4 Time Top Gun Winner, Dave Wigley Wows the crowd, With his winning scratch built Bristol Beaufighter at the Long Island Skyhawks Warbird event on 6/29/2013 More on this Outstanding model www.modelairplanenews.com/blog...
My word there are some people out there who just know how to build and fly mode aircraft, the detail on this one is just immaculate, right down to the determined and focused expression on the gunners face! They usually have that crash test dummy look on them but here it’s been attended to. Everywhere you look she’s a spot on representation of a Beaufighter. All that’s before you see her fly which was a joy to watch! Congratulations on a beyond superb build! 👍👍👍
Magnificent- I see from the serial number and letter code that this is based on a 489 Squadron Beaufighter .Sometimes my father flew this particular one, and was photographed in it, when in formation with a Mustang - late July 1944. Only one comment - re inclusion of rocket rails. These were never used by 489
One is being restored in Australia but it's a long-term project. RAAF built them under contact during the war and used them in the Pacific www.warbirdsonline.com.au/2014/07/02/dap-beaufighter-engine-restoration/ There is also one at the Australian National Aviation Muesuem with a working original engine www.aarg.com.au/dap-mk21-beaufighter.html
Incredible model and extremely well done as both a builder and a pilot. And your choice of music - hadn't heard it for ages. I was so impressed with your model I will build a 1:48 model as the Beaufighter was always one of my favourite WW2 planes, and Australia used them to great effect in the Pacific. So naturally, as an Aussie, it will be a copy of the Mk XXI Australian-built plane with supercharged Hercules engine, Sperry autopilot, appropriate markings and armament (4 x 50 cal Brownings, 4 x 20mm cannons and 8 x rockets). Devastating firepower.
You Don't See That Everyday. What A Good Looking Model. I Always Thought The Beaufighter Was Underrated As It Was One Of The Most Successful Night Fighters Of The War . . .
Thank You For The Highlighted Comment. I've Read Two Different Autobiographies Titled Night Fighter & The Beaufighter Features Prominently In Both. I Think There's One In A Museum In England & Would Love To See It . . .
The trouble with RC models is they tend to crash. 5 years work on a magnificent model and it ends up destroyed. I have seen similar high quality a B 17. 1/6 scale and a B 29 1/5 scale plus a P 51. All suffer the same end. Years of building down the drain. While I applaud the builders skill it must be heartbreaking to see them crash
That takes commitment to take this to the air, the thought of an engine or structural failure! You wouldn't call this the "whispering death" though , more like the "funky moped!" Terrific workmanship.
Did the original Beaufighter have counter-rotating propellers? Beautiful airplane and music. Someone did a great job of building, photographing, and editing. Thanks.
One of my uncles flew a Beaufighter with 176 squadron in India. Japanese bombing had caused about one million to flee the city when his squadron arrived to help with air defence. During one raid, he shot down three bombers while his own plane had one wing on fire. he was forced to bail out when his fuel tank exploded.
Beautiful model, really beautiful. The music is WAY too loud. I muted it until they started the engines but the music was sop loud, still, that I just muted it.
My father was assigned to an RAF night fighter squadron that flew Beaufighters for most of the war. He was in the rear seat as Radarman/navigator. There was no rear gun. Yours appears to be the maritime defense variant. I didn't realize they had a rear gun.
Does the owner of the Bristol Beaufighter have any technical drawings for this Aircraft as I would really like to purchase a copy and build one myself? How can I get a copy?
The beaufighter an underraited airplane but a wonderfull project you have done. Please just tell us how you change the rotatind direction for the right motor. BR Adrian
Our Beaufighter association would really like to build one of these. Could you please make the design plans available us? I can send more formal details if you like.
Quentin Taylor my wife's uncle, Captain Harold Augspurger, was a squadron leader in AAF and started flying Beaufighter but later in the war was transitioning to the P-61 Black Widow. A facsimile of his Beaufighter is in the Air Force Museum in Dayton. Named his Nite Mare. I have a picture of Uncle Harold standing in front of it shortly after it was put on display. Sadly, we lost him three years ago. He became a dentist in the Dayton area and was a docent there for years.
Quentin Taylor Please could you PM me on Facebook. I’m researching the Beaufighter for a screenplay and your association will be a very useful contact. Thanks
Great build! Counter-rotating engines? Saw that on P38s, never on much anything else. Losing an engine on take-off was the Beaufighters greatest weakness. Don't think the full scale Beaus had this feature, correct me if I'm wrong. Great feature on the model though.
My late father, who flew the Beaufighter during WW2 was interviewed by the scale aircraft builder of a much smaller version. He cautioned as to the handling characteristics of the full-sized aircraft. It was a handful on take-off and landing. I observe that the builder of this giant-scale aircraft seems to have been aware of its potential handling problems and chosen engines which could be arranged to turn the propellors in opposite rotations to mitigate as best he could the aircraft's inherent vices. If an engine lost oil-pressure, the recommendation given to my oldie was not to attempt to feather the prop and shut down the engine because the oil-pressure dependent feathering operation was likely to fail, then the aircraft would likely become uncontrollable because of the asymmetric drag the propellor blades would introduce.. The recommendation was to run the engine up to full power and select fine pitch so that when the overspeeding engine eventually seized, the drive shaft to the propellor or the reduction gear housing would fail, the prop fall away and much drag from the failed engine side would be reduced. He did have an engine failure and managed to feather the windmilling prop. He described the rest of that flight as exhausting with two feet on the rudder pedal to maintain heading. He predicted that any model which faithfully reproduced the Beaughter was likely also to reproduce its worst habits sooner rather than later. He instructed the would be scale model pilot as best he could as to what he should expect. The aircraft flew - once. To learn this beautifully rendered giant scale aircraft was lost is a pity. My oldie would have loved to have seen it fly. He took up flying again fifteen years after the war but gave it up. "After the sheer thrill of flying an aircraft with a 1650HP Hercules engine on each side of you, nothing else comes anywhere near close" he said.
Really tough to handle an engine out on an rc airplane. In the real one you have the slip ball and you feel the loss of thrust and the yaw so you can react. With a model you have to wait to see the model react and by that time it is too late.
Boy howdy,...that male Karen came running over to usher yo a$$ outta the "Danger Zone" huh. Good thing for you he was there to exert his expertise of safety at an RC plane get-together huh?? Pheeeeewwww!!!! That was a close one. 😆😆😆 He sure was giving you the stank eye.😆😆😆
