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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Bristol Beaufighter
    Latest Model:Beaufighter TF.X
    Last Military Serial:BF-13 FAdA
    Compressed ID:Bristol Beaufighter TF.X sn BF-13 F...
    Latest Owner or Location:RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, Hendon, London, England

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    Dates

    Event

    October 1944

    Constructed as a Beaufighter TF.X with s/n RD253 RAF.
    Bristol Beaufighter TFX RD253

    2 November 1944

    Transferred to No. 19 Maintenance Unit Saint Athan, Glamorgan.

    7 March 1945

    Transferred to RAF Pershore, Worcs.

    18 March 1945

    Ferry flight.
    Flown to Portela de Sacavem, Portugal, to become part of the Portugese Navy, the Forcas Aereas da Armada.

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Forcas Aereas da Armada with s/n BF-13.

    1950

    Struck off Strength/Charge.

    Circa 1950

    To Instituto Superior Tecnico (Lisbon Techical Institute).
    Used as an instructional airframe.

    1965

    To RAF.
    Presented by the college to the Royal Airforce for the purpose of preservation.

    July 1965

    Arrived at 71 MU, Bicester, Oxon.

    1967

    Transferred to No. 4 School of Technical Training, RAF Saint Athan.
    Sent to Saint Athan for restoration.

    27 January 1967

    New serial number assigned: 7931M RAF

    February 1967

    Restoration started.
    The restoration project started with the nose, centre fuselage, rear fuselage, landing gear, outer wings, tail, center section and control surfaces. Other parts were obtained from various sources including donations and a crash site recovery effort.

    20 August 1967

    The restoration was essentially complete except for the wing tips, rear cupola and the missing engines.

    1968

    Repair completed.
    The restoration was completed by using the engines from RD867.

    15 March 1971

    To RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, Hendon, London, England.
    Transferred to Hendon by No. 71 MU.
    View the Location Dossier

    March 1971

    Reassembled and placed on display.

    April 1989


    Photographer: Unknown
    Notes: Photographed at the RAF Battle of Britain Museum.

    2009


    Photographer: Andy West

    19 May 2012


    Photographer: Arjun Sarup
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     Wrecks and Relics
    Internet Sources
     Royal Air Force Museum
    Scramble of the Dutch Aviation Society
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