Beaufighters are Medium Bombers!!!!

[Drongo]

Where's the great Matrix Aussie boy, Ross Moorehouse? He'll fix up this travesty, quick smart.

[Ron Saueracker]

He is off for a week. Drinking some well deserved XXXX, I'd hazard.

[Drongo]

If he drinks XXXX, we've got no hope.

[Von Rom]

Yup, the Beaufighter as a strike fighter, was available historically during the timeline for UV.

Among the many sites that have confirmed this, is this site that details the history of the RAAF:

http://users.chariot.net.au/~theburfs/aahistpage2.html

In Particular:

1942:

By the end of November, RAAF Beaufighters carried out attacks on Japanese shipping, and easily outdistanced intercepting Zeros by dropping to sea level and opening their throttles.

1943:

In January, Japanese shipping fell prey to RAAF Beaufighters, including a convoy proceeding to an attack on Lae from Rabaul.

Next day, 30 Sqn. Beaufighters found and sank empty lifeboats. These were attacked by 15 Zero fighters, who lost three of their number for no success against the RAAF aircraft.

That night the convoy's survivors reached Lae harbour, to suffer damage from Hudsons and Beauforts of 6 and 100 Sqns. On the 8th, Lae was heavily bombed by Mitchells, Marauders, Bostons and Beaufighters, with Lightnings providing cover. Two Zeros were shot down by the Lightnings, and the raid was repeated the same afternoon. Grounded Japanese aircraft were considerably damaged, landing barges burnt, a ship was sunk and an ammunition dump destroyed. The survivors set sail back to Rabaul.

On March 2-3, RAAF Beauforts, Beaufighters, Bostons and Catalinas joined with USAAF forces to destroy a Japanese fleet of four destroyers and 8 troop transports during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.

[IanLister]

Drongo,
Voice of reason from the mother country here (you know, the ones who weren't shipped out to Australia years ago for breaking the law:D )
My uncle was RAF ground crew; on Malta, in Egypt and then seconded to RAAF to find out about the beer and learn to play cricket.

Totally agree with everything said about the Beau; any plane that could fly strikes against targets in Norway unescorted and fight off 109s and 190s is no medium bomber. A different version of the Beaufort.........don't think so.

Do you want Liz, Phil and the kids over there in the southern hemisphere? They're past their sell-by date.
Motorhome holiday in Australia next year for a month......where are the best bits to visit?

[Erik Rutins]

Clearly, a few minutes with UV and a look at the patches will tell you we place a great deal of importance on historical accuracy. :p

As Ron mentioned, Ross is away, but as always we're all reading and monitoring. I'll bring this up on the development board to see what Rich, Joel and the team think. It's a bit of a rock and a hard place situation, but we'll see what we can do.

Regards,

- Erik

[stubby331]

Erik,
Thanks for the response, I (and no doubt the rest of the empire) feel fairly strongly about this.

We eagerly look forward to a favourable outcome.

God save the Queen!!!

Hoorah!!!!!!

[Drongo]

Posted by IanLister

Do you want Liz, Phil and the kids over there in the southern hemisphere? They're past their sell-by date.

I've already met Phil, he's a bit of a galah. Liz is a bit old and I reckon the kids got the wrong end of the ugly stick (Anne'd be a goer though, after a night in the trough). Grandkid's look like toffy little poofs. We might be able to put 'em up at Woomera.

Motorhome holiday in Australia next year for a month......where are the best bits to visit?

What am I, a bloody travel agent?
I assume you mean you and not the Royals?

It's a pretty big place over here. Unless you like long drives (and I mean long), you'd best stick to one area (you'll still be knocking up thousands of km's).

If you want tropical, start your holiday in Brisbane (land of the old ones) and then go north (you eventually run out of road after a while). You can also wander round inland or go out to the Islands and Barrier reef. Hot, scenic but a bit touristy in places (you'll believe the Jap's actually won WWII - hordes of the little buggers wandering around places like Cairns and staying at special Nipponese resorts).

If you want bush (and what man doesn't), start in Sydney (land of the poofs) and head south through Victoria (land of culture:p ) and then bash over the Bass straight (whack the motorhome on the ferry) and go to Tassie (land of mutie's and feral women's communes - also the most spectacular place for bush walking - the whole island is effectively one huge nature reserve - by the time you get the motorhome out of there, it'll be well decorated with bits of wombat and roo).

If you want desert and and big, funny shaped rocks, get across to Adelaide (the only remaining place on earth where you can still see the mullet in its natural state (clinging to the back of people's heads)), wander round the coastline of the Great Aussie Bite (named from it being the favourite hangout of cuddly little white pointers) then go north. 1500 km's later you'll either be at Ayers Rock or lying dead at the side of the road from a broken fan belt and heat exhaustion.

If you want thousands of km's of long, unpopulated coastline, start in Perth (land of the laid back 'n' carefree) and then work your way north through to Broome (land of the jolly jobless - lots of driving but lots of specky coast and mountain ranges). My favourite (but I'm normally on a m/bike).

And then there's Darwin (bit rough for a pasty skinned poms).

