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Post-WW2 Military and Naval Aviation Please use this forum to discuss Military and Naval Aviation after the Second World War.

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  #1  
Old 11th December 2020, 00:40
Alex Smart Alex Smart is offline
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Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

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
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  #2  
Old 11th December 2020, 04:32
Col Bruggy Col Bruggy is offline
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Re: Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

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
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Old 11th December 2020, 10:20
Fanair Fanair is offline
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Re: Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

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
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Old 11th December 2020, 13:54
Graham Boak Graham Boak is offline
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Re: Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

I suspect that their Hercules engines were more valuable than the airframes.
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Old 7th June 2021, 04:19
kaki3152 kaki3152 is offline
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Re: Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

Old thread but here's a picture
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  #6  
Old 7th June 2021, 11:59
Stig Jarlevik Stig Jarlevik is offline
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Re: Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

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
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Old 7th June 2021, 14:18
kaki3152 kaki3152 is offline
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Re: Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

I know I love this shot with the maintenance crews hanging around, and the airplane is partially dismantled.
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Old 10th June 2021, 05:20
Alex Smart Alex Smart is offline
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Re: Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

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
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  #9  
Old 10th June 2021, 10:47
Stig Jarlevik Stig Jarlevik is offline
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Re: Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

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
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  #10  
Old 11th June 2021, 01:26
Alex Smart Alex Smart is offline
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Re: Fate of French Beaufighter's ?

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