Beaufighter: different Marks, different looks

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Originally Posted by Diamondback

Wasn't the Mk X in particular a torpedo-attack specialst? And what would it take to turn the existing Ares Beau into one?

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Originally Posted by flash

Maybe not much DB, there was a Beaufighter Mk.VIC (ITF) - Interim torpedo fighter, version that would require little effort. Looking at images of them I'm not sure the Mk X had any major visual differences, unless you go for one with the extended nose.?

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Originally Posted by Diamondback

Could we pass it off as an Australian Mk. 21? I know late Mk X's had a forward extension on the fin... Mk. I's were murder on Japanese shipboard flak at Bismarck Sea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristo...thwest_Pacific

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OK I moved this discussion here, to avoid clogging Taranto:

Here's some profiles:
The Mk.IV vs the Mk. X:
Attachment 336874

And here's the Mk.XXI:
Attachment 336875

Looks like the Ares Beaufighter can pass for a Mk.XXI, but not for a Mk.X, if you're fussy at 1/200 scale.

Karl

Here's a Mk.I in the Pacific:
Attachment 336892
Karl

Karl, the fin strake was added very late in the Mk X run, most didn't have it.

BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER MK VIC (ITF)
https://i0.wp.com/www.destinationsjo...g?w=1200&ssl=1

Some good pics and info on the MkVI variant here

I'd say that the Ares Beaufighter will do. The big issue is hanging the torp where the peg goes.
Karl

Not if it's done right... it won't hang right on every plane if Ares just tools a single "torpedo peg" but that's exactly what I've proposed as an Easy Button to Rob at Ares. Bonus, a removable torp is a visible indicator of which planes are unencumbered and which are still loaded down.

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Originally Posted by Jager

I'd say that the Ares Beaufighter will do. The big issue is hanging the torp where the peg goes.
Karl

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The bigger issue is the Ares Beaufighters have the tailplane dihedral of later marks but are supposed to be Mk.Is.

I wanna say one of the three is a Mk VI... when tey came out, we discussed it and if you can get the tailplanes separated it's a simple matter to file the contact surfaces for a flat connection and glue them back in thusly adjusted.

Jager, this was fascinating stuff. I had no idea about the differences in the planes. Thank you for sharing! I love stuff like this! I'm such a WW2 plane nerd. haha!

-Chuck