|
RAAF A9 DAP Bristol Beaufort |
||
|
|
||
|
Intermediate Updates and Link checking dated 18/08/2026 pending future full update. The Bristol Beaufort was chosen for Australian production by the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) in August 1938. Production would be carried out between 1941 and 1944 at Fishermen's Bend, Melbourne and Mascot, Sydney. The Pratt and Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine would be built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). The State Railway Workshops of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia would build sub-assemblies and components. This was a major undertaking for Australia and the original plan was to build aircraft for both the RAF and the RAAF. The first 58 were issued and marked with RAF serials and at least 16 were delivered to the RAF located at Richmond RAAF Station from December 1941 to February 1942. At least 6-7 were sent to Singapore in December 1941, flown by Q Flight, 100 Sqn RAF. Of those, one remained and was destroyed, while the rest were returned to Australia. The last recorded operational mission by a 100 Sqn RAF Beaufort was T9555 (future A9-16) on 23 February 1942, as flown by Wg Cdr Miller on a protective patrol covering the Battleship HMS Warspite off Sydney Harbour. The squadron was disbanded 28 February 1942 with remainder going to t100 Sqn RAAF commissioned 1 March 1942. Surviving Beauforts were re-serialled A9-* onwards from July 1942. A Bristol built pattern aircraft was acquired (RAF serial L4448) in 1939 and it was converted from Bristol Taurus power to Pratt and Whitney power and re-serialled A9-1001. Australian production was 700 aircraft. From A9-50 on even numbered serials came from Mascot and those with odd numbers from Fishermen's Bend During 1944 and 1945 46 Beauforts were converted to unarmed transports, officially designated as Beaufort Mk.IX but generally known as Beaufreighters. |
n RAF | |
|
|
||
|
The Author of this page is Gordon Birkett who had taken over from Jan Herival in 2025. Previously updated by Jan Herival Brendan Cowan, Martin Edwards & Peter May throughout the past years. Current Sources: DAP Files E/E-88 Cards, Accident Files and Unit ORBs Previous Sources used by Jan Herival include: The Melbourne Herald/Sun, Townsville at War Website, National Archives of Australia, Dept of Defence Media Release, RAAF Historical Section, For your tomorrow we gave our today, Australian War Memorial, RAAF Bairnsdale, Australia@War website, Jack Coutts (Ex 100 Sqn observer), John Snewin, RAAF Beaufort Squadrons Association, Jack Slingo (Ex 100 and 14 Sqn WAG), John Macnaughtan, The Beaufort File, Beaufort Special. Emails: Ralph Cusack, Paul McMillan, Greg Hyde, Les Bushell, Dean Norman, Doug Lee, Jan Herivel, John Goudie, Daniel Leahy, Gordon Birkett, Keith Hayles, Kim Fawkes, John Macnaughtan, Jason Stagg, Mal Duggan, Brendan Cowan, Martin Edwards, Robert Dettman and Nanette Miller. Converted to CMS 16th November 2025 Updated 18 August 2026 |
|
It is our policy to only show historical events, no current operational information will be displayed on this website.
|
