The Beaufort Test Pilots

The Last Australian Beaufort (A9-700) was designed a Mark VIII, but was basically a Mark VII with slight differences - the Australian-built 2-stage engines and Curtiss propellers, ASV Radar and aerials, and 250lb bomb carriers under the wing.

Late examples (from around A9-550) had a modified turret with a bulge in front to accommodate twin 50cal machine guns, but these were never fitted. During the production run, the two wing guns (outboard of the oil coolers) were changed from Browning 303s to 50cal machine guns.

This mark also had "universal" fittings for carrying either British or American torpedoes, bombs and mines. Many had a window with a machine gun ball mount added to the centre-section roof - this was a field-fitted modification.


	Test Pilots assigned to the Beaufort programme - from left to right: Cyril Scott (1941-1945) Tom Young Harold Shelton (1942-1948) (Click on picture for larger view)

Tom Young and A9-700 - the last Australian-built Beaufort. (Click on picture for larger view)

The First Aircraft (A9-1):
	The First Australian Beaufort (A9-1) was designated a Mark V. This was the basic "British" Beaufort, license-built in Australia for the RAF - the Serial Numbers were prefaced with a "T" (ie. T9540). The Serial Numbers were changed to the Australian scheme (A9-1) when the aircraft were transferred to the RAAF. They used Australian-built Pratt and Whitney 2-stage engines and Curtiss Electric propellers. In Royal Air Force parlance they were Bristol Beaufort Mark IIs, but had the larger Mark I Beaufort turret fitted.

The Last Aircraft (A9-700):
The Last Australian Beaufort (A9-700) was designed a Mark VIII, but was basically a Mark VII with slight differences - the Australian-built 2-stage engines and Curtiss propellers, ASV Radar and aerials, and 250lb bomb carriers under the wing. Late examples (from around A9-550) had a modified turret with a bulge in front to accommodate twin 50cal machine guns, but these were never fitted. During the production run, the two wing guns (outboard of the oil coolers) were changed from Browning 303s to 50cal machine guns. This mark also had "universal" fittings for carrying either British or American torpedoes, bombs and mines. Many had a window with a machine gun ball mount added to the centre-section roof - this was a field-fitted modification.