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Although the number A7 was allocated through 1926–46 and the Beaufort became A9 in 1941, the prefix A8 was not used until 1944 when the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) Beaufighter Mk 21 joined the RAAF. This anomaly came about when the numbers A8 to A12 were reserved in the late 1930s, because aircraft such as the Series 1 A11 Southampton and A12 Bulldog were still in service.
In 1942, the British-built Beaufighter began operating with the RAAF under the designation A19. These aircraft proved to be extremely effective in operations, and DAP planned to produce an Australian version when the Beaufort contracts were completed. As a precaution against the unavailability of Hercules engines, a Fairey-built Beaufighter IC, A19-2, was fitted with Wright Double Cyclone engines. Subsequent trials proved quite successful, but the supply of Hercules never failed, and A19-2 remained a ‘one-off’ experiment for the Australian Beaufighter.
Following the decision in January 1943 to commence Beaufighter production, the Bristol Company dispatched the drawings by Airgraph and some 55,000 miniature negatives were sent to DAP. Originally, it was planned to produce an Australian equivalent of the British Beaufighter Mk VII, but throughout 1943 innovations such as dive-brakes and rocket projectiles began to be introduced. Mks VIII and IX were similarly superseded and finally a version basically similar to the British Beaufighter TF Mk X was produced and designated DAP Bristol Beaufighter Mk 21. Unlike the British version, the ASV radar and dorsal fin were never applied to the DAP model. However, like the Mk Xs used by the RAAF in Europe, all the Hercules XVIIs had their two-speed blowers made fully operational, thus becoming Hercules XVIIIs.
The first DAP Beaufighter was flown on 26 May 1944 and, five days later, the aircraft was taken over by the RAAF. As production mounted in the Fishermens Bend and Mascot factories, the Australian A8 Beaufighter began to replace the British A19 Beaufighter. The smooth-running sleeve-valve engine and the devastating fire-power of cannon rockets and machine-guns had already earned the Beaufighter the nickname “Whispering Death” and the Australian version continued to wreak great havoc throughout New Guinea, the Celebes and the Philippines. The aircraft served with Nos 22, 30, 31, 92 and 93 Squadrons, and when production ceased at the end of 1945, a total of 364 DAP Beaufighters had been built.
In the post-war years, Beaufighters continued to operate with No 30 Squadron, where they were gradually reduced to a target-towing role. Although most of the aircraft were withdrawn from service in 1955–56, two Beaufighters, A8-357 and 363, continued to be used at Woomera for missile aerial recovery duties, and these aircraft operated with kangaroo roundels. The last aircraft, A8-357, was flown to Edinburgh for disposal by Wing Commander Williamson on 9 December 1957.
TECHNICAL DATA: DAP Beaufighter Mk 21
DESCRIPTION:
Two-seat strike fighter
POWER PLANT:
Two 1725hp Bristol Hercules XVIII radial engines
DIMENSIONS:
Span 17.63 m (57 ft 10 in); length 12.70 m (44 ft 8 in); height 4.82 m (15 ft 9 in)
WEIGHT:
Empty 7076 kg (15 600 lb); loaded 11 521 kg (25 150 lb)
PERFORMANCE:
Maximum speed 515 km/h (278 kt); Climb 35 mins to 5,000 ft (1524 m); Range 2365 km (1277 nm); Service ceiling 19,000 ft (5791 m)
ARMAMENT:
Four 20mm cannons in fuselage nose and four 0.5in guns in the wings. A single 0.3 in. gun could be mounted in the rear cupola. Eight rockets plus two 112 kg (250 lb) bombs could also be carried. Back to top
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