Something for all you Beaufighter fans

Hello Ian

I’ll bow to your superior eyesight. Interestingly the aircraft appears to have a fin fillet that ot doesn’t have now. This may have been removed at restoration when it was finished in night fighter black.

Regards,

Keith Gaff

It’s definitely not the aircraft recovered from Malta and now in the Canadian National Collection.

But yet the serial number RD867 can clearly be seen under the starboard wing. This is indeed the aircraft now at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

Beaufighter

Hello Matt,

If you’re enjoying this little session let’s keep it going and see where it goes. Below is an image of a derelict British TT10 Beaufighter taken, I would guess in the Meditteranean sometime during the 1950’s. It’s definitely not the aircraft recovered from Malta and now in the Canadian National Collection. Maybe one of our British friends knows the story.

Regards,

Keith

Hi Matt,
I don’t recall if you were there for the last engine run prior to the Beau being placed inside. But all I can say is I’m surprised how some of the buildings
managed to stay attached to their foundations. 🙂

G’day folks,

Thanks, Hunterxf382 and Keith for the tram pics. Like many here, I’m not just an aeroplane-tragic!

Bellarine, I’ve seen most of Ash’s shots, and your scans brought it all back! Thanks for that.

Winston, that’s a top shot of 186 at Boree Creek. Just down the road from me, alas half a century too late!

I’m enjoying this discussion, hope it keeps going.

Cheers,
Matt

Beaufighter

Hello Bellarine,

You are correct. your pic of Moorabbins Beaufighter was taken just after the erection of the second stage of Moorabbins display hangar. The aircraft was placed on site after the building frame was put up and then the wall cladding was added. The photo was taken around 1991.

Regards,

Keith Gaff

More Beau pics

I have been scanning hundreds upon hundreds of slides and negatives over the last few months from the collection belonging to Ash Briggs, much of it not seen before as far as I know, or maybe only to a very select few (great slides night indeed 😀 )

With his permission, here is a few shots of the Beau fuse that was recovered from inner suburban Melbourne, in a backyard (the story that I have been told is a doting father asked his daughter whether she would like a horse or an aeroplane – she went with the plane – if that’s true, good choice on her part !)

These pics were taken in 1981 and the mid fuse section is now on the Duxford Beau…..

Apologies for the quality, I have not attempted to clean up or edit them…

Other shot (yes yes its back to front, bleedin scanner) is of the Moorabbin Beau, unsure of date, but looks to have been just after the shed was built around it – Keith or Ash I’m sure you can correct me on this, there was no tag on the negative when I scanned it

Beaufighter

Great photo Winston. This Beaufighter is in the Harold Thomas Collection these days. During my early days with the Moorabbin Air Museum I heard from some of the long time members that they had located this aircraft after they recovered the Beaufighter from Portsea, At least one an possibly several expeditions were mounted to strip parts from A8-186 to help complete Moorabbins example. Given that the lower cannon access panels are still on A8-186 in this image and they were all removed for Moorabbins Beau this pic was taken before it was stripped for pars.

Keith Gaff

Talking about derelict Beaufighters, here’s an image that came into my possession several years ago. It was taken in 1964 at Borree Creek. The aircraft, A8-186 is preserved.

Fantastic photos,Thanks for posting..Have a Great New Year !!

I stand corrected no problem, as I find this story quite interesting already :rolleyes:

Beaufighter

Hello Matt or should I say Slugmeister

Below is a shot of the W class tram they had at Portsea sitting behind the Vampire that replaced the Beaufighter. It also ended up at Moorabbin but was swapped off before your time at Moorabbin. Mark is correct; the derelict fuselage taken at Moorabbin around 1972 is Bristol Mk1F Beaufighter A19-43 which was recovered from Nhill in country Victoria and is now in the NMUSAF. How it got there is a story best left until I’m sure some of the principals involved in the deal have passed from this mortal coil.
Regards,

Keith

http://s193.beta.photobucket.com/user/kgaff_2007/media/DH100VampireA79-422240966PortseaCS0213_zps499e0ae9.jpg.html?sort=3&o=83

She’s looking much better now though, sterling work fellas:D

http://www.aarg.com.au/Beaufighter.htm

John.

Bit of a shock to find this one of how it ended up when saved:

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/kgaff_2007/Bristol156BeaufighterFuse080571MAMC.jpg?t=1279060711

Not Quite!

Thats a second Beaufighter the AARG recovered in that derelict condition, a Bristol Beaufighter mark 1C A19-43 now restored and on display in the collection of the NMUSAF.

The one in the colour photo above is a DAP Beaufighter mk 21 and was restored to engine run condition.

Regards

Mark Pilkington

For Matt, found when searching for more about this airframe:

http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Beaufighter-A8-328/A8_328?full=1

Bit of a shock to find this one of how it ended up when saved:

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z208/kgaff_2007/Bristol156BeaufighterFuse080571MAMC.jpg?t=1279060711

Keith

Lovely shot. Graham has a colour slide somewhere, but we couldn’t find it (still haven’t) in time for our Beau survivors article in CW, so went with the black and white.

regards and Happy New Year
Dave

G’day Keith,

Top pic, thanks for uploading it. We’re there any shots of the former Victorian Railways tram which went there around 1958?

That shot is also before its use as an impromptu toilet!

I have many happy memories associated with that Beau, as you’d possibly remember. Ground-running was always good fun, and I don’t know how many hours of hangar-flying I have under my belt!

Thanks for the memories.

Cheers,
Matt