List of Bristol Beaufighter operators

The following are operators of the Bristol Beaufighter:

Military operators

 Australia

Royal Australian Air Force

• European Theatre
  • No. 455 Squadron RAAF (maritime strike)
  • No. 456 Squadron RAAF (night fighter)
• Pacific Theatre
  • No. 22 Squadron RAAF
  • No. 30 Squadron RAAF
  • No. 31 Squadron RAAF
  • No. 92 Squadron RAAF
  • No. 93 Squadron RAAF

 Canada

Royal Canadian Air Force^[1]

• No. 404 Squadron RCAF
• No. 406 Squadron RCAF
• No. 409 Squadron RCAF
• No. 410 Squadron RCAF

 Dominican Republic

Fuerza Aérea Dominicana

• Escuadron de Caza-Bombardeo received 10 TF.X (rebuilt back to VIF standard) aircraft in 1948. Aircraft received numbers from 306 to 315 and were used until June 1954.^[2]

 Israel

Israeli Air Force

• 103 Squadron operated 4 TF.X aircraft between July and November 1948.^[2]

 New Zealand

New Zealand Squadrons of the Royal Air Force

• No. 488 (NZ) Squadron RAF
• No. 489 (NZ) Squadron RAF

 Poland

Polish Air Forces (in exile in Great Britain)

• No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron "Lwowskich Puchaczy"

 Portugal

Aviação Naval Portuguesa

• Portugal bought 15 TF.X aircraft delivered during March and April 1945. Next two aircraft were delivered in 1946 after overhaul by Bristol company. All aircraft were delivered from RAF stocks.^[2]

 South Africa

South African Air Force

• No. 16 Squadron SAAF
• No. 19 Squadron SAAF (also known as RAF No. 227 Squadron)

 Turkey

Turkish Air Force

• First Beaufighters TF.X (at least nine) were delivered in 1944 straight from frontline units. Another 23 TF.X aircraft were bought in 1946.^[2]

 United Kingdom

Royal Air Force[3][4][5] No. 5 Squadron RAF No. 17 Squadron RAF No. 20 Squadron RAF No. 22 Squadron RAF No. 25 Squadron RAF No. 27 Squadron RAF No. 29 Squadron RAF No. 30 Squadron RAF No. 34 Squadron RAF No. 39 Squadron RAF No. 42 Squadron RAF No. 45 Squadron RAF No. 46 Squadron RAF No. 47 Squadron RAF No. 48 Squadron RAF No. 68 Squadron RAF No. 69 Squadron RAF No. 84 Squadron RAF No. 89 Squadron RAF No. 96 Squadron RAF No. 108 Squadron RAF No. 125 Squadron RAF No. 141 Squadron RAF No. 143 Squadron RAF No. 144 Squadron RAF No. 153 Squadron RAF No. 169 Squadron RAF No. 173 Squadron RAF No. 176 Squadron RAF No. 177 Squadron RAF

No. 211 Squadron RAF No. 216 Squadron RAF No. 217 Squadron RAF No. 219 Squadron RAF No. 227 Squadron RAF No. 234 Squadron RAF No. 235 Squadron RAF No. 236 Squadron RAF No. 239 Squadron RAF No. 248 Squadron RAF No. 252 Squadron RAF No. 254 Squadron RAF No. 255 Squadron RAF No. 256 Squadron RAF No. 272 Squadron RAF No. 285 Squadron RAF No. 287 Squadron RAF No. 288 Squadron RAF No. 307 Squadron RAF No. 515 Squadron RAF No. 527 Squadron RAF No. 577 Squadron RAF No. 598 Squadron RAF No. 600 Squadron RAF No. 603 Squadron RAF No. 604 Squadron RAF No. 618 Squadron RAF No. 680 Squadron RAF No. 684 Squadron RAF No. 695 Squadron RAF No. 1692 Flight RAF

Fleet Air Arm 721 Naval Air Squadron 726 Naval Air Squadron 728 Naval Air Squadron 733 Naval Air Squadron 736 Naval Air Squadron 762 Naval Air Squadron 770 Naval Air Squadron 772 Naval Air Squadron 775 Naval Air Squadron 779 Naval Air Squadron 781 Naval Air Squadron 788 Naval Air Squadron 789 Naval Air Squadron 797 Naval Air Squadron 798 Naval Air Squadron

 United States

United States Army Air Forces

• 414th Night Fighter Squadron
• 415th Night Fighter Squadron
• 416th Night Fighter Squadron
• 417th Night Fighter Squadron

See also

• Bristol Beaufighter

References

Notes

1. Franks 2002, p. 166.
2. Bristol Beaufighter. In Action #153
3. Franks 2002, pp. 164–167.
4. Hall 1995, p. 24.
5. Mason, p. 24.

Bibliography

• Bingham, Victor. Bristol Beaufighter. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, Ltd., 1994. ISBN 1-85310-122-2.
• Bowyer, Chaz. Beaufighter. London: William Kimber, 1987. 0-71830-647-3.
• Bowyer, Chaz. Beaufighter at War. London: Ian Allan Ltd., 1994. ISBN 0-7110-0704-7.
• Franks, Richard A. The Bristol Beaufighter, a Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. Bedford, UK: SAM Publications, 2002. ISBN 0-9533465-5-2.
• Hall, Alan W. Bristol Beaufighter (Warpaint No. 1). Dunstable, UK: Hall Park Books, 1995.
• Howard. "Bristol Beaufighter-the inside story". Scale Aircraft Modelling, Vol. 11, No. 10, July 1989.
• Innes, Davis J. Beaufighters over Burma – 27 Sqn RAF 1942–45. Poole, Dorset, UK: Blandford Press, 1985.
• Francis K. Mason Archive: Bristol Beaufighter. Oxford, UK: Container Publications.
• Moyes, Philip J.R. The Bristol Beaufighter I & II (Aircraft in Profile Number 137). Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1966.
• Parry, Simon W. Beaufighter Squadrons in Focus. Red Kite, 2001. ISBN 0-9538061-2-X.
• Scutts, Jerry. Bristol Beaufighter (Crowood Aviation Series). The Crowood Press Ltd., 2004. ISBN 1-86126-666-9.
• Scutts, Jerry. Bristol Beaufighter in Action (Aircraft number 153). Carrollton, USA: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-89747-333-7.
• Thomas, Andrew. Beaufighter Aces of World War 2. Botley, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1-84176-846-4.
• Wilson, Stewart. Beaufort, Beaufighter and Mosquito in Australian Service. Weston, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications, 1990. ISBN 0-9587978-4-6.