404 Sqn Beaufighters: Black Friday & Other Later Beaux – Docs digital publication
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AOD-D010
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Features 12 historic Beaufighter TF.Xs of 404 Squadron (RCAF), in service with RAF Coastal Command during the Second World War. Covers the frantic period of intensive operations against enemy shipping in Norwegian coastal waters throughout the winter and early spring of 1945 while the squadron was one of four in the Dallachy Strike Wing (18 Group).
Articles in this Docs edition cover:
• The late-war rocket projectile (R/P) set-up used by these aircraft throughout 1945, complete with related scale drawings and paint/finishing notes (one full page);
• The progressive array of features introduced on the Beaufighter TF.X by both the manufacturer and the service, from aerial particulars, to Mk.XII wings (!), and Hercules Mk.XVIII engines (two full pages of summary information, illustrations, and photos);
• The (until now misunderstood) modified tailplane / elevator as retrofitted to a number of late-war Beaux and introduced on the production line. Extends from #2 above with a page all its own. Includes clear Aviaeology scale line-drawings plus maintenance manual excerpts to show details.
Laced throughout with detailed technical / equipment notes on each individual aircraft. A must for understanding the various "flavours" of late-war Beaufighter TF.Xs in Coastal Command service, especially those of the rocket-specialist squadrons..
(Please note: any watermarks visible on the shop preview images are not present on the actual PDF pages)
Articles in this Docs edition cover:
• The late-war rocket projectile (R/P) set-up used by these aircraft throughout 1945, complete with related scale drawings and paint/finishing notes (one full page);
• The progressive array of features introduced on the Beaufighter TF.X by both the manufacturer and the service, from aerial particulars, to Mk.XII wings (!), and Hercules Mk.XVIII engines (two full pages of summary information, illustrations, and photos);
• The (until now misunderstood) modified tailplane / elevator as retrofitted to a number of late-war Beaux and introduced on the production line. Extends from #2 above with a page all its own. Includes clear Aviaeology scale line-drawings plus maintenance manual excerpts to show details.
Laced throughout with detailed technical / equipment notes on each individual aircraft. A must for understanding the various "flavours" of late-war Beaufighter TF.Xs in Coastal Command service, especially those of the rocket-specialist squadrons..
(Please note: any watermarks visible on the shop preview images are not present on the actual PDF pages)
Aircraft covered in this Doc:
• Beaufighter TF.X NE339 as aircraft EO•U of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. Shotdown 24 March 1945 on the Squadron's final Beaufighter combat operation of the war.
• Flown by the crew of S/L Christison, DFC, and F/L Toon (RAF), DFC, on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Flown by F/L Aljoe and F/S Orser when lost on 24 March 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NE669 as aircraft EO•A of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by the crew of P/O Ramsden and WO Rumble on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NE686 as aircraft EO•T of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by the crew of F/O Flynn and P/O Michael on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NE825 as aircraft EO•G of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by the crew of F/L Stewart and F/O Johnston on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NT916 as aircraft EO•S of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. This aircraft was converted and had the modified tailplane with enlarged elevator and enhanced balance system during most of its 1945 ops.
• Flown by the crew of F/O Nelson and WO Gracie on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NV177 as aircraft EO•Z "Zooperman" of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by the crew of F/O Flynn, and P/O Michael on several operations in March, including the Squadron's final Beaufighter combat operation of the war 24 March 1945.
• Also flown on a 12 March anti-lighthouse combat op by the crew of W/C Pierce (the squadron OC) and F/L Corder (RAF), CGM, CdeG.
• Beaufighter TF.X NV291 as aircraft EO•H of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by a number of crews on combat operations throughout 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NV416 as aircraft EO•J "Jezebel" of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by F/O Savard when written off in an emergency landing not far from Dallachy on 22 January 1945. Savard was shot down in a different aircraft on Black Friday, 9 February 1945, survived and became a POW until liberated. "Jezebel" was his regular mount prior to her loss.
• Beaufighter TF.X NV427 as aircraft EO•L "Looie IV" of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Shot down during combat operations on 8 March 1945, with the loss of the crew of F/O Ridge and P/O McCartney.
• Beaufighter TF.X RD136 as aircraft EO•Q1 of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. This aircraft had the modified tailplane with enlarged elevator and enhanced balance system, as well as the Mk.XII wing with its different tips and fuel system modifications – one of the earliest production TF.X's to have these features.
• Shot down during combat operations on Black Friday, 9 February 1945, with the loss of the crew of F/O Smook and WO Duckworth.
• Beaufighter TF.X RD421 as aircraft EO•V of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. This aircraft had the modified tailplane with enlarged elevator and enhanced balance system, the Mk.XII wing with its different tips and fuel system modifications, the dorsal fin extension, the ASV.XII radar (with thimble nose), F.46 "roof" strike camera, and the Hercules XVIII engines. RD421 was the most probably the second TF.X to incorporate these features right from the production line. Retrograded with the removal of some of these new features, apparently by the Maintenance Unit, before delivery to 404 Squadron.
