POWER PLANT: Two Rolls-Royce Merlin III engines, rated at 1,030 hp each
PERFORMANCE: No data available
COMMENT: Prior to WWII, the major world powers knew they needed long-range fighters to escort their bombers deep into enemy territory. To this end, the British aircraft company Martin Baker submitted an innovative design for a tailless, twin-engine fighter armed with 12 heavy machine guns. Its rudder gone to help reduce drag, the plane would use the trailing ends of its engine nacelles for lateral control supplemented with ducted engine exhaust gases as well as propeller induced air stream. Although seriously evaluated by the RAF, the Martin Baker 12 Gun Fighter never made it past the design stage.
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol Hercules XVII, rated at 1,725 hp
PERFORMANCE: 305 mph at sea level, 320 mph at 10,000 ft
COMMENT: The Bristol Beaufighter T.F.Mk.X was an extremely successful fighter-bomber, both in service in Europe as well as in the Pacific area. The Japanese called it “Whispering death”. The suffix “T” stands for torpedo but nevertheless the aircraft was used for all combat duties. Its successor after WW II became the Bristol Brigand.
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol Hercules XVII, rated at 1,735 hp each
PERFORMANCE: 320 mph at 10,000 ft
COMMENT: The Bristol Beaufighter T.F.Mk.X was the final major production variant and was mainly used as an anti-shipping attack aircraft. There were several important modifications introduced, in particular the A.I.Mk.VIII radar in a “timble” nose and a large dorsal fin for better longitudinal stability when flying with torpedoes. Among the total production of 5,562 Beaufighters been built 2,231 were T.F.Mk.X.
POWER PLANT: One Rolls Royce “Griffon II”, rated at 1,760 h.p., driving contra-rotating three-bladed propellers
PERFORMANCE: 335 m.p.h. at 17,000 ft
COMMENT: In 1942 the Air Ministry’s Specification F. 6/42 called for a highly maneuverable, single seat, low attack aircraft and the P.100 was one of several designs submitted by Boulton Paul. The P.100 was one of the most advanced and unorthodox projects the aircraft industry responded with at that time. It had a canard – pusher layout to give the pilot the best possible view. The project was never realized. Instead, for ground fighting roles the Hawker “Hurricane” and Hawker “Typhoon” as well as the Supermarine “Spitfire” were used.
POWER PLANT: One Rolls-Royce “Griffon II” engine, rated at 2,220 hp
PERFORMANCE: 315 m.p.h. at 17,000 ft
COMMENT: The Boulton Paul P.99 was one of several high-performance fighter projects of the Royal Air Force during WW II. The P. 99 was a twin-boom design, the Griffon engine was mounted in the rear driving two contra-rotating pusher propellers. This arrangement allowed the pilot an excellent visibility.
POWER PLANT: Two Rolls-Royce Merlin liquid-cooled engines, rated at 1,240 hp each
PERFORMANCE: 450 mph at 15.000 ft
COMMENT: The Supermarine Type 324 and Type 325 were British two-engined fighter designs proposed as the replacement for the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurrican. Neither of them nor a revised design – the Type 327 – to carry cannon was accepted for development and production.
As an aircraft to succeed the Hurricane and Spitfire then entering service, Air Ministry specification F.18/37 required a 400+ mph (at 15,000 ft) fighter with twelve .303 inch machine gun armament.
Hawker Aircraft submitted a single seat, single engine design with two possible engines, the Hawker Typhoon powered by the Rolls-Royce Vulture and the Hawker Typhoon, with Napier Sabre engine.
Gloster submitted two similar twin-boom designs with 12 Browning machine guns in the nose and a pusher Napier Sabre engine as well as an adaptation of their proposal to F.9/37 with nose-mounted armament.
Bristol’s design was one airframe offered with three alternative engines.
In 1938 Supermarine submitted brochures describing the Type 324 (under the company specification No.458) along with the Type 325. Both were compact twin-engine designs – one tractor and one pusher – with either Rolls-Royce Merlin or Bristol Taurus engines.
Hawker’s designs – which Sydney Camm had been working on since April 1937 – were accepted and prototypes of each ordered.
The Type 324 was a low-wing, twin-engined monoplane featuring the elliptical wing shape of the Spitfire, with retractable tricycle undercarriage.
Twin engines were expected to give a maximum speed of 450 mph. In addition, the twin layout gave the usual advantages of torque cancellation, improved pilot view, tricycle landing gear, performance, improved take-off performance and allowed the use of the proven Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.
The structure of the aircraft was Alclad aluminium alloy. The wing was designed in sections, so that alternative engines (Bristol Taurus) or armament could be accommodated. Fowler flaps were fitted for take-off/landing. Spoiler flaps were fitted to improve performance.
A number of armament types were considered. The main was 12 Browning in two packs of six in each wing outer section; these could be removed complete with ammunition to allow rapid rearming and servicing of the weapons.
When the Air Ministry felt progress on the Westland Whirlwind cannon-armed fighter was too slow, they asked for the F.18/37 tenders to be revised with 20mm cannon armament. Supermarine dropped the pusher design and proposed a six-cannon fighter as the Type 327 Spito. The Ministry did not feel its advantages outweighed other considerations, and that the Whirlwind – or the adaption oft he Bristol Beaufort – would enter service before Supermarine’s design could (Ref.: 24).
Supermarine 327 Spito
Supermarine 327 Spito
Supermarine 327 Spito
Supermarine 327 Spito
Supermarine 327 Spito
Supermarine 327 Spito
Supermarine 327 Spito
Supermarine 327 Spito and Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.IV
Supermarine 327 Spito and Westland Whirlwind Mk. II
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol Hercules Mk XVII, rated at 1,700 hp
PERFORMANCE: 315 mph at 10,000 ft
COMMENT: The success of the Bristol Beaufighter was based on a variety of roles the aircrafts were used for: Long-range fighter, night fighter, strike aircraft, and torpedo bomber. Production ended in 1945 after 5.564 Beaufighters had been built.
TYPE: Long-range torpedo bomber and anti-shipping aircraft
ACCOMMODATION: Crew of three
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol “Centaurus” 57 radial engines, rated at 2,470 hp each
PERFORMANCE: 358 mph at 16,000 ft
COMMENT: As an alternative to the highly successful Bristol “Beaufighter” in the role of torpedo bomber the Bristol “Brigand” was selected by the UK Air Ministry based on the applicable requirements. The first four prototypes were ordered I April 1943 and the first flight took place on December 1944. Series production began with the use of various components from its predecessor, the Bristol “Beaufighter”, although the first eleven torpedo versions of the “Brigand” TF. Mk.I were not delivered until 1946. However, in 1946 offensive planes were no longer required and the “Brigands” were returned to their native factory and redeveloped into new light and fast bombers, known as “Brigand” B.1. A total of 147 “Brigands” were produced, including prototypes and production ended in spring 1949. The Bristol “Brigand” was the last fighter plane to use a piston drive (Ref.: Valom).
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I
Bristol Brigand TF.Mk.I and Bristol Beaufighter T.F.Mk. X
Scale 1:72 aircraft models of World War II
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