Warplanes of the UK: Bristol Brigand

Bristol Brigand

(RAF Photo)

The Bristol Brigand was a British multi-purpose aircraft developed by Bristol Aeroplane Company as a replacement for the Beaufighter in the mid-1940s. The aircraft entered service with the RAF in 1946 as anti-shipping torpedo bomber and ground attack aircraff, only 147 were ever built, and were rarely used by the RAF. They were only deployed into combat during the Malayan Emergency and in Kenya.

(RAF Photo)

Bristol Brigand T. Mk. 4 (Serial No. RH798), Oct 1949.

(RAF Photo)

Bristol Brigand. The Brigand was designed as a twin-engined three-seat long-range attack aircraft capable of fulfilling the duties of a torpedo-bomber, dive-bomber and fighter to replace the Beaufighter. It used wings, landing gear, engine nacelles and tail unit of a similar type to those of the Buckingham. The prototype first flew on 4 December 1944. Although the first 11 aircraft were delivered as TF.1 torpedo-bombers to Coastal Command, in 1947 the Mk 1 was remodelled as a three-seat general-purpose bomber and most of the remaining 132 production Brigands were delivered as B.1. However a few saw service as Brigand Mk 2 training aircraft for radar navigators and Met Mk 3 meteorological reconnaissance aircraft. The Brigand served with the RAF from 1949 until 1958, seeing action in Malaya during the early 1950s. Power was provided by two 1,841kW Bristol Centaurus 57 engines, giving a max speed of 576km/h.

(RAF Photo)

Bristol Brigand (Serial No. RH797) with a torpedo slung under the fuselage.

(RAF Photo)

Bristol Brigand (Serial No. RH754).

(RAF Photo)

Bristol Brigand (Serial No. RH761).

(RAF Photo)

Bristol Brigand (SeriaL No. RH742), armed with rockets.