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RAF No 205 SquadronBristol Beaufighter IN RAAF 30Sqn LYD A19-34 Laverton Victoria 1944
Preceding into RAAF service the Australian-built Beaufighters, 218 British-built Beaufighters were operated by that Service. LY-D, A19-34, was a Beaufighter 1Ñ belonging to No. 30 Squadron and was photographed at Laverton, Victoria, in 1944.
Bristol Beaufighter RAAF 30Sqn LYH A19-120 taking off Goodenough Island 1944
With a total of 582 British-built and Australian-built aircraft accepted by the RAAF, the Beaufighter was one of the most important types of aircraft operated by that Service. Illustrated here is A19-120, LY-H, a Beaufighter VIC from No. 30 Squadron seen flying over Goodenough Island in 1944.
Bristol Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 30Sqn LYR A8-84 on patrol off Morotai Island 1945
Photo 01: Bristol Beaufighter IWM
Bristol Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 30Sqn LYP A19-205 on patrol off Morotai Island 1945
Photo 01: British-built Beaufighter X A19-205, LY-P from No. 30 Squadron
RAAF Bristol Beaufighters in line LYK Morotai Island 1945 01-02
RAAF No 31 SquadronBristol Beaufighter RAAF 31Sqn EHK A19-182 crash landing Australia
Photo 01: Bristol Beaufighter RAAF 31Sqn EH-K A19-182 crash landing Australia IWM
G'day Beaufighter A19-182 was the aircraft flown by my father-in-law, Keith Fitton, on his final mission. The aircraft crashed at Pepela Bay, Roti Island, Timor on 28 Mar 1944, and my father-in-law and his Navigator Raymond Foyle were killed.
Sincerely
Diane Fitton
My father, William E. Pidgeon (Wep) was a War Correspondent for The Australian Women’s Weekly and Daily Telegraph. He was sent to Morotai in Jan/Feb 1945. He sent a number of letters home which I have transcribed on my website. This particular image was used with his letter covering 27-28 January 1945. https://wepidgeon.com/pidgeonpost/?p=3317
This image along with the rest of my father’s war material was donated to the Australian War Memorial in 2015.
Would you please acknowledge my father as the photographer [Photo: W.E. Pidgeon (Wep)] and correct the date.
Cheers, Peter Pidgeon
Bristol Beaufighter 1C RAAF 31Sqn A19-15 being serviced at Wards Strip Papua 1943
Photo 01: Beaufighter 1C, A19-15, from No. 30 Squadron being serviced at Wards Strip, Papua, in 1943.
Bristol Beaufighter 1C RAAF 31Sqn A19-15 in flight over New Guinea 1943
Photo 02: The same aircraft, A19-15, in flight over New Guinea in early 1943. (Australian War Memorial).
Bristol Beaufighter crews from RAAF 31Sqn Coomalie Creek NT Australia 1943
Beaufighter and crews from No. 31 Squadron at Coomalie Creek, N.T., in 1943.
Bristol Beaufighter MkVIc RAAF 31Sqn EHC A19-117 Australia April 1944
Photo 01: Bristol Beaufighter Beaufighter Mk.VIc Unit: 31 Sqn, RAAF Serial: EH-C (A19-117) April 1944. The details on the caption for this aircraft are incorrect. Beaufighter A19-117 was not an Australian built Mk21, but a British built MkVIc. The easiest way to tell the difference between the two types is the serial number. All British built Beaufighters serving with the Royal Australian Air Force had serials commencing with A19. On Australian built Beaufighters the serials started with A8. All Australian built Beaufighters were painted foliage green overall, with the exception of some post war aircraft and target tugs. British built aircraft retained the two tone camouflage they were delivered in.
A formation of Fairey-built Beaufighter from RAAF 31Sqn Australia 1942
Photo 01: A formation of Fairey-built Beaufighter IC's of No. 31 Squadron in flight over Australia, 1942. (Australian War Memorial).
