ADF Aircraft Serial Numbers
A9 DAP / Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was chosen for Australian production by the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) in August 1938. Production would be carried out between 1941 and 1944 at Fishermen's Bend, Melbourne and Mascot, Sydney. The Pratt and Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine would be built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). The State Railway Workshops of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia would build sub-assemblies and components. This was a major undertaking for Australia and the original plan was to build aircraft for both the RAF and the RAAF. The first 58 were issued RAF serials although only 7 where delivered to the RAF, the remainder going to the RAAF and being re-serialled A9-1 onwards.
A Bristol built pattern aircraft was acquired (RAF serial L4448) in 1939 and it was converted from Bristol Taurus power to Pratt and Whitney power and re-serialled A9-1001.
Australian production was 700 aircraft. From A9-50 on even numbered serials came from Mascot and those with odd numbers from Fishermen's Bend
During 1944 and 1945 46 Beauforts were converted to unarmed transports, officially Beaufort Mk.IX but generally known as Beaufreighters. They recieved new serial numbers in the A9-701 to 746 range.
"The ADF-Serials team give permission to use the content of this page, excluding images, providing that it contains an acknowledgement to the adf-serials team and any other listed sources."
Hosted by;
Integrity Technical Solutions
www.integrity-solutions.com.au