<p>In the wake of the Munich Agreement of 1938, when UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returned to the UK waving a 'piece of paper' (peace pact) that he believed had resolved the Czech-German crisis, promising "peace in our time", the British aircraft industry gained a short breathing space in which to do its utmost to strengthen the Royal Air Force. The need for a heavily-armed fighter, suitable for the long-range escort or night-fighter roles, was a significant gap in its inventory. This requirement was placed high on the list of priorities and Roy Fedden and Leslie Firse of the Bristol Aircraft Company proposed a compromise design to fill this need.
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<p>The wings, tail unit and landing gear of the in-production Bristol Beaufort were to be united by a new fuselage and to be powered by two of the company's Hercules sleeve-valve radial engines in wing-mounted nacelles. The draft proposal, submitted to the Air Ministry in October 1938, was adopted with such alacrity that the first prototype was in the air just under nine months later on 17 July 1939. Known to Bristol as the Type 156, but far better known as the Beaufighter, it proved sufficiently important to the RAF that the British production totalled 5,562 aircraft.
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<p>In view of the large number built there were several variants, and of these the Beaufighter Mk VIF was the only version to find short-term service with the US Army Air Force. This occurred in the Mediterranean theater during 1942-43, at a period when the USAAF was desperately in need of night-fighter aircraft. In an interservice arrangement between the RAF and USAAF, the 12th Air Force gained for its 1st Tactical Air Command sufficient Beaufighter Mk VIFs to equip four squadrons. These saw extensive service during the German withdrawal from North Africa, especially in providing night air cover during the army landings at Anzio and Salerno.
<item><hi format=bold>Powerplant:</hi> two 1,670-hp (1,245-kW) Bristol Hercules radial piston engines
<item><hi format=bold>Performance:</hi> maximum speed 333 mph (536 km/h) at 15,600 ft (4,755 m); maximum cruising speed 276 mph (444 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,570 m); service ceiling 26,500 ft (8,075 m); range, internal fuel 1,480 miles (2,382 km)
<item><hi format=bold>Weights:</hi> empty 14,600 lb (6,622 kg); maximum take-off 21,600 lb (9,798 kg)
<item><hi format=bold>Dimensions:</hi> span 57 ft 10 in (17.63 m); length 41 ft 8 in (12.70 m); height 15 ft 10 in (4.83 m); wing area 503 sq ft (46.73 m<su>2</su>)
