Bristol Beaufighter Mk IF (RAF 29 Sqn Guy Gibson) (1:72 scale)
- The Bristol Beaufighter was developed in about 8 months by using sections from the earlier designed Bristol Beaufort. It was given more powerful engines & a variety of modifications making the aircraft capable of many tasks. It was a night fighter, fighter bomber & torpedo bomber performing anti-shipping duty as well as ground attack & long range interdiction. The different variants, 14 in all, were capable of carrying bombs, torpedoes, rockets, canons & machine guns. The Beaufighter was operated by 11 countries.
When WW II started Guy Gibson was a bomber pilot but volunteered for Fighter Command & flew a Bristol Beaufighter with 29 Squadron. In the Beaufighter Gibson shot down four aircraft in 99 sorties. On April 8, 1941 his Beaufighter was shot down & crashed while attempting to l&. The crew survived but the aircraft was a write off. Gibson was promoted to Wing Commander with 106 Squadron & then the 617 Squadron where he led the Dam Buster Raid. On September 19, 1944 flying a 627 Squadron Mosquito he failed to return.