Duxford from a Monopod ~ 27Jan12

Were they going to be used for the beaufighter?

What engins are these then?

(not my own pic)

Hercules 216 Powerplants, ex Hastings.

A one off Beaufighter was built in Australia using Pratt & Whitney engines with extended nacelles. It does not look the part.
The modifications to the airframe to fit Merlins made it impractical to go that route.
The later Hercules will fit, Harold Thomas fitted 600 series to his aircraft at Narellan, albeit a static.
Tim Moores aircraft, ex Halton, had I believe 100 series engines fitted with four blade props and modified engine bearers.The problem with the later series engines, which we have, is that they have a large oil sump which fouls the engine bearer and instead of a vertically mounted starter motor it sticks out at the rear, plus the magnetos and fuel pump stick out at the side. End result is the engine bearer has to be modified which pushes the engine four inches further forward and requires the nacelle to also be modified. We have the drawings. However there is a gent out there in the aviation world who knows where there are some original engines, we have seen the photos, but several years down the road we have not been able to put our hands on them.

Thank you for the clarification Mr R.

What engins are these then?

(not my own pic)

Great to hear “from the horse’s mouth” that the Beau is still likely to fly!

Will be well worth waiting for!

Thanks PR!

By coincidence, I scanned this today:

Pictured 19-10-96, it shows the huge amount of work put into the project since.

Nice to hear that the prospect of the Beaufighter flying hasn’t been entirely put to bed then. Thanks for the update on that beaufighter vi.
I’m sure every one of us who knows about the project or like me has been patiently waiting and walking past it for over 20 years now says or thinks the same thing ; ” i’d love to see that fly “.
If or when it does happen, it WILL be an amazing sight.
Let us not forget, the first blenhiem/bolingbroke restoration to fly took over 20 years, and i’m sure that must of had it’s doubters.

A one off Beaufighter was built in Australia using Pratt & Whitney engines with extended nacelles. It does not look the part.
The modifications to the airframe to fit Merlins made it impractical to go that route.
The later Hercules will fit, Harold Thomas fitted 600 series to his aircraft at Narellan, albeit a static.
Tim Moores aircraft, ex Halton, had I believe 100 series engines fitted with four blade props and modified engine bearers.
The problem with the later series engines, which we have, is that they have a large oil sump which fouls the engine bearer and instead of a vertically mounted starter motor it sticks out at the rear, plus the magnetos and fuel pump stick out at the side. End result is the engine bearer has to be modified which pushes the engine four inches further forward and requires the nacelle to also be modified. We have the drawings. However there is a gent out there in the aviation world who knows where there are some original engines, we have seen the photos, but several years down the road we have not been able to put our hands on them.

One wonders if it would be better for TFC and IWM to come to some arrangement whereby the Beau was restored to static. I’d rather see it complete than dismantled if there’s no realistic hope of airworthiness.

Unless this has been answered before, and if engine availability ‘is’ the stumbling block… but wasn’t the Skysport Beau project still complete with relevant engines (i realise four blade props replaced the originals)?
Could a deal not be struck with them, seeing as both organisations are in the same business of restoring vintage aeroplanes to airworthiness.!

Controversial, Tin Triangle – but perhaps a good idea if, as you say, flight is unlikely.

Not that I’m giving up on seeing the Beau in the air if possible – prepared to keep waiting!

I forgot to complement Pen Pusher as well – I particularly like the close view of the RE-8 that is not normally possible!

Im guessing two Pratt and Whitneys would not be suitanbe then?

One wonders if it would be better for TFC and IWM to come to some arrangement whereby the Beau was restored to static. I’d rather see it complete than dismantled if there’s no realistic hope of airworthiness.

Some fine pictures by the way Brian!

It never had any suitable engines.

The Beau itself has not been worked on for over 3 years now.

My understanding, from conversation with Kim many years ago, is that the early Hercules, with exhaust collector rings, are virtually extinct. TFC had access to later Hercules, that exhaust backwards under or over the wing, but these were not appropriate for conversion. The other option, Merlin-power, was also not realistic.

Sorry for being rather vague – not an engineer, nor very up-to-speed on Beaus or Bristol Hercules! I’m sure somebody will put me right!

It does have some engines. The last I saw of them were when the restoration started!!

I just hope they resume the restoration again soon!

Have they managed to source some engines for the beau?

Nice shots as ever Brian The Beau seems to have moved along a bit since i last saw her
do you have control of the shutter or is it time delay