A_M_W_2015_05_

BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER M k.X 61

outfit, commencing in August,

1943, and remained thus until

its transition to Mosquito FB.VI

aircraft not long before VE Day.

As referred to in the previous 252

Squadron section, 143 Squadron

had its Mk.ICs were handed

over to an MU for redistribution

and, in December 1941 they

were equipped with Blenheims!

By September 1942, it was

an operational squadron once

again and, as did 404 Squadron,

made the novel move to Merlin-

engined Beaufighter Mk.IIFs

before receiving its first coastal-

optimised Mk.XICs in March

1943. These would remain 143
      Squadron’s primary equipment
      until supplanted by TF.Xs from
      April 1944 and Mosquitos from
      October 1944.
      Where the preceding squadrons
      operated as Coastal Fighter units,
      the following three operated
      as Torpedo Bomber squadrons
      in Coastal Command prior to
      transitioning to Beaufighters.
      No. 144 Squadron had started
      the war in Bomber Command as
      a Hampden-equipped medium
      bomber outfit, but transferred

to Coastal Command and the

torpedo bomber role – also on

Hampdens – in late April 1942.

Home Waters operations were

interrupted by a foray to the

Northern USSR later in the year,

but resumed for a few months

before conversion to Beaufighters

in January 1943. Mk.VIC ITFs

were flown operationally for a

few months before the newer TF.X

aircraft began to arrive in May.

The domestic coastal commitment

was interrupted once again, as

the squadron mounted a staged

deployment to North Africa

not long after receiving its new

aircraft. Between August and

October, 1943, 144 Squadron

re-established its Coastal roots

as a TF.X torpedo specialist unit

before it switched to a guns-only

anti-flak role in January 1945,

and added R/P to its repertoire

for the last few months of the war

in Europe.

Australia’s 455 Squadron

followed a similar path from

Bomber to Coastal Command–

also on Hampdens and made the

transition at around the same

time–and deploying with it to the

USSR. After a return to the UK,

the unit re-equipped with newer

Hampden TB.Is and continued in

the torpedo strike role until

After LZ293 was lost, NT950 became the squadron's new 'T'. In this photo she appears

in the mid-August 1944 variation of the Beaufighter scheme with full stripes retained.

The level of weathering is typical of busy TF.Xs of the time. (author’s collection)

Armourers from 404 Squadron heft early AP Mk.I-tipped R/P rounds past a locally refinished LZ295, at Davidstow Moor in

May 1944. The Special Duties Scheme A appears to have been open to interpretation when applied at the operational level.

This example sports a ‘proper’ amount of Extra Dark Sea Grey along the spine and tail leading edge. (LAC PL41009 via author)

Photos of 143 Sqn TF.Xs are rare. Interestingly, this example started out with two 144 Squadron Beaufighters either side of it on the production line, and all three began

their squadron service with tropical dust filters still installed on their carb air intakes – not standard equipment for Coastal Command Beaufighters.

NE830 of 143 Squadron,

circa late October 1944

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