A combat veteran of Malaya: The Bristol Brigand Ground Attack Aircraft

🛩️ About This Video:
The Bristol Brigand was a British anti-shipping and ground attack aircraft developed and produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Company during the late 1940s. It was designed in response to the Air Ministry's request for a torpedo aircraft to replace the Bristol Beaufighter. The Brigand was based off the Bristol Buckingham bomber and envision aged to fight as a long range torpedo strike aircraft in the Far East during the Second World War. However, the end of the war came before this occurred and it would enver see service as a torpedo strike aircraft, instead being repurposed as a ground attack aircraft. In this form it would go on to serve with the Royal Air Force in the Malayan Emergency.
🔍 Key Points:
Development: Discover the background and challenges faced during the development of the Bristol Brigand.
Specifications: Explore the technical specifications and features that made the Brigand a distinctive aircraft.
Operational History: Uncover the role it played in post-war conflicts and its impact on military aviation.
📚 Resources:
Books:
Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II
The Bristol Brigand (Squadrons!): 41 by Phil H. Listemann
Websites
BAE Systems: www.baesystems...
The Brigand Boys: brigandboys.or...
History of War: www.historyofwa...
Warbird Aviation Resource Center: www.warbirdsres...
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.o...
🤔 Why Remember the Bristol Brigand?
Discuss why the Bristol Brigand is often overlooked and the significance of remembering its place in aviation history.
📌 Disclaimer:
All comments that are not from The Antique Airshow in the comment section are not opinions of The Antique Airshow.
Links:
Purchase your official The Antique Airshow merchandise here: www.tomatoeins...
Follow The Antique Airshow on Instagram: / tomato_eins
The Bristol Beaufighter:
The Bristol Buckingham:
• The MOST unremarkable ...
Thank you for Watching! I appreciate your time spent exploring the intriguing history of the Bristol Brigand with me. If you enjoyed the video, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share!
#BristolBrigand #AviationHistory #MilitaryAircraft #Warplanes

[@modellermark2]

Terry Stringer who quoted in this video is my father who flew 218 operational airstrikes in the Brigand in Malaya. He will be 94 in a few weeks but his life still centres around his time flying Brigands in Malaya which is why we got him to provide the content for the Brigand Boys web site that you kindly linked in the text as we thought his memories were important to preserve. He also did a lot of the RAF photography which is where many of the Brigand photos come from. Thanks for the video 👍

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That is really interesting and fascinating to read, thank you for the comment. His content for the Brigand Boys website provides some important insight and a great resource. Many secondary sources proclaimed that the Brigand was pleasant to fly and it wasn't until I read the website that I realized that this was wrong. It is also valuable research to gain insight from those that actually flew it and operated it, which isn't always readily available. That is also interesting to hear about the photos, they are some great shots and again provide a valuable resource. Thanks for the comment and reaching out, appreciate it 👍✈️

[@modellermark2]

@@AntiqueAirshow Thanks - we are lucky that he kept minute by minute records of his time in Malaya including grid references for everything that happened. He was a pilot / navigator but had a real skill for navigating so naturally recorded everything.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

@@modellermark2 That is quite fascinating and impressive. His records no doubt would provide a very interesting insight

[@paulmillard1130]

This channel just gets better and better.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you 👍✈

[@joeschenk8400]

Good history of to me an obscure RAF aircraft, though I had heard of it . Great that you are filling in gaps of aviation history.👍👍👍

[@brianmorris8045]

Australia's RAAF were using the Beaufighter as well, OK for it's time, but useless against the Zeros. Our top brass in Australia weren't exactly listening to our problems in Malaya, well they listened, but didn't take much heed despite our top brass in Malaya pleading for real help.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

@joeschenk8400 Thanks 👍✈️ Its a little bit of rare type

[@cedhome7945]

So many aircraft built in Bristol....now just a shadow of the factory and airfield left .glad I was a trainee in the late 1970s and can remember it in its prime (watched the first British concord take off with thousands of people from the golf course behind the brabazon hangers )as a school boy..

