Beaufighter Mk.IC 'Coastal Patrol' (RAF, RAAF, Italy) (REISSUE)

The Bristol Beaufighter was a British long-range heavy fighter, developed early in 1939 from the Beaufort torpedo bomber. It became an efficient night-fighter, employing the then novel AI radar. Following short-term development the first prototype flew in July 1939 and the first aeroplanes reached the squadrons in the summer of the next year.

The Beaufighter was a two-seat, twin engine, all-metal mid-wing cantilever monoplane, fitted with a retractable undercarriage. It was powered by two Hercules radial engines and the armament consisted of four cannons in the nose, four guns in the starboard wing and another two guns in the port wing.

The Beaufighter Mk.IF was destined for RAF Fighter Command units, while the Mk.IC, fitted with an additional radio and navigational equipment, was a dedicated long-range fighter for the Coastal Command. Total production of both variants reached 914 aircraft.

The Beaufighter had a long career and served in almost all theatres of war during the WWII, at first as a night fighter, then as a fighter-bomber and eventually being used as a torpedo-Bomber

Colour schemes included in the kit:

1)   Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IC, T4800, Sky ND-C, No.236 Sq., RAF, Wattisham airfield, spring 1942

2)   Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IC, A19-5 (ex-T4924), White F, No.30 Sq., RAAF, Wards airfield, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, autumn 1942

3)   Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IC, T3295, Red A, No.235 Sq., RAF, Arbroath airfield, spring 1943

4)   Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IC, Black T4887 (ex-No.252 Sq. a/c), Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica), Guidonia airfield, Italy, 1942

This injection-moulded kit contains 53 parts and six clear parts (cockpit canopies, position lights etc.). A comprehensive instruction leaflet and a decal sheet are included.