Full-Scale Beaufighter Details

By Michael Benolkin

This is the Beaufighter as it appeared in mid-July 2002 at Duxford. The wing center section has been mated to the fuselage. The nose section, outer wing panels, engines, and other essential components are awaiting their turn on the assembly line.

Here's a nice profile of the main landing gear struts and their mounts on the wing's main spar. Note the dolly that each of the main landing gear perch upon to ease movement of the airframe around the shop.

Here's a front view of the main landing gear mounted on the left wing and the interesting engine mount detail.

You're looking at the left fuselage from behind the left wing. The item inside the plastic bag on the right is the complete nose section and instrument panel.

This is a good view of the wing cross-section and the flap extension mechanism.

Here is the vertical stab that has yet to be fully installed (the horizontal stab slips into that slot there...)

And here is the horizontal stab, sans skin, awaiting restoration and installation.

Here is a look at a complete engine ready to be mounted on the aircraft.

And finally, this is a closer look down inside the cowl and into the cowling exhaust collector ring.