Or the Nulla' (whole lot of nothin' - just get a postcard of it from somewhere more hospitable).

Or my other favourite, find a pub near a beach (a month can pass real quick).

You can combine some of the above into one long drive but it'd probably detract from the purpose of having a "nice, relaxing holiday".

Feel free to contact me anytime at Drongo@yobbotours.beer.au.
I think we still have a brochure somewhere, its a bit tattered and stained (dont ask) but you'll get the general idea of what to do.

On a more practical note, you could start a thread somewhere in the UV forums called something appropriate like "Help me plan my holiday, you useless pack of Aussie bastards". We seem to have representatives from most states. Everyone's pretty kind and generous out here (just don't overstay your visa, otherwise its huntin' season).

Enjoy (and dont forget the 5000+ sunscreen).

[msvknight]

Would this be an inconvenient time to mention that the RAAF had about 300 Fairey Battles operating ASW patrols off the East Coast at this time?;)

[Drongo]

I think would lose the last of our Matrix karma points if we pushed for the introduction of the A22.

I think trainers are being being deliberately left out. Maybe we could get Matrix to agree that if we drop our claim for the introduction of the 366 "Battles", they'll allow us to have the early intoduction of a few squadrons of A23 Woomera's (the best light strike bomber ever prototyped. :p

Have a look at this baby.
http://users.chariot.net.au/~theburfs/woomeraMAIN.html

[msvknight]

Now the Woomera. That would be a cool Medium Bomber:D

[IanLister]

Drongo,
Thanks for the info. I spent 6 weeks in NSW playing cricket 20 years ago, and always wanted to come back, so next year we'll be there, with UV on the laptop of course!
Re: your comments on Liz, Phil the Greek etc., be careful....you know what they did to Diana.
The Woomera - first time I've seen that. Did it fly? Horizontally or vertically? Looks like a cross between Westland Whirlwind, Hawker Sea Hornet and Messerschmidt Me 110. I'll staywith "Whispering Death"...the Beaufighter, IF Matrix get it together the way they seem to keep doing with other bits of the greatest game on earth!

[msvknight]

A you haven't lived until you've flown with remote controlled machine guns hanging out of the back of your engine nacelles...

[Raverdave]

The Woomera........should be sent to the place that it is named after, as it belongs with all of the other shite that we send there.
One of the few aircraft that was hit with uglystick.

[Ron Saueracker]

Your travel tips post has to be one of the funniest things I've come across in a while. "...hordes of the little buggers." I've got to get my butt over there. Sounds like the Canadian Maritime Provinces with palm trees, a perfect combo. Party Hearty Arty!;)

[Drongo]

Ron,

Since Canadians are just upside down Aussies, you'd fit right in.

I wouldn't come over this summer though. It's probably going to be the worst bushfire period in a hundred years (and that's saying something down here). We're also running out of water (still plenty of beer though). If you sent over a few buckets of Canadian ice, I could sell them for a good price.

Cheers

[stubby331]

Man!!

Was I ever disappointed with Matrix's decision to ignore the overwelming evidence thrown its way in this thread.

I thought I would "update it", so to speak so that it would be (as homer would say) "IN YOUR FACE FLANDERS.!"

To Matrix I say "do the right thing". explore the evidence...

You will come to the right decision.

OR, at the very least, please provide us with one example of a Pacific theatre Beaufighter attack.

Just one... please......

[stubby331]

"I took your data to Rich Dionne how is incharge of all the data in the scenarios. When I talked with him about it he did not agree with the findings. Now before anyone gets their underwear twisted in a knot, lets ask Rich. Rich is away on business for this week so do not expect an answer on this until early next week. I send Rich and email with this thread so he can find it. "

David Heath, Director of ops



Mr Heath,
Any progress on the outstanding question of correcting the RAAF beaufighter configuration?

that is... without torperdoes.

[stubby331]

To David, Rich, Ross and the the rest of the team,

Could you please give us some feedback on where you stand with the current RAAF Beaufighter configuration?

Im sure if anything is still unclear we can talk about it and sort it out.

As it stands now...

Well, we dont know where we stand.

As I have said before, just provide us with one example of a Pacific theatre RAAF Beaufighter torpedo attack and I will tear down the picket line.

As Drongo has already pointed out in this thread:

"I would agree with you that some of the Beaufighter's that turned up in Oz were VIc's. No one's doubting you on that. However, as all the indignant's are pointing out, they were never used that way over here.

I take your point about how a game should allow you to do things that were not done historically, but not at the cost of losing what was actually done historically. The trouble is, since the Beaufighter is modeled in UV as a level bomber, you have no ability to use it as it was by the aussies in real life, as a fighter bomber (re : possum's opening complaint - no LRCAP ability, can't use 'em as escorts, etc). That would naturally make us a bit indignant since we all grew up over here listening to the true story of the Aussie "whispering death", as we were being bounced up and down on grandad's lap (dirty old bugger).

If UV allowed an aircraft to be used in either role, then everyone would be happy. Since it's not the case, if its going to have only one role, it should be the historical one (Aussie not Pommie)."

end quote.

I think that really says it all.

Please fix.

Look forward to hearing from you guys.