Bristol Beaufighter

The model

IsraDecal – Israeli Air Force, IAF-74 with decals for the Bristol Beaufighter.

After the end of the Second World War, many machines were left over. At the same time, I founded a new state that badly needed its own air force. In order to make the task as challenging as possible, Israel had been banned from exporting weapons. Five Beaufighters were bought for the film sets, the planes were refurbished and 4 of them took off from England while the film cameras were rolling. It dawned too late for the English that the planes were not coming back. The machines remained in little use in Israel and the machines were decommissioned in the middle of 1949 after more than a year of use.

The model is Tamiya’s excellent series, TF Mk. X. This series is the only one that comes with an extended lateral stabilizer. The decals are a great product of IsraDecal. The own machine markings on the underside of the wing are painted, it would have also come as a transfer image, but it was easier to paint a few transfer images.

The wing machine guns are not in use by the IAF, so these are covered, including the shell ejection holes. For some reason the Israelis figured out to put bomb hangers in the wings. I haven’t seen this in other beaufighters and you could assume that the hangers were sloppy like the bombs. This is how it is in other IAF machines from the same era. These hangers came with the kit but were meant to be under the frame, with a little modification they fit the wings.

The only rubber parts were those porcupine exhaust pipes, Tamiya’s version has two parts and the bad smudge hits exactly between those “thorns” and is quite impossible to clean neatly. So Quickboost was able to offer a better option here.

The original can be found via this link

More links to Beaufighters made via this link

Building pictures Beaufighter IAF

Bristrol’s “Beaufighter” was one of the most successful and widely used twin engined fighter types during WW2. The first series production Beaufighter Mk.1 entered service in September 1940. With its four nose­ mounted 20mm cannons and six 7.7mm machine guns in the wings, this stub-nosed fighter became the most heavily armed aircraft in service with the RAF during the war. As the German Luftwaffe eventually turned to night bombing in autumn of 1940, priority was put on night fighters and the first operational Beaufighters were fitted with the Airborne Interception (Al) radar, which designated the Mk.1F (F was suffix for Fighter Com­ mand). Meanwhile, its rugged construction was thought ideal for long range fighting and escort duties, and the Mk.1C under the Coastal Com­mand became ready for initial operations in late March 1941. Introduction of the more powerful, 1,670hp Hercules VI engines by late 1941 resulted in the Mk.VI. A 7.7mm machine gun being added in the observer’s canopy for rearward defense, and the horizontal tail plane was modified to have a 12 degree of dihedral, to eliminate the unstable characteristics ob­ served on the preceding types. The Beaufighters saw active service not only above Europe but also in the Mediterranean, North Africa, Middle East and Pacific area. More than 5,900 Beaufighters of various types were produced.