[@blowingfree6928]

Same, I worked in some wooden huts in front of the Brabazon hangers (although we were Guided Weapons and should have been at the top of the hill) and used to love it there, so many aircraft types coming in and so much going on. Longest runway in the UK. Brabazon Hangers full of F111s, VC10s and other types, other assembly areas full of tracked rapier etc. I worked for a time over the airfield in 501 area, beautiful mellow brick buildings surrounded by grass and rabbits, but all gone now, replaced with car dealerships and supermarkets; I feel so proud of the progress when i drive past now - not!! It mirrors the UK in it's decline. Bristol, Filton was the best place I ever worked though, the most interesting and exciting.

[@DarrenWalley]

I bet it was & exciting as well. Thank you for the write up. 👍​@blowingfree6928

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That would have been quite the take-off to have seen. Very interesting

[@Farweasel]

@@blowingfree6928 Jeeze At least Cranfield's sell- off of much of its runway & taxiways went to a science park. Sadly that's not the norm Damn government's sold the few Interceptor squadrons we still have's dispersal fields to 'developer' cronies.

[@blowingfree6928]

@@Farweasel British politicians love house building because they use it to underpin the economy and will sacrifice anything to house developers. They always sell off at the first 'opportunity', no matter Labour or Conservative (I have served under both). After BAe and a few years as a contract engineer I worked for the MoD for 22 years as a project manager and saw many short sighted political decisions. For instance, selling off and transfer of the world leading scientific/engineering expertise and development of the MoD's Defence Research Establishment at Malvern and other sites to the American company Qinetiq really pi**ed many of us off. It was a hugely valuable, and free, resource to the MoD's projects. Afterwards we had to pay through the nose to Qinetiq. Industry did it as well; I well remember the dismay and anger at BAe for selling off the HS125 executive jet (the world's best selling executive jet) to the American company Raytheon. As everyone predicted (except senior management and politicians who believed Raytheon's 'assurances'), Raytheon moved production to the states two years later and since then the 125 is an American best selling executive jet. Jobs and expertise lost here for a quick buck.

[@JondpWatts]

I flew with a B Call pilot who flew these in Malaya. He said the the heat was terrible because of the glass house and that some just flew into the ground, did not like them at all.....

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That is interesting to read. There seems to be few pilots that actually liked the Brigand. I don't quite understand how many secondary sources state that it was liked and pleasant to fly.

[@FrankSutherland-rk9hf]

I believe I knew your father when he was stationed in Seletar while I was there in 1948 with the RAF. I too am 94 and love the story. Thanks. Frank Sutherland

[@mattholland8966]

the pep talk must have been epic. This is a fine plane, if your landing gear comes down, and the cannons don't blow up, or the engine doesn't fall off and you don't need the dive break, because it fails so much we wired it shut! Yeah, the crews must have been impressed!

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Perhaps unsurprisingly there was objections from the squadron commanders to continue to fly the thing after a little while.

[@fredtedstedman]

what a gorgeous and yet brutish looking aircraft , love it !!

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Agree, it is quite an interesting aircraft to look at

[@fredtedstedman]

you can sense a lot of Beaufighter DNA !!@@AntiqueAirshow

[@AntiqueAirshow]

@@fredtedstedman Yes indeed you can

[@Solsys2007]

Comprehensive and well researched video, well done!

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you 👍✈️

[@mastathrash5609]

I forget if you talked about the Hornet yet, still getting used to the channel name change in my feed , but great an informative video on lesser known aircraft.

[@flickingbollocks5542]

Wow another plane I didn't know about. And the Buckingham too. Thanks.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

👍✈

[@michaelguerin56]

Cheers. Plenty of good info and apparently solid research.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thanks 👍✈

[@stop-the-greed]

Dude been an aircraft enthusiastic guy sine a boy . Grew up at the edge of the Dehaviland factory as a kid, it was BAe then . Was an RAF atc cadet 2203sqn Hatfield. Yet NEVER heard of this aircraft ..thanks guy . Very very interesting 🇬🇧👍

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Nice, that would have been very interesting. I only stumbled across this aircraft in a book not too long ago, it is rather unknown. Thanks 👍✈️

[@glennmurray.]

