Bristol Beaufighter

[Weaver]

Various Beaufightery things have come to my attention, courtesy of AMW and the interwebs:

Alley Cat conversions for the recent Airfix kit:

Early Merlin: https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/bristol-beaufighter-mk2-merlin-powered-early-conversion-airfix-6624-p.asp

Late Merlin: https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/bristol-beaufighter-mk2-merlin-powered-later-conversion-airfix-6625-p.asp

Twin tail fins: https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/bristol-beaufighter-twin-tail-prototype-conversion-6620-p.asp

Anti-shimmy tail wheel: https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/bristol-beaufighter-anti-shimmy-twin-contact-tail-wheel-6623-p.asp



High Planes full kits:

Mk.V (Boulton-Paul 4x.303 turret): https://www.hpmhobbies.com/high-planes-bristol-beaufighter-v-turreted-mk-11-kit-1-72/



Other High Planes kits and conversions:

https://www.hpmhobbies.com/search.php?search_query=beaufighter&Search=&page=1&section=product#results

[Doug K]

Like the idea, I have 2 Matchbox Xs too, ideas forming....

[The Wooksta!]

The Hi Planes Beaus are somewhat rough and the cockpit is wont not to fit, being too wide.  Be v.careful in that region as the fuselage is likely to snap.

As for the Alleycat stuff...  I'm likely to nab the twin fin conversion, although I'd use larger Brigand fins instead.  The Merlin version is more likely to have the engines replaced with Griffons.

[KJ_Lesnick]

Is it possible to remove the gunner and cut-down the rear fuselage?  Seems like it'd make the plane smaller, lighter

[Weaver]

Is it possible to remove the gunner and cut-down the rear fuselage?  Seems like it'd make the plane smaller, lighter

They kept studying a small-fuselage Beaufighter throughout the war, but always decided that it wasn't worth disrupting production to implement. The fuselage has to be the size it is because it uses the Beaufort wing jigs with a wide centre-section for a bomber fuselage. Also, early Beaufighters needed the GIB to reload the cannons' 60-round drum magazines.

Attempts to design a narrow-fuselage Beaufighter then shifted to a design called the Buccaneer, which looked very nice but ran into weight-growth problems that needed new engines, that needed new wings etc, etc, until it eventually became a new aircraft entirely, the Brigand, that went into production right at the end of war and then got cancelled.

[ysi_maniac]

I know people that considers this a heresy. 

[kitnut617]

I wouldn't worry about it Carlos, the Beaufighter had quite a yaw problem (magnified when they put the Merlins on it and then tried the Griffons), what you've come up with is something I've always wondered why they didn't do in the first place.  One of my Beaufighter builds will get something similar ---  maybe just a bigger version of the original 

[NARSES2]

I know people that considers this a heresy. 

Would have certainly kept it on the straight and narrow 

[ysi_maniac]

[kitnut617]

That's something they did in real life Carlos

[Zero-Sen]

[ysi_maniac]

Beaufighter + Mosquito

[NARSES2]

The bottom one works well 

[kerick]

I'm always perplexed by how long it took to get rid of all the rounded wingtips, rudders and fins even after the Mustang showed you didn't need it for aerodynamics and it was a lot cheaper to manufacture. No one was immune from it. Probably goes back to the "it just doesn't look right" way of thinking. Just like how some aircraft like the Buffalo and the Wildcat were at least looking like they were imitating a raindrop. It was thought for a long time a raindrop was the most aerodynamic shape until high speed photography showed rain drops were round. No scientific evidence, just a lot of "why, it must be that way!" Maybe I'll do something like a Spitfire or Beaufighter with tapered wings and squared off tips. By the time I show the pics I'll be deep in the woods hiding out!

[PR19_Kit]

Maybe I'll do something like a Spitfire or Beaufighter with tapered wings and squared off tips.

That'd be a Spiteful then.