 8, VMFA-531
Pusan, South Korean Zone of Occupation
December 1945



Piper was one of the few American aircraft manufacturers to respond positively when the British Purchasing Commission toured America seeking companies that were willing and able to produce British designs as "trans-Atlantic shadow factories". Keen to expand their capabilities beyond light planes, Piper agreed to produce the Bristol Beaufighter for the RAF. Designated in the 30 series, these Beaufighters differed chiefly in being powered by the General Electric R-2300, a licence manufactured Bristol Hercules. When the US entered the war, the Piper Beaufighters came under Lend-Lease and were designated as P-73s, the USAAF going on to take both British and American manufactured Beaufighters as night fighters. As the USN and USMC were just as in need of night fighters as the USAAF, they adopted the type as the Piper PF-1 Black Pearl (and, indeed, many PF-1As were painted black).



The Black Pearl successfully served the USMC from late 1942 until the end of the Pacific war. The initial PF-1A was a dedicated night fighter performing interception duties, but during 1944 the PF-1B became a day/night long-range, AN/APS-4 radar-equipped fighter and attack platform against both land and maritime targets. The last Piper produced Beaufighters were 76 PF-1Cs for the USMC; these aircraft featured the more powerful R-2800 powerplant and AN/APS-6 radar. 




VMFA-531 used the PF-1C directly against the Japanese home islands during 1945-46, mostly performing nocturnal interdiction missions, but also night interception when required. For interdiction, a combination of 5 inch HVAR and either two 500lb bombs or 65 gal (US) napalm tanks (as seen here) were usually carried, along with a centreline fuel drop tank. While USMC PBJ-1 Mitchells and PBD-1 Invaders mostly conducted maritime interdiction, the PF-1Cs chiefly attacked land targets, including road and rail traffic, troop concentrations and construction sites. They also did a good trade in performing spotting for naval gunfire against coastal targets at night, plus acting as pathfinders and marking targets for medium and heavy bombers. This aircraft is typical of VMFA-531's Black Pearls in late 1945-early 1946, with minimal identification save for the star-and-bars and a single- or two-digit white individual aircraft in squadron number on the tail. Mission markings and nose art were rare.



With the war over and Grumman's F7F Tigercat finally available, the Black Pearl was retired soon after VJ Day.

[comrade harps]

This is a re-furb of an old Matchbox Beafighter TF.X:



The decals were starting to fall off and rather than simply re-apply them, I decide to get creative with this sturdy old model again. I pulled off the Hercules and replaced them with Douglas A-26K nacelles and A-26C props, both left over from last year's RAAF Invader build. A really nice fit, too.

I really want to build a USMC PF-1B now, in the mid-war three-tone camo scheme.

[Dizzyfugu]

That dark color suits the Beau well! Nice idea 

[Captain Canada]

Nice work ! She does look right at home in that colour. Nice refurb too

[NARSES2]

Be still my beating heart - wonderfull build 

[lancer]

That is seriously impressive and just looks spot on.  Makes me think of an interdictor in the early years of the Korean war. New uprated engines or even early turbprops

[PR19_Kit]

Brillo idea that. 

The 3-tone USMC one's got to be even better!

[Old Wombat]

Neat variation on the Beau!
Could be tricky getting the 3-tone right on a multi-engine but I'd love to see it!



Guy