What a top documentary, well done.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you 👍✈

[@uingaeoc3905]

Interesting how the medium bomber, Bristol Beaufort was transformed into the heavy-long range fighter the Beaufighter and then Bristol repeated this with the development of the Buckingham into the Brigand.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Indeed it is quite interesting. I guess its a case of building on what they knew

[@matthewfindlay2242]

And the beufort was born out of the blenheim

[@RemusKingOfRome]

Thanks, never heard of the brigand before.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

It is quite a "rare" aircraft. I've only seen it come up a handful of times. There weren't many sources on it either

[@uha6477]

Good vid. One of the RPAF aircraft never made it past Baghdad on the delivery flight as the undercarriage collapsed on landing. The other seems to have made it, but as far as anyone can make out it was scrapped in Pakistan rather than be sent back to the UK. It's a bit sad that the Brigand didn't live up to the reputation set by the Beaufighter (a hard act to follow), but perhaps it was just because it couldn't handle the tropics. Service in Europe or a similar environment may have proved more forgiving and allowed it to have proved itself.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thanks 👍✈️ That is interesting, a good example to the Pakistan Air Force on issues with the type. It is, and the aircraft itself seemed to promise a lot. But considering it was deesigned for the Far East right from the get go, it is disappointing these things werent planned for.

[@uha6477]

Leather was never going to last long in those circumstances...which is why weaved webbing was invented for soldier's kit in the first place, the leather bandoliers etc would just rot away in that climate. Surprised no one thought of it when they designed the Brigand.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

@@uha6477 That is interesting and makes sense. Yes it is weird that it wasn't thought of

[@johnjephcote7636]

I saw the remaining one fly over. It must have been 1960 and it was used for various trials at the time.Its profile was very distinctive.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That would have been very interesting to see. Its a shame there are none left on display anywhere

[@NickKirk-ei8gu]

Excellent episode thank you,👍👊🇬🇧.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thanks 👍✈

[@borisbadinov7757]

good work. I love obscure aircraft. Subscribed!

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you. Same here, it's always interesting to find an aircraft that I've never heard of before. Glad to have you onboard 👍✈️

[@andrewfrench9391]

my father was in 45 squadron in singapore,he told me about the tendency of brigand propellers to fall off unexpectedly, He was relieved when they got hornets..

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That is very interesting. It doesn't seem overly popular with pilots. I did find it surprising that most sources I came across described the Brigand as a relatively good aircraft, considering how many issues it faced. This is an extract from BAE Systems website which perhaps glosses over things a little much: "The type served operationally in the Malaya campaign, where the aircraft was found to be both popular and robust until it was eventually superseded by the De Havilland DH103 Hornet and the English Electric Canberra in February 1953."

[@andrewfrench9391]

the problem was that although they worked reasonably well in temperate climates ,the hot and humid conditions encountered in the Malayan jungle caused corrosion in some parts of the aircraft leading to propellor blades failing with the subsequent loss of an engine and the plane.Also the dive brakes could not be operated due to the leather components corroding due to the humidity

[@AntiqueAirshow]

@@andrewfrench9391 Yes very much so which is surprising as from the get go the aircraft was intended to replace the Beaufighter in the Far East.

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

It is my understanding that one of the complaints pilots had while using the Beaufighter as a torpedo bomber, was a need for airbrakes and that the Australians had retrofitted bellows type for this reason. I had assumed that the Brigand's airbrakes, also of the bellows type, were part of the design to facilitate torpedo attacks. But I could be wrong, of course.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That vaguely seems right ( It's been a while since I've properly read up on the Beaufighter and have forgotten some parts of it). The Brigand was originally conceived as a torpedo bomber so that would make a lot of sense

[@stevetournay6103]

Wondering whether the ex-scrapyard Brigand fuselage still survives in the UK. It was on loan to a museum from the yard owners for years back in the 80s, along with, iirc, a Swift fuselage...

