Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter Model Airplane

Item#: 70491

Wing Span: 18.45
Length: 16.55

Manufacturer: The Boeing Company

This Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter Airplane Model comes with a customized detachable stand, a personalized inscriptions plaque and a laminated Royal Flying Corps logo that adds magnificence into this detailed Display Model.

Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter History:

Serving until the 1960s with the Royal Air Force, the Bristol Beaufighter (or simply "Beau") became a national hero through her service in the Battle of Britain, World War Two and beyond. The Beaufighter became the world's first and foremost dedicated nightfighter, armed to the teeth and carrying sophisticated radar equipment. The Beaufighter would become one of the best Bristol designs of the war and a superb nightfighting platform that would see combat throughout the war and on every front.

The Beaufighter was original proposed by the Bristol company and sold to the Royal Air Force to fulfill a need it required (though the RAF never officially approached the Bristol company about design any such aircraft). The twin-engine fighter utilized a crew of two men and was initially fitted with an impressive array of 4 x 20mm cannon and 6 x 7.7mm machine guns. Since the Beaufighter utilized many components of the already-in-production Beaufort torpedo plane, the implementation of the Beaufighter was quick and painless.

The first operational Beaufighter flew in just thirteen months from when the first prototype was designed. Crews were quick to learn the finesse handling required during take off and the learning curve needed in operating and reading the radar - not to mention engaging targets in the darkness. With the Battle of Britain in full swing, the Beaufort saw extensive action. Some had their machine guns removed in order to supply Spitfires and Hurricanes should the need arise during wartime. Nonetheless, the Beaufighter system achieved stellar success rates against incoming German aircraft. The successes of the Battle of Britain behind them, Beaufighter aircrews now faced German and Italian forces throughout Northern African and the Mediterranean. Bomber and torpedo-carrying variants ensued and the Beaufighter would continue in service through the 1950s, by then relegated to a target towing tug aircraft.Incidentally, the United States utilized the Bristol Beaufighter platform for a time as their primary nightfighter until an American-made alternative could be produced.