Bristol Beaufighter vs Me323 Gigant - North Africa (IL-2: 1946)

[@thevelointhevale1132]

My Great Uncle was a Beaufighter & Mosquito Pilot ( Rank Sgt P/O A ) for both RAAF 456 Sqd and RAF 108 Sqd in the North African campaign - one of 4 Australians in a Unit ... 108 flew Night Fighter patrols over Egypt, Libya, Malta, Greece and the Aegean generally. His personal file shows the destruction of Ships, Trains, motor vehicles and a Heinkel HE. 111 among other victims. Through 1943-44, flying out of an airfield in Athens - after the HE. 111 was intercepted and destroyed - records state his Beau harassed a German retreat by strafing Railway and Motor Transport following this up with nightly 'Intruder Missions' over the wider Aegean (Salonika, Crete, Rhodes, Melos, Leros and Cos ). Must have been one hell of a show. He lived well into his 90's and only recently passed away. Gods bless them all!

[@Gloriosus]

I think that engine must have been running on good old British phlegm.

[@BJBFOREST]

Weren't those RAAF roundels used in the South West Pacific Theatre. against the Japanese? The RAAF Middle East theatre roundels were RAF ???

[@Trent733]

Dude that was freaking epic subbing right now

[@FroggyFrog9000]

Thanks man.

[@davidhall8874]

Brother, it is going to be a long walk home!

[@FroggyFrog9000]

yes, i would ask the radio operator to try contact the allies for a rescue flight

[@kevinwhitaker119]

WELL BUDDY THAT WENT A BIT SKEW WIFF... GLAD YOU GOT THE BEAUFIGHTER BACK SAFE AN SOUND..!! IT'S JUST A BIT DRAFTY IN THE COCKPIT THO 🍺😊✌️🇦🇺🇦🇺🇬🇧

[@williammcdonnell3748]

with rockets it's great for sinking ships,used to be in a clan that had a good group of il2 fliers & we used to do missions like sinking shipping in the english channel great fun,nice safe landy froggy thought you were gonna flip near the end lol

[@FroggyFrog9000]

Oh yeh that desert landing went MUCH better than expected haha :)

[@warpartyattheoutpost4987]

Was that the transport or gunship version of the Me 323?

[@wetube6513]

Its ur mom

[@davidhobson7652]

Is that a Mk21 Beaufighter......certainly looks it meaning its got more punch with the .50 calibres in wings instead of the .303..... think its also the only version of the Beaufighter equipped with High velocity aircraft rockets

[@FroggyFrog9000]

Yes it is - it says its the 1944 Mk21. I recognise it has a different type of tail plane than the earlier Beaufighters. Looks like it can carry not only rockets but also torpedoes.

[@davidhobson7652]

@@FroggyFrog9000 The Australian-made DAP Beaufighter. Changes included Hercules CVII engines, four 20 mm cannons in the nose, four Browning .50 in (12.7 mm) in the wings and the capacity to carry eight 5 in (130 mm) High Velocity Aircraft Rockets, two 250 lb (110 kg) bombs, two 500 lb (230 kg) bombs and one Mk 13 torpedo......primarily used in South West Pacific theater

[@thomaszhang3101]

Very nice. Never know that it carried rockets.

[@ionidhunedoara1491]

Rather ditch than land on Cap Bon and be a guest of the Axis for the next two years.

[@fabioartoscassone9305]

bodyshaming&bullism