Beaufighter in Action
Aircrew RAAF SqnLdr Butch Gordon shot down two Japanese Ki-45 Nick off Selaroe Island 9th Oct 1943 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 22Sqn A8-42 in flight 7th Feb 1945 01
Beaufighter MK21 RAAF 22Sqn A8-49 being salvaged after it ground looped Kamiri 31st Jan 1945 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 22Sqn A8-52 Ginger Megs PU nose section 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 22Sqn A8-52 Ginger Megs PU with Miller and Tovey 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 22Sqn DUA Rockabye Baby A8-27 McMillan and Hayes Morotai 1945 Profile 0A
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 30Sqn A8-354 Coffs Harbour Air Show NSW 1949 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 30Sqn LYD A19-144 Morotai dispersal area 1945 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 30Sqn LYR A8-84 on patrol off Morotai Island 1945
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 30 Target Towing Sqn A8-265 Australia 1948 01-02
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 30 Target Towing Sqn A8-265 Australia 1948 Profile 0A
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 30 Target Towing Sqn A8-265 East Sale 1952 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 30 Target Towing Sqn A8-359 State Library of Victoria photo 01-03
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 31Sqn EHB A8-17 over Northern Territory Australia 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 31Sqn EHC A8-23 AS Burton and Lyons 1945 Profile 0A
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 31Sqn EHD A8-196 Northern Territory Australia 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 31Sqn EHW A8-37 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SK A8-173 being serviced in the South East Pacific 01-02
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SKF A8-85 Kingaroy Queensland April 1945 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SKF A8-85 Kingaroy Queensland April 1945 AWM 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SKF A8-85 named Hilary Kingaroy 1945 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SKL A8-112 FltLt Carter and FltSgt Noak Australia Profile 0A
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SKS A8-123 landing gear collapse Wagga Wagga 6th Nov 1945 01-03
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SKU A8-182 Kingaroy Australia 1945 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SKX A8-129 Australia 1945 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SKX A8-129 crash site Labuan Borneo 16th Aug 1945 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF 93Sqn SKY A8-173 Kingaroy 1945 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF A8-1 Australia 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF A8-229 1AD 8 Comms Unit for transporting senior staff May 1945 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF A8-3 1 APU used for armament service trials July 1944 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF A8-357 assigned as a target tower Woomera Australia 1957 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF A8-359 target towing aircraft Australia 01
Beaufighter Mk21 RAAF DAP A8-301 01-02
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn A19-53 Margon landing Milne Bay 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn A19-55 destroyed in a Jap raid Ward Strip 27th Jan 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn C A19-3 crash landing Ward Strip PNG 4th Dec 1942 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn D A19-4 crash landing Ward Strip PNG 18th Nov 1942 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn F A19-5 crash landing Ward Strip PNG 25th Nov 1942 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn J A19-34 based at Port Moreby March 1943 Profile 0A
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn J A19-34 flak damage landing Ward Strip 22nd Mar 1943 01-02
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn K A19-10 Gurney Strip Milne Bay Sept 1942
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn K A19-10 over New Guenia 1942 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn L A19-11 bomb damaged Ward Strip PNG 12th Apr 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn LYD A19-34 being serviced Laverton Victoria 1944 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn R A19-35 take off accident Ward Strip PNG 2nd Nov 1942 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn S A19-36 crash landed Ward Strip PNG 22nd Nov 1942 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn T A19-37 shrapnel damage Ward Strip PNG 12th Apr 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn V A19-54 crew Tapner and Thomas Vivigani Oct 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn White O A19-15 K A19-10 B A19-2 over New Guenia 1942 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn White O A19-15 returning from Bismarck Sea Battle 3 Mar 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 30Sqn White O A19-15 T4945 RJ Brazenor FB Anderson Owen Stanley Range 1942 01-02
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 31Sqn A19-15 being serviced at Wards Strip Papua 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 31Sqn A19-15 in flight over New Guinea 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 31Sqn EHG A19-40 crash landed Livington NT 10th Jun 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 31Sqn EHG A19-40 SqnLdr RL Gordon Darwin Australia 9th Oct 1943 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 31Sqn EHG A19-40 SqnLdr RL Gordon Darwin Australia Oct 1943 Clavework Profile 0A
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 31Sqn EHG A19-40 SqnLdr RL Gordon Darwin Australia Oct 1943 Profile 0A
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 5OTU A19-43 T5049 later with 31Sqn Australia 1942 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 5OTU A19-43 T5049 later with 31Sqn Australia 1942 colorized 01
Beaufighter MkIC RAAF 5OTU GK A19-10 Richardson and Cameron Williamtown 1942 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn A19-137 flak damage landing Vivigani 4th Oct 1943 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn LYB A19-134 maintenence Kiriwina 26th Dec 1943 01
Beaufighter MkX RAAF 30Sqn LYC A19-191 Morotai Island Jan 1945 01
Photo 01: Bristol Beaufighter RAAF A19-191 RAF NE231 Mk.X 17/02/44 2 AD. (Arrived Australia 16/02/44) 26/06/44 31 Sqn. 21/10/44 14 ARD. 06/12/44 26 RSU. 05/01/45 30 Sqn. 12/04/45 5 OTU. 01/11/45 5 AD stored. Airframe hours 445.4 as of 23/10/45. 22/03/46 To be stored Category E 08/08/49 Struck Off.