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That is quite interesting and I'm not sure. In my research I never came across information about there being the remains of a Brigand still around. A quick google search and I found this forum: www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/99189-bristol-brigand Looks like its still out there. www.flickr.com/photos/24101413@N03/15275892777

[@ToothpickMiniatures-wl7gf]

Today I learned something :) Thank you for the video.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

👍✈️

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

Bristol took their eye off the ball with this one its s predecessors were sound aircraft even if some of them were under powered and obsolete very quickly. Bristol were however working on the very successful Bristol Freighter and Britannia.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

I guess not all aircraft that are designed are going to be winners. This one seems to be one of those classical examples of it being built for the conditions of Europe rather than its intended use in the Far East

[@keithtarrier4558]

Very interesting. Well done.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you👍✈️

[@Paladin1873]

I presume the RAF thought the Brigand would solve the problem of structural failures suffered by Mosquitos serving in the tropics. It appears all they did was replace one set of problems for another.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Yes it would seem so. And then to think the Brigands replacement, the de Havilland Hornet bought the similar problems of the Mosquito back.

[@Mackeson3]

Looks like "A poor mans Mosquito to me". Wouldn't they have been a better bet? Even Goering had to grudgingly agree that they were one of the best piston engined combat aircraft ever built.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Possibly, but I believe in the Far East the Mosquito suffered structural issues due to the tropical conditions. So, while they may have been very good in Europe they too had issues when used in the Tropics.

[@stevetournay6103]

Front end of the T.5 suggests an Avro Canada CF-100.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Yeah I can see that. Possibly fitting in similar radar fittings hence why

[@concise707]

Just a minor point of pedantry, not specific to the Brigand! You speak of 'Strike' missions undertaken in the Malaysian Emergency; within the RAF, and likely within NATO, 'Strike' was always associated with - and specific to - nuclear operations. Conventional operations with 'iron' weapons were specified as 'Attack' missions. In no way am I attempting to 'score points' but to add to the professionalism of these productions. 👍

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you for pointing that out, that's a very good point you make. I tend to spend most of my time with World War Two aircraft, and hence I guess I'm just use to that using that word. No issues, I appreciate all feedback I receive because it only helps to make me and the channel better. It has helped me a lot over the last few years to develop the channel. So, thank you 👍✈️

[@concise707]

@@AntiqueAirshow No worries! That was the only intent!👍

[@flickingbollocks5542]

What is that delta winged plane in your intro?

[@AntiqueAirshow]

I believe it is an RAAF GAF Mirage III 👍✈

[@flickingbollocks5542]

@@AntiqueAirshow Thanks

[@stevencharlton7693]

This aircraft looks like something that would fit well between a ME110 and a ME210...

[@prowlus]

Had it entered service in ww2, would it have been vulnerable to being shot down in mistake of a bf-110 since it looks like one?

[@jimdavis8391]

I think by then there were no 110s in the air, certainly not in daylight.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

I wouldn't think so. I do however wonder if it could have possibly faced a similar fate to that of the Me.110

[@hawkertyphoon4537]

The damn thing is as big as a Mitchell.... a Brute indeed!

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

So was a P-61 Black Widow.

[@hawkertyphoon4537]

@@patrickgriffitt6551 oh that was another beast too. Marauding the skies individually better than the B-26 Pack Animals ever did

[@Ballterra]

Good coverage just one correction. “Strafing runs’ is pronounced like “Strayfing runs’ otherwise all ok 👍

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Ah yes thanks for the pick up. I'll work on it for the next video 👍✈️

[@bigblue6917]

Thanks for the video. One of the few I'd not heard of. I did notice that the that the aircraft did not have contra-rotating propeller. They did seem to have a problems with the hot humid conditions just as the Mosquito did.

[@gort8203]

You mean counter rotating. Contra-rotating is two concentric propellers off a single crankshaft. It seems the Brits came late to thinking that counter-rotating propellers were worth the trouble. The Dh Hornet is the first Brit plane I saw with them. They even specified that the export version of the Lockheed P-38 they received must not have counter rotating props. They did this to save the logics complication of having to stock a second version of the V-1710 engine with opposite rotation.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

It doesn't get a heap of attention. I see it on rare occasions in books. The RAF seemed to struggle finding an aircraft to fight in the Far East between about 1945-50.

[@PaulGregory-y9t]

My uncle died in a brigand in 1951

[@Farweasel]

Well done mate Good first stab with a truly obscure aeroplane At risk of sounding like Marvin ........... 'It sounds awful' (The Brigand, not the video) 🙄

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you. It was a little tricky to put together just because there is limited resources out there on the type. I would agree, it unfortunately had a lot of issues

[@TheOldEuropean]

Looks like the rehash of an Me-110...

