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Built in Australia during the Second World War, Bristol Beaufort A9-535 served with the Royal Australian Air Force in the Pacific, flying maritime strike missions against enemy shipping. After being damaged in combat and forced down in New Guinea in 1944, the aircraft was left behind. Today, material from that aircraft has been preserved as PlaneTags.

OUR PLANE'S STORY

Built in Australia during the Second World War, Bristol Beaufort A9-535 served with No. 100 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force, flying maritime strike missions against Japanese shipping across the Pacific. The Beaufort was designed as a torpedo bomber capable of attacking enemy ships far from shore, carrying torpedoes or bombs on low altitude strike missions that were among the most dangerous flown during the war. More than 700 Beauforts were produced in Australia at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne, making it one of the largest wartime aircraft manufacturing programs in the country’s history.

On July 10, 1944, after sustaining damage during combat operations in New Guinea, A9-535 was forced to make an emergency landing at Tadji Airfield and never returned to service. Like many aircraft operating from forward wartime airfields, it was stripped for usable parts and abandoned. Decades later, material from the aircraft was recovered through Pima Air & Space Museum, which is working to restore a rare Beaufort as part of its historic collection. A portion of that material has now been transformed into PlaneTags, preserving the legacy of this WWII aircraft. Read the full story on our blog.

Bristol Beaufort MARK VIII A9-535

Characteristics:

• Manufacturer: Bristol Aeroplane Company / Department of Aircraft Production 
• Model: Bristol Beaufort Mk VIII
• Serial #: A9-535
• Crew: 4 (pilot, navigator/bomb aimer, radio operator, gunner)
• Wing Span: 57 ft 10 in
• Length: 44 ft 3 in
• Height: 14 ft 3 in
• Armament: 8x .303 in machine guns (including dorsal turret guns and wing/beam guns); 1x aerial torpedo or up to 2,000 lb of bombs or depth charges

Performance:

• Ferry Range: 1,450-1,600 mi
• Combat Radius: 400 mi
• Max Speed: ~260 mph (225 mph with torpedo)
• Ceiling: 18,000 ft
• Empty Weight: 14,070 lb
• Max Takeoff: 22,083 lb
• Rate of Climb: 1,150 ft/min 
• Engine: 2x Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines

Bristol Beaufort MK VIII  PlaneTag Features

• Made from authentic Bristol Beaufort A9-535 aircraft skin
• Australian-built WWII RAAF torpedo bomber
• Served with No. 100 Squadron in the Pacific theater
• Aircraft forced down in New Guinea in 1944
• Individually numbered in a series of 5000
• Each PlaneTag is unique due to the aircraft's original paint and wear
• Includes informational card detailing the aircraft's history
• Made in the USA by MotoArt

Related Aircraft: WWII Bombers

Collectors interested in WWII aviation may also enjoy exploring our WWII bomber aircraft. Aircraft in this collection include historic bombers and maritime strike aircraft that served during World War II.

• B-29 Superfortress PlaneTags
• Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver
• B-17 Flying Fortress PlaneTags

DISCLAIMER

Perfect Aviation Gift

PlaneTags are: 

• Authentic - made from actual retired aircraft fuselage, not merely stamped metal. 
• Unique -  each PlaneTag bears the color, thickness, and wear and tear from the portion of the fuselage from which it was cut and it is therefore rare to create two identical PlaneTags. 
• Collectible - each one is numbered in a limited edition and comes attached to a display card. 
  
• Versatile - comes with a durable metal ring, strong enough to attach to luggage or keys or display.

*Important Notice – Please Read Carefully

PlaneTags are made from actual retired aircraft fuselage, not merely stamped metal. Because PlