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Post by kb on May 5, 2011 21:27:29 GMT 12
I have been browsing the November 2010 issue of Aeroplane Monthly where there is a photo of a Beaufighter Mk.X passing through Egypt in 1946/47 supposedly on it's way to New Zealand. I am not aware of a Beaufighter visiting here.
Perhaps in the same boat as the Dauntless story. ;D ;D ;D
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Post by saratoga on May 5, 2011 21:47:55 GMT 12
I don't know of a Beaufighter coming here but at that time there were alot of 'sales/training'type flights from Britain.
My grandfather came out here on a Halifax with the empire radio school in 1946/7 so might be something to do with that.
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Post by angelsonefive on May 10, 2011 19:05:27 GMT 12
The Israeli AF obtained a small no. of ex-RAF Beaufighters about the time of independence in 1948.
There was an arms embargo on Israel at the time so they were purchased from the British Government by a private company on the pretext that the planes were to go to NZ to make a movie about Coastal Command in WW2.
One of the Beaufighters broke down in Italy, I think, and was seized when the authorities tumbled to what was going on.
The remainder, four or five aircraft, made it to Israel and saw action in the 1948 war.
One of the Beaus was shot down on its first op., a raid on a Jordanian border post. The wreckage was only discovered a few years ago.
I am not sure if Egypt was on the route though. It would have been a bit risky.
RAF Beaufighters were still in action in Malaya in the late 40's during the Communist insurgency in that part of the world, so the Beau. in question may well have been on its way there.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 10, 2011 19:57:21 GMT 12
Israel owes us a Coastal Command film with Beaufighters!!
Have you looked through the Flight Global archive? there may be something in there.
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