Sunday, September 27, 2020

Bristol Beaufighter - nightfighter of 219


Bristol Beaufighter

Nightfighter radar
Big Ego versus Dowding; nightfighters > .

Bristol Beaufighter nightfighter & Sq 219
http://www.aviation-history.com/bristol/beaufite.html
http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=135

No. 219 Squadron Royal Air Force: formed Catterick, October 1939, flying Blenheims. Converted to Beaufighters in October 1940. From February 1944 flew Mosquitos.

Catterick. 4th Oct 1939 to 12 Oct 1940 & 25 Apr 1943 14 May 1945
Redhill 12 Oct 1940 to 12 Dec 1940.
Tangmere. 12 Dec 1940 to 23 June 1942.
Acklington. 23 June 1942 to 21 Oct 1942
Scorton 21 Oct 1942 to 25 Apr 1943
Bone 14 May 1945 to ?
Sidi Amor. ? to 27 Feb 1944
Woodvale 27 Feb 1944 to 15 Mar 1944
Honiley 15 Mar 1944 to 1 Apr 1944
Bradwell Bay. 1 Apr 1944 to 29 Aug 1944
Hunsdon. 29 Aug 1944 to 10 Oct 1944
Amiens, B48. from 10 Oct 1944
http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/allied/royalairforce/sqdview.php?pid=417

Through most of the Second World War and the 1950s No. 219 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated as a night fighter air defence squadron. Three commanders of the squadron went on to be Chiefs of the Air Staff, two of the RAF and one of the Royal Pakistani Air Force.

It reformed in October 1939, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, operating Bristol Blenheims from RAF Catterick. Whilst it was intended to carry out shipping protection missions, it began to be used as a night fighter unit after becoming fully operational in February 1940; in October, it was moved to RAF Redhill, near London, and converted to the Bristol Beaufighter.

In December 1940, it moved to RAF Tangmere in Sussex, continuing in its operational role.

It moved back to north England in mid 1942, to RAF Acklington and later RAF Scorton; in May 1943, the squadron was transferred to North Africa, where it was dispersed between various ports to provide night fighter defence. In September 1943 it operated a number of aircraft from Sicily, but moved back to the UK in January 1944 to join the newly forming Second Tactical Air Force in preparation for the invasion of Normandy. It re-equipped with de Havilland Mosquito night fighters, first Mk. 17 and later Mk. 30 models, and flew intruder missions over north-western Europe from RAF Woodvale, RAF Honiley, RAF Bradwell Bay and RAF Hunsdon. It moved to bases in France in October 1944, returning to the UK after the end of hostilities in August 1945, and was disbanded in September 1946.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._219_Squadron_RAF

42-6-12 Daring Solo Beaufighter Raid - Paris 1942 > .
Operation Squabble, a daring British plan to raise the morale of the people of occupied Paris by dropping a French tricolour on the Arc de Triomphe.

Historical: Beaufighter attack on a German ship: WW2 pilot Steve Stevens DFC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL4_z3kWa3s

Semi-historical campaign dealing with the Beaufighters operated by the RAF in 1942, in Μalta and the North African region.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj-0Fork_rE

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