The Bristol Beaufighter nicknamed the Whispering Death. British Multi Role Aircraft | Upscaled video

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The Bristol Beaufighter was designed and built in England as a development of the Beaufort bomber, and initially saw service as a night fighter. English built aircraft were delivered to the RAAF for service in the Pacific with No. 22, 30, 31 and 93 Squadrons operating this variant.
In Australia the Department of Aircraft Production was in the process of producing the Beaufort bomber and in 1944 the manufacture of the Beaufighter began as a follow on project. Design changes included revised armament and a dihedral tailplane, and between September 1944 and 1946, 365 Australian Beaufighter Mk 21’s were built.
Powerfully armed, fast at low level and very quiet in flight, the Beaufighter earned a grim nickname from the Japanese, who called it “Whispering Death”.

Symbolically, our aircraft was built on the day the Pacific War ended, and saw extensive post war use as a target tug. It was retired in 1956 and given to the Lord Mayor’s Children’s camp at Portsea. In 1962 it became the first aircraft donated to the museum.

The aircraft in our collection is dedicated as a memorial to No 31 Squadron. It is one of only 6 complete examples surviving worldwide, and one of only two complete Australian made examples. As of the end of 2013 it is also the only Beaufighter in the world capable of ground running an engine.

1941 saw the development of the Beaufighter Mk.IC long-range heavy fighter. This new variant entered service in May 1941 with a detachment from No. 252 Squadron operating from Malta. The aircraft proved so effective in the Mediterranean against shipping, aircraft and ground targets that Coastal Command became the major user of the Beaufighter, replacing the now obsolete Beaufort and Blenheim.
Coastal Command began to take delivery of the up-rated Mk.VIC in mid 1942. By the end of 1942 Mk VICs were being equipped with torpedo-carrying gear, enabling them to carry the British 18 in (450 mm) or the US 22.5 in (572 mm) torpedo externally.

The Hercules Mk XVII, developing 1,735 hp (1,294 kW) at 500 ft (150 m), was installed in the Mk VIC airframe to produce the TF Mk.X (Torpedo Fighter), commonly known as the ‘Torbeau’. The Mk X became the main production mark of the Beaufighter. The strike variant of the ‘Torbeau’ was designated the Mk.XIC. Beaufighter TF Xs would make precision attacks on shipping at wave-top height with torpedoes or ’60lb’ RP-3 rockets. Early models of the Mk Xs carried metric-wavelength ASV (air-to-surface vessel) radar with ‘herringbone’ antennae carried on the nose and outer wings, but this was replaced in late 1943 by the centimetric AI Mark VIII radar housed in a ‘thimble-nose’ radome, enabling all-weather and night attacks.

The North Coates Strike Wing of Coastal Command, based at RAF North Coates on the Lincolnshire coast, developed tactics which combined large formations of Beaufighters using cannon and rockets to suppress flak while the Torbeaus attacked at low level with torpedoes. These tactics were put into practice in mid 1943, and in a 10-month period, 29,762 tons (27,000 tonnes) of shipping were sunk. Tactics were further adapted when shipping was moved from port during the night. North Coates Strike Wing operated as the largest anti-shipping force of the Second World War, and accounted for over 150,000 tons (136,100 tonnes) of shipping and 117 vessels for a loss of 120 Beaufighters and 241 aircrew killed or missing. This was half the total tonnage sunk by all strike wings between 1942 and 1945.

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 41 ft 4 in (12.60 m)
Wingspan: 57 ft 10 in (17.63 m)
Height: 15 ft 10 in (4.83 m)
Wing area: 503 sq ft (46.7 m2)
Airfoil: root: RAF-28 (18%); RAF-28 (10%)
Empty weight: 15,592 lb (7,072 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 25,400 lb (11,521 kg) with one torpedo
Fuel capacity: 550 imp gal (660 US gal; 2,500 l) normal internal fuel
Maximum fuel capacity: 682 imp gal (819 US gal; 3,100 l) (with optional 2x 29 imp gal (35 US gal; 130 l) external tanks / 1x 24 imp gal (29 US gal; 110 l) tank in lieu of port wing guns / 1x 50 imp gal (60 US gal; 230 l) tank in lieu of stbd. wing guns)
Powerplant: 2 × Bristol Hercules XVII or Bristol Hercules XVIII 14-cylinder air-cooled sleeve-valve radial piston engines, 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) each
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propellers
Performance

Maximum speed: 320 mph (510 km/h, 280 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
Range: 1,750 mi (2,820 km, 1,520 nmi)
Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,800 m)
Rate of climb: 1,600 ft/min (8.1 m/s)
Armament
Guns:
4 × 20 mm (0.787 in) Hispano Mark II cannon (240 rpg) in nose
6 x .303 (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns in wings four starboard two port (optional, replacing internal long range fuel tanks)
1 × manually operated 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning for observer
Rockets: 8 × RP-3 60 lb (27 kg) rockets
Bombs: 2× 250 lb (110 kg) bombs or 1× British 18 inch (45 cm) torpedo or 1x Mark 13 torpedo

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20 thoughts on “The Bristol Beaufighter nicknamed the Whispering Death. British Multi Role Aircraft | Upscaled video”

  4. This was engrossing. To hear the stories in the crews own words. And the photos! Superb shots of the old Beau. Living and flying from those strips must have tested the best of them, but they stuck at it in true Aussie spirit. Well done.

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  5. My uncle flew for the RAAF in WW2, Hurricanes in Europe and North Africa (plus one short hop in a BF109) and then Beaufighters in New Guinea and the islands. Now we always hear "the Beaufighter earned a grim nickname from the Japanese, who called it “Whispering Death” it is said. However how do we know this? Besides, according to Ward Caroll's discussion of the Vought Corsair, it was this aircraft that was named “Whispering Death” by the Japanese. Which was it? Logic says neither. More likely it was WW2 propaganda as a morale booster for both aircraft.

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  9. Excellent accounts , priceless evidence from aircrew who now I guess have passed on. Please get the three Beaufighter restorations in the air by making the engines available.
    As a living memorial to these brave men. Often rather unfairly compared to the mosquito, but as usual horses for courses. the mossies timber airframes would not stand up to tropical,conditions so were unable to replace the Beaufighter as intended.
    Graham Pitchforks book ‘Beaufighters boys ‘ although mainly European theatre also complements the testimonies from the Ozzie airmen
    Interesting indeed the comment about the MK11 with Merlins which was never a good match with the Beaufighter , as with other types, Halifax for example .

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  10. I jumped with some Aussie paratroopers in a joint exercise. Hawaii in the early’90’s. Those guys were insanely good at what they do. I got orders for Australian Jump Wings from the experience. I salute the Australian Para’s and celebrate your service. You’re men amongst men.

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  14. Stumbled across by chance……what a treasure find. Great collation of actual footage and irreplaceable personal interviews of flight crews, which becomes preserved personal history. Those were men knew what real fear was all about when in close quarter combat of a hundred metres or so.

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  15. Good start to another day. That was very good thank you. Looking back 80 years its hard to believe what these guys did and where they did it on land at sea and in the air. WW2 was unbelievable.

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  16. My dad, at that time a Flying Officer, RCAF flew in 89 Sqdn RAF with F. Lt. Shipard, who's interviewed starting at 1m 25s,. In fact, my dad's logbook from 89 Sqdn mentions F. Lt. Shipard! I don't know when that interview was done; my dad died in 1989, age 73. His AI Op/Navigator, Charlie Baron, lived well into his second century. Small World. I wish the war historians in Canada had had the foresight (and funding) to interview some of the many RCAF pilots who flew both day- and night-fighters. Canada's loss – and a shame for future generations.

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