Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIC (ITF)

Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIC (ITF)

Originally designed as a heavy fighter version of the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber, the Beaufighter developed into a multi-role aircraft. Its large size enabled it to carry early AI radar sets along with a heavy armament of four 20mm cannon and six .303 machine guns, making it an effective night fighter.

Later variants were able to carry torpedoes and rockets for the strike role, where it was employed for anti-shipping strikes and ground attack.

The Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIC was operated by RAF Coastal Command in the anti-shipping strike role. Its improvements included Hercules Mk VI engines and the introduction of dihedral tail planes to improve stability (although early models still had the horizontal tail of the Mk IC).

Trials with torpedoes on Beaufighters confirmed that they could be successfully carried. As the operating height of these operations was low, an engine optimised for this altitude was required, but was not immediately available. As a result, an initial batch of Mk VI (ITF) intermediate torpedo fighters were ordered with the existing Hercules VI engines.

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