Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

[Alex Smart]

What became of the Beaufighter's that were used by the French in the post WW2 ?
Were any sold off to foreign countries or became registered as civil a/c with French civil markings ?
Thanks
Alex

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Richard Franks doesn't tell us much:

Bristol Beaufighter - Foreign Operators (Appendix VIII) - France.

The French Air Force acquired four Mk VIs in May 1946. These machines were ex-RAF serial numbers V8569, V8608, X8027 and X8204. Little is known of their post-war use by the french Air Force or to which squadrons or establishments they were allocated.

Squadron Allocations - Not known.

Serial Number Allocation - It is not known if these machines retained their ex-RAF serials (V8569, V8608, X8027 and X8204) whilst in French service.

See:
The Bristol Beaufighter A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller (Modeller's Datafile No.6).
Franks,Richard A.
Bedford:SAM Publications,2002.
p.168

Col

[Fanair]

hello,
according the the book of Jean-Jacques Petit "les avions britanniques aux couleurs française", 17 Beaufighter were délivred post war in 1945/47 to Armée de l'Air only for ground instructional purpose àt the base-école de Rochefort: V8569, 86o8, X8027, 8204, MM 844,848, 853, 919, 948, ND 142, 146, 148, 164, 175, 202, 275, KV967.

Alain

[Graham Boak]

I suspect that their Hercules engines were more valuable than the airframes.

[kaki3152]

Old thread but here's a picture

[Stig Jarlevik]

Nice shot Carlos

X8027 was supplied to the French already as a GIA and I doubt it ever flew
while in French service.

Cheers
Stig

[kaki3152]

I know I love this shot with the maintenance crews hanging around, and the airplane is partially dismantled.

[Alex Smart]

Many thanks for reawakening this thread, my interest about the French Beau's was the possibility of them being sold on to either Israel or Iraq or other Middle Eastern country.
Thanks again,
Alex

[Stig Jarlevik]

Alex

Two points

1) I don't believe any of the French Beaufighters were sold on to a third country.
There are enough French historians around and something like that would most likely have been discovered by now.

2) Air Britain is about to publish their Beaufighter book, this autumn is the latest estimate.

The Beaufighter was an interesting aircraft. For most of the war it had to play second fiddle to the Mosquito, but it certainly was an important aircraft and at least I look forward for another Air Britain Opus!

Cheers
Stig

[Alex Smart]

Thanks Stig I will look out for that as a next Xmas gift .