WIX Archives

Re: TFCs Beaufighter

Posted by Ron Henry on Tue May 14, 2002 01:31:15 PM

In reply top Re: TFCs Beaufighter posted by david J burke on Sat May 11, 2002 08:53:21 AM

: The main problem is the lack of suitable Bristol Hercules
: engines in captivity. The are plenty of later marks around
: which are cheap but they are no use to anyone apart from
: if you operate the last Noratlas! The propellors are a lic
: ence built Hamilton Standard unit and as such it's not suc
: h an insurmoutable problem to overcome.
: The airframe side of the job is relatively straight
: forward compared to the engines !


I visited the canadian museum at Rockliffe way back in 1978, I think. I was quite surprised to see their B/fighter project sat outside engineless, and looking like it had been there for some time (thye got it by swappping a Bolingbroke with RAFM. I did hear, once, that RAFM, on receiving their part of the deal described it as "more Broke than Boling" !)

I talked with the restorers and they told me that they had the concept that Bristol Freighter engines would be OK. In fact, when they tried to put theory into practice, it proved unworkable. If the correct Hercules' are hardly available in UK, just think what supplies are going to be like in the Americas. Flash of inspiration ..... what about Dominica (but only 10 a/c, IIRC)? Israel had an even smaller handful ......


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