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Rami

Rami

Administrator
Staff member
Okay, ladies and germs...

Since we all have these wonderful Beaufighters now, (Thanks again, Bismarck and skinners) let's put them to good use. :woot:

I would like you to set me straight on their use in Malta and the Mediterranean. The Pedestal campaign is based in August of 1942. The Beaufighter campaign begins in January of 1942, ending in September of 1944.

I was thinking about beginning with the Mk. If, then using the Mk. VIf / VIc over Malta. We have the Torbeau, Flak and Radar-equipped versions with the VIc.

Any factual information provided on type use and location, especially in the Mediterranean, would be most appreciated.
 
Rami,

A quick look at "Malta - The Hurricane Years" shows that the first Beaus to operate from Malta were 13 MkIF's of 252 Sqn which arrived on May 1st 1941, joined on July 19th by 8 more (type unknown, but probably IF's as well) of 272 Sqn.
Need to go to "The Spitfire Year" to find about Beaus operating at the time of the Pedestal convoy...
 
OK, then next in Malta were 4 AI equiped MkIF's detached from 89 Sqn in Egypt (Serial N°s X7750, X7756, X7648 and X7586), which arrived on the same day as the very first Spits on the island (7 March 1942). Regular reinforcements seem to have been flown to 89 Sqn, as for instance 2 aircraft equiped with the "new Mark VII AI radar" (X7840 & V8268) which arrived on August 7th 1942.
Then we have reinforcements flown in to provide support for the Pedestal operation : 15 "strike Beaufighters" of 248 Sqn, Coastal Command, arrived from England between the 3rd and 10th of August, joined by 6 more from 252 Sqn from North Africa.
 
Cool!

I have a mission for the upcoming Beaufighter campaign that falls into that general time frame (06/22/1942)

"title_string"=Beaus in the sand - Deployment to Malta
"summary_string"=Attention! Today we will leave North Africa and join the hard-pressed forces on Malta! The ground situation here continues to deteriorate, though we hope to stop Jerry's advance into Egypt at Mersa Matruh.
"objective_string"=June 22nd, 1942 saw the deployment of six crews from 89 squadron, based in Egypt, to assist night operations around the island fortress of Malta. Big setbacks continued in Africa, with Tobruk having fallen to General Rommel several days before.
"intelligence_string"=You may fly along the coast as far as Sidi Barrani, but from then on you must keep to the sea and fly on the deck to avoid detection and interception by Axis air patrols. A patrol from Malta will cover your arrival. Watch your fuel carefully, it is a long flight.
 
If you want . . .

I can have a Beau MkIC ready and uploaded within a couple days if you need one immediately. I just have so many variants to make I haven't got to that one yet. I just have to pull off the radar and I already have a paint job by Morton . . .

The skin is 252 Squadron BT-B so it is close to the one shown above.


:typing:
 
Bismarck13,

Thanks, Don't do a rush job. I have to dust off my Pacific installs and install bases for an updated DoA campaign. That's going to take a little while. :typing:

When I get to it though, I would very much like a Mk. Ic model, I'll make use for her.
 
Rami,
There is a lot of useful stuff in Chaz Bowyer's book "Beaufighter at War". Another book, though of more limited use is "The Armed Rovers". I can't put my hand on that volume right now, so I'm not sure of the author. I ordered my copy of "Beaufighter at war through ABEBOOKS.
 
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