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn LYH A19-120 taking off Goodenough Island 1944 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn LYP A19-205 most likely over New Guinea 1944 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn LYS A19-171 Tadji New Guenia 1944 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn LYV LYX LYZ LYH and LYK Tadji New Guenia 1944 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn N A19-97 tail wheel repairs Ward Strip 10th May 1943 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn R A19-087 aerial photo main base was Gurney Strip Milne Bay New Guenia 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn T A19-106 take off accident Vivigani 15th Aug 1943 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 30Sqn Z A19-90 take off accident Ward Strip 3rd Jun 1943 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 31Sqn EHC A19-117 Australia April 1944 Profile 0A
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 31Sqn EHK A19-162 crash landing Australia 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 31Sqn EHQ A19-189 FltLt Pat Boyd FlgOff Fred Anderson Coomalie 6th July 1944 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 31Sqn EWH A19-118 over Timor later sd by A6M2 N over Taberfane July 1943 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 3OTU W A19-126 RAF Williamtown NSW 1945 Profile 0A
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF 5OTU M A19-109 Williamtown NSW May 18th 1945 01
Beaufighter MkVIC RAAF A19-144 remains Drysdale Kalumbura WA Apr 1983 01
Beaufighter MkVX RAAF 30Sqn LYH A19-183 survival kit trials Noemfoor Sep 1944 01
Beaufighter MkVX RAAF 30Sqn LYJ A19-167 over New Guenia May 1944 01
Beaufighter MkX RAAF 30Sqn LYM A19-205 being moved Noemfoor Sep 1944 01
Beaufighter MkX RAAF 30Sqn LYN A19-214 over Noemfoor Aug 1944 01
Beaufighter MkX RAAF 30Sqn LYP A19-205 on patrol off Morotai Island 1945 01
Beaufighter MkX RAAF 5OTU P A19-183 Williamtown 1945 01
Beaufighter RAAF 31Sqn crews having a joke about parachutes Coomalie Creek NT Australia 1943 01
Beaufighters MkIC RAAF 5OTU A19-77 formation photo shot over Wagga Wagga NSW Dec 1942 01-03
Beaufighter TT21 RAAF A8-328 remains at Portsea Melbourne 1950 01-02
Beaufighter TT21 RAAF No 1 Air Trials Flight A8-357 Woomera South Australia 1950 Profile 0A
Bristol Beaufighter MkXIc RAAF A19-144 being restored Duxford museum 01
RAAF Beaufighters moth balled after the war sit ideally by Australia 01
RAAF Bristol Beaufighter color photo showing the all over green camouflage style 01
RAAF Bristol Beaufighter destroyed after Japanese raid Jacksons drome Port Moresby 1943
RAAF Bristol Beaufighters in line LYK Morotai Island 1945 01-02
Bibliography:
Magazine References: +
- Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
- Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
- FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
- Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
- Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
- Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
- Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
- Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
- Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
- Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/
Web References: +
- History of RAF Organisation: http://www.rafweb.org
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/
Editor for Asisbiz: Matthew Laird Acred
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