<p>Built October 1944. Delivered to Portuguese Air Force in March 1945 as ‘BF-13’. Withdrawn from use in 1949, it was used for training at the Lisbon Technical Institute until 1965 when it was presented to the RAF Museum. A second Beaufighter ‘RD867’ was also owned by the museum and both were eventually rebuilt to static display standard. ‘RD867’ was rebuilt first and appeared statically at public events before departing to Canada in 1969, in exchange for the Bolingbroke now on display in the Battle of Britain Hall. Controversially, the engines, cowlings and other parts which had been fitted to ‘RD867‘ during its public appearances remained in the UK and were then used in the rebuild of ‘RD253’. This second aircraft was on display at Hendon when the museum opened in November 1972 and has remained in the Historic Main Hangars there ever since.
RAF Museum, Hendon, London, UK.
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22-3-2015
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/65001151@N03">Alan Wilson</a> from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajw1970/17302755712/">Bristol Beaufighter TF.X ‘RD253’</a>