• An attrition replacement for the losses incurred on Black Friday, 9 February 1945, this aircraft participated in the squadron's final Beau combat op on 24 March 1945, with the crew of Bundy and Wright successfully completing the mission.
• Beaufighter TF.X RD427 as aircraft EO•O of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. This aircraft had the modified tailplane with enlarged elevator and enhanced balance system, the Mk.XII wing with its different tips and fuel system modifications, the dorsal fin extension, the ASV.XII radar (with thimble nose), F.46 "roof" strike camera, and the Hercules XVIII engines. RD427 was one of the earliest TF.Xs to incorporate these features right from the production line. Retrograded with the removal of some of these new features, apparently by the Maintenance Unit, before delivery to 404 Squadron.
• An attrition replacement for the losses incurred on Black Friday, 9 February 1945, this aircraft participated in the squadron's final Beau combat op on 24 March 1945, with the crew of Coyne and Landry successfully completing the mission.
• Beaufighter TF.X NE339 as aircraft EO•U of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. Shotdown 24 March 1945 on the Squadron's final Beaufighter combat operation of the war.
• Flown by the crew of S/L Christison, DFC, and F/L Toon (RAF), DFC, on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Flown by F/L Aljoe and F/S Orser when lost on 24 March 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NE669 as aircraft EO•A of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by the crew of P/O Ramsden and WO Rumble on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NE686 as aircraft EO•T of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by the crew of F/O Flynn and P/O Michael on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NE825 as aircraft EO•G of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by the crew of F/L Stewart and F/O Johnston on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NT916 as aircraft EO•S of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. This aircraft was converted and had the modified tailplane with enlarged elevator and enhanced balance system during most of its 1945 ops.
• Flown by the crew of F/O Nelson and WO Gracie on Black Friday, 9 February 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NV177 as aircraft EO•Z "Zooperman" of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by the crew of F/O Flynn, and P/O Michael on several operations in March, including the Squadron's final Beaufighter combat operation of the war 24 March 1945.
• Also flown on a 12 March anti-lighthouse combat op by the crew of W/C Pierce (the squadron OC) and F/L Corder (RAF), CGM, CdeG.
• Beaufighter TF.X NV291 as aircraft EO•H of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by a number of crews on combat operations throughout 1945.
• Beaufighter TF.X NV416 as aircraft EO•J "Jezebel" of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Flown by F/O Savard when written off in an emergency landing not far from Dallachy on 22 January 1945. Savard was shot down in a different aircraft on Black Friday, 9 February 1945, survived and became a POW until liberated. "Jezebel" was his regular mount prior to her loss.
• Beaufighter TF.X NV427 as aircraft EO•L "Looie IV" of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945.
• Shot down during combat operations on 8 March 1945, with the loss of the crew of F/O Ridge and P/O McCartney.
• Beaufighter TF.X RD136 as aircraft EO•Q1 of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. This aircraft had the modified tailplane with enlarged elevator and enhanced balance system, as well as the Mk.XII wing with its different tips and fuel system modifications – one of the earliest production TF.X's to have these features.
• Shot down during combat operations on Black Friday, 9 February 1945, with the loss of the crew of F/O Smook and WO Duckworth.
• Beaufighter TF.X RD421 as aircraft EO•V of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. This aircraft had the modified tailplane with enlarged elevator and enhanced balance system, the Mk.XII wing with its different tips and fuel system modifications, the dorsal fin extension, the ASV.XII radar (with thimble nose), F.46 "roof" strike camera, and the Hercules XVIII engines. RD421 was the most probably the second TF.X to incorporate these features right from the production line. Retrograded with the removal of some of these new features, apparently by the Maintenance Unit, before delivery to 404 Squadron.
• An attrition replacement for the losses incurred on Black Friday, 9 February 1945, this aircraft participated in the squadron's final Beau combat op on 24 March 1945, with the crew of Bundy and Wright successfully completing the mission.
• Beaufighter TF.X RD427 as aircraft EO•O of 404 Squadron RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, Dallachy, Scotland, 1945. This aircraft had the modified tailplane with enlarged elevator and enhanced balance system, the Mk.XII wing with its different tips and fuel system modifications, the dorsal fin extension, the ASV.XII radar (with thimble nose), F.46 "roof" strike camera, and the Hercules XVIII engines. RD427 was one of the earliest TF.Xs to incorporate these features right from the production line. Retrograded with the removal of some of these new features, apparently by the Maintenance Unit, before delivery to 404 Squadron.
• An attrition replacement for the losses incurred on Black Friday, 9 February 1945, this aircraft participated in the squadron's final Beau combat op on 24 March 1945, with the crew of Coyne and Landry successfully completing the mission.