A Beaufighters Tail .....

[bomberflight]

The Fighter Collection's Beaufighter continues to make progress at Duxford. I thought I would share some pics taken today

With the nose, tail fin and wheels fitted, it really is begining to look like an airplane again !



The Australian connections of this historic airframe are not lost on the restoration crew ~ though she didn't answer any of my questions



Because this restoration is being done in the full gaze of the general public, it has long posed a number challenging questions.

This seems to be a new firewall / engine mount being worked on.



Which is interesting because there are mounting already on the airframe.



However ~ it's long been thought that the airframe and the engines TFC have don't actually match up.

Maybe this is a new mount to marry the airframe to the powerplants ..... There's a very big, very round engine sitting just a few yards away !

[Mark_Pilkington]

.

This seems to be a new firewall / engine mount being worked on.

Which is interesting because there are mounting already on the airframe.

Maybe this is a new mount to marry the airframe to the powerplants

It looks to me that it is the existing engine mount and firewall from the starboard side, which has apparantly been removed as per the photo you have posted?

Regards

Mark Pilkington

[JägerMarty]

Good stuff, hope it keeps the Aussie markings

[bomberflight]

Mark, I didn't take a close up picture from the "other" side, but there was an engine mount on the starboard side too.

That's what had me wondering ~ why do they need three ?

I'll be back up there this weekend ( for the Liberty Belle's arrival ) so I'll take another look and post more pics then.

[Nathan]

I can't wait to see this thing fly..and in RAAF markings too...awesome!

[Mark_Pilkington]

Mark, I didn't take a close up picture from the "other" side, but there was an engine mount on the starboard side too.

That's what had me wondering ~ why do they need three ?

I'll be back up there this weekend ( for the Liberty Belle's arrival ) so I'll take another look and post more pics then.

Peter,

your first pic (copied below) seems to be clearly missing the starboard engine mount and firewall?, at least no protuding mounts are visible past the edge of the wing, nor bottom edge of the firewall mounted onto the undercarriage sissor point are visible in your first - "side on" shot?




as compared to a Fighter Collection website photo from the same side but perhaps better angle which at that time clearly does have the starboard engine mount in place



It clearly was in place in earlier times but I suspect it has been removed temporarily for some reason? during your recent visit, rather than a being a third one?



Regards

Mark Pilkington

[Mudge]

We'll definitely make the pilgrimage to Duxford once it's flying.

Mudge the traveler

[bomberflight]

More haste ~ less speed

What I meant to say was the firewall is still in place on the starboard side. Minus the engine mounts, which look to be fitted to the new firewall thats sitting on the hanger floor .....

I'll just HAVE to go back up this coming weekend to photograph both sides this time

[Mark_Pilkington]

More haste ~ less speed

What I meant to say was the firewall is still in place on the starboard side. Minus the engine mounts, which look to be fitted to the new firewall thats sitting on the hanger floor .....

I'll just HAVE to go back up this coming weekend to photograph both sides this time

I think the firewall is built integral onto the engine mount, and has to come off with it? I dont think it is possible to leave (or fit) the firewall without the engine mount, nor to remove the engine mount without the firewall.

You can see that in the one that is removed and sitting in front of the aircraft in your last picture (see below) and you can also that the bottom of the engine mount is not in place at the undercarriage mounting point on the starboard side in that same photo?

The dismounted engine mount and firewall appear substatially similiar to the port one still fitted to the airframe.

I would expect significant changes to the position and shape of the firewall on the engine mount if this was to be used to mount a later model Hercules as I understand it is the length of the later models, with accessory housings etc that creates the exchange problem?

Anyway a second visit should reveal all, (although by that time the starboard engine mount and firewall may have been put back in place?)



regards

Mark Pilkington

[warbird1]

Thanks for the update! I know there was some debate in the past about exactly which engine and props they were going to put on her due to the rarity of the originals. Any update on that?

Also, has this plane been withdrawn from sale? Are they going to keep it after all, or are they going to put it back on the market once she flies?

[dhfan]

I was talking to a Beaufighter engineer at Duxford a few weeks ago and I gather the only resemblance between the later Hercules and the ones they need is the name.

Different length, diameter and auxiliary drives to start with would mean a complete redesign of the cooling gills, cowling and lots more bits that didn't sink in.

[Steve Nelson]

Why not jut hang a couple of R-2800s on her and be done with it?

(runs for cover)

SN

[1969read]

American engine?, already been done,a quick check of CAC records will show that. Its is a major redesign. Jason

[Steve Nelson]

In the immortal words of Foghorn Leghorn: "That was a joke, son!"

SN

[Mark_Pilkington]

American engine?, already been done,a quick check of CAC records will show that. Its is a major redesign. Jason

Actually the cyclone powered Beaufighter was a development undertaken by the Department of Aircraft Production - Beaufort Division or "DAP" who later became GAF or Government Aircraft Factories, a government owned - seperate entity to CAC - the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, which - despite the name, was a privately owned company.

DAP built the 700 Beauforts in Australia, and later the 365 DAP Beaufighters. As GAF post war they built the GAF (Avro) Lincoln, the GAF Canberra, the GAF Mirage and the GAF Nomad.

CAC built the Wirraway(750), Wackett (202), Woomera(1), Boomerang (250), CA-15 (1) Mustang(200), Sabre, Ceres, Winjeel, Kiowa and Macchi, and was the most prolific and successful of the Australian wartime manufacturers.

Interestingly both now form part of Hawker de Havilland Australia (the former de Havilland Australia, the third major wartime Australian manufacturer who built Tigermoths and Mosquitos) itself part of Boeing Australia.

DAP/GAF may have design details for the Cyclone Beaufighter, or they may exist in archives, but they are very drastic engine, engine mount, and engine narcelle changes that clearly undermine the accuracy of the restoration.




note the above photo image doesnt seem to show - heres the link to view?

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=88019&d=1119960129

A single example was modified from a Bristol built Mark 1C A19-2.


The elongated engine narcelles are very distinctive, and a comparison can be made with the stock Beaufoghter with Hercules parked directly behind the Cyclone Beaufighter.

regards

Mark Pilkington