Beaufighter Restoration Project

www.fighter-collection.com

The last recorded flight of a Bristol Beaufighter took place at RAF Seletar in May 1960 (or was it?*) but thanks to the efforts of the restorers at The Fighter Collection - co-located with the Imperial War Museum at Duxford - another is expected to be restored to airworthy condition. The team has already restored a Bristol Blenheim to flying condition but Bristol Beaufighter JM135 is the biggest restoration project ever to be undertaken by them. The centre section and fuselage was recovered from Australia - JM135 being British built and served with 31 Sqn, RAAF. The cockpit itself is from an Australian built aircraft as is one of the wings. The other wing is British built and differs in a number of significant details.

Ailerons, rudder, undercarriage doors and elevators have had to be built and new skins have had to be made for the wings. Two new air intakes for the oil coolers have been made and they are described as 'a work of art in themselves'. Work is continuing to rebuild the wings. 'The cockpit, undercarriage and tailplane have now been fitted and the aircraft is beginning to look like a Beaufighter. It is understood that there are two Beaufighter engines 'somewhere in India' and the scouts are out looking for them! The sale of the aircraft to an Australian gentleman is no longer to take place.

Note*. See 'Seletar, Crowning Glory' The history of the RAF in Singapore by David Taylor. Woodfield Publishing 2002. ISBN 1-903953-16-2, pages 161 & 191 where it is recorded that a Beaufighter was restored to flying condition 'for one flight only' to fly past during the last Queen's Birthday Parade held in 1961 (?) at Changi, Singapore.