Bristol Beaufort Mk.I
WWII British torpedo bomber The geographical location of Great Britain led to increased attention of the Royal Air Force to land-based seaplanes. The Bristol Beaufort, which began to enter service with the Coastal Command at the end of 1939, was a twin-engine naval torpedo bomber with a combat load of up to 908 kg, and it could also perform reconnaissance operations. In the first modification - Mk I - 1014 aircraft were produced. These aircraft began combat operations in April 1940 - they performed mines-
air raids of seaports, carried out day and night torpedo attacks, hit coastal targets with bombs. Among the most famous episodes of their combat use are torpedoes
blowing up the German battleship "Gneisenau" in April 1941. From March 1942, Bristol Beauforts began to be used in the Mediterranean Sea, where their main base was Malta. Service on them was difficult and dangerous, in some periods of the war losses among the crews of torpedo boats were the highest in all the Royal Air Force. However, despite
for all the difficulties and combat losses, these aircraft had a significant number of successful attacks on enemy convoys and warships.