[@AntiqueAirshow]

It does have some similarities. I wonder if it was utilized during the war if it would have suffered a similar fate to the Me-110. Probably though by the time it came into service the Allies would have had air superiority so possibly not.

[@patrickunderwood5662]

A British Tu-2!

[@BluePlanet88]

The B Brigand sounds like a hand me down aircraft. Built for anti shipping attacks in Europe, and handed over to Malaya for the Emergency 1948-60. The communist insurgency was mainly a ground hit and run attacks. Not sure how this bomber is suitable for the climate and mission. Seems like the pilots in Malaya disliked the plane, and maybe the pilots in Europe were more complimentary. Thanks for the video though.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Yes, I can see that. I guess in many ways it was plugging gaps in the RAF inventory until better aircraft arrived. Yes agree, pilots in Malaya don't seem to have enjoyed it. But I think that was partly due to how many issues and problems they encountered. European pilots wouldn't have had to deal with all of that.

[@stephengardiner9867]

Not a bad looking aircraft but it was conceptually obsolete when it was introduced into service. It did serve, however, but did suffer some operational difficulties. Certainly a much better and more useful derivative of the Buckingham (that ventral gondola hearkened back to the Italian's WWII S.M.Sparviero !). Better attack types were available... (think A-26) but this was immediate post war Britain. They were (a) broke and (b) desperately trying to maintain their own domestic aircraft industries and technology...to the extent of placing some rather peculiar (and usually of rather pedestrian performance) types into production. Some were winners though (DH Hornet, Hawker Sea Fury...). This would be a great subject for a 1/48 kit!

[@stop-the-greed]

Undercarage failure least serious issue.. least ...but then woha boy wtf ..now i know why i never heard of this death trap 😂😂 beautiful though it is ...i would like to build a sacle model of one ...but perhaps not fly in one .

[@AntiqueAirshow]

It is concerning when an undercarriage issue is the least of your worries. I agree, it would be an interesting model

[@ProfRonanMC]

The "Malayan Emergency" was nothing of the sort. The Malaysian guerrillas who had fought the Japanese saw no reason why having rebelled against Japanese colonisation, they should submit to British colonisation. The ensuring war was between Malaysian freedom fighters and a colonial invader. When the British finally left, they left a country deeply divided along racial lines - I wonder where we've seen that before. I think it's important in documenting the history of an aircraft to mention who was slaughtered by their bombs and strafing runs.

[@petersmith7126]

The Malaysian Emergency was fought against Communist Chinese trying to be taken over not against the locals who supported those fighting the insurgents

[@pencilpauli9442]

Why are people on KZbin saying "subseaquently" all of a sudden? It's weird.

[@blowingfree6928]

They all copy each other, and most KZbinrs, particularly brits, are unable to pronounce words properly. I have noticed that Brits are often the most educationally challenged and are barely capable of speaking English. There is also the other thing that they are chasing the yankee dollar and try and speak like Americans.

[@dennisdelany9098]

And utilise instead of use.

[@garywithers852]

The most British plane ever. Designed and built under cement grey skies, and eternal drizzle, couldn't handle the tropical climate. The local fuel probably gave it the runs.

[@drmoss_ca]

Looked wrong, and was wrong. Better to have put Centaurs into the Beaufighter.

[@alejandroj1951]

Muy parecido al Pe2 ruso

[@microy]

an irony exemplified by the exploding hydraulic seals; is that the conflict in question, was being fought over control of the rubber which made the seals. It was those trees, sourced from cuttings obtained in the Brazilian rainforest and brought to the east by the Brittish which createdthe plantations and wealth , The war was mearly the locals who on their own could never have achieved this accomplishment but sought to steal by force. neither could they have designed nor manufactured such an aircraft!

[@thesmallerhalf1968]

You demonstrate a spectacular ignorance of the complexities that brought about this conflict.

[@microy]

@@thesmallerhalf1968 was refering to the aircraft rather than the local politics. As the conflict remains long after the aircraft and the british are gone, it is unlikely the comment section of a posted video (not mine) provides a suitable vehicle for any such solutions...perhaps you could provide more (some?) specifics...

[@finlayfraser9952]

RAF Haban"ee"ya! Just saying.