Bristol Beaufighter TF.Mk X – 45 Sqn RAF, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, Operation Firedog, 1949

Corgi Aviation Archive 1/72 scale AA28602: Bristol Beaufighter TF.Mk X of 45 Sqn RAF, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, Operation Firedog, 1949. Limited Edition

Length 7 inches  Wingspan 9.75 inches

By the end of the Second World War, the Royal Air Force saw little need to retain the large number of Bristol Beaufighter squadrons it currently had in service, so most units were simply disbanded, a couple were retained for home duties, with the remainder prepared for deployment to the Far East. One notable exception to this rule were RAF No.45 Squadron, who replaced their wartime Mosquitoes with the Beaufighter TF.X fighter bomber, before moving out to operate from a new base in Ceylon. In August 1948, the squadron moved to Kuala Lumpur in response to the Malayan Emergency, where it would take part in the combined Commonwealth actions to quell the guerrilla activities of the Communist backed Malayan National Liberation Army.

Using the legendary range and hard hitting attributes of this capable heavy fighter, the unit’s Beaufighters would loiter over the jungle, waiting to unleash a withering barrage of rocket and cannon fire on enemy positions, once given targeting instructions from Commonwealth troops patrolling in the vicinity. These ageing WWII warhorses were replaced by the new Bristol Brigand ground attack aircraft by the end of 1949, leaving the situation in Malaya to rumble on for a further ten years and with RAF support very much moving into the jet age during that time.

Designed to counter the growing threat of the Luftwaffe, the British Bristol Beaufighter-known as “Beau”-first flew on July 17th, 1939. The rugged Beaufighter had two-speed supercharged radial engines mounted well ahead of the wing leading edges. The cockpit was located in the snub nose, which gave the pilot an excellent forward view. A navigator, wireless operator and rear gunner were positioned in a rear cupola. The Beau’s premier role was as a nightfighter, but it was also used as a long-range fighter and developed into an antishipping and ground attack cannon rocket-firing fighter, torpedo plane and tactical bomber.