Talk:Bristol Beaufort
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I have to thank the Bristol Beaufort for my very existence. My father, W/Cdr C V (Micky) Ogden was a test pilot for Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton from 1934 to 1941. He left Bristol's on 15th November 1941 after a 20 minute flight in a Beaufort no 290 which had an engine failure on takeoff. Some six weeks earlier, he had tested a Beaufort which had an engine failure on takeoff. At that time, the Beaufort had apparently entered squadron service with a defect in that when an engine failed there was no way of feathering the airscrew. Fuel continued to be sucked into the engine and then petrol vapour penetrated into the fuselage and then there was a spark and Boom! At least 6 test pilots had been killed because of this and my father could have been the 7th. He had a furious row with Uwins, the Chief Test Pilot, in October and when he flew on 15th November, Micky assumed the problem had been fixed. It hadn't. He had a furious row again with Uwins and Micky decided he was safer in the RAF.
On 23rd November, my father rejoined the RAF as a Flight Lieutenant at No2 OTU Catfoss and subsequently flew the Beaufighter with 272 squadron in the Western Desert. You can read the account of his his first flight at Catfoss on 23rd November 1941 in Desert Squadron by Victor Houart available via www.bookfinder.com My father died on 21st October 2002. A great man and wartime hero. He was my hero.
Michael Ogden