The Most Underrated British Plane of WW2?
YouTube / Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles
The Bristol Beaufighter is a British airplane that flew during the Battle of Britain until the war’s end, and 70 RAF pilots became aces while flying this plane. It has a great combat record and flew around the world. However, for some reason, it didn’t quite get the respect that it deserves.
The Beaufighter
Nothing about this aircraft in terms of its performance is stellar, it’s kind of in the middle ground. The plane’s strength is that it didn’t have serious vices. It’s rugged, reliable, carries a lot of firepower, and is extremely versatile.
It operated as a day fighter, night fighter bomber, and torpedo bomber. Furthermore, the British Coastal Command utilized them in an anti-shipping role to great effect.
Horrifyingly Effective
Over the Pacific, Beaufighters flown by Australians played a key role in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
The Allies attacked the Japanese convoys with a variety of planes including twenty Havocs, Beaufighters, B-25 Mitchells, and the like.
The Allies managed to sink all the transports in the convoy, and Beaufighters were delegated the dangerous strafing duty to suppress the ships in an aircraft fire, and this strafing was highly effective.
The Japanese thought the Beaufighters were coming in for a torpedo attack which allowed the plane to strafe the entire length of the ship in a single pass.
A Success?
The Beaufighters carried four Hispano-Suiza 20 mm forward firing cannons which is a highly effective weapon. It’s one of the best airborne guns of the war.
It was successful as a coastal command day fighter, night fighter, ground attack plane, and anti-shipping in the Mediterranean, Pacific, and Burma.
Overall, it was a plane that was successful everywhere it went. It showed up and did its job well, but for some reason, it didn’t quite get the respect that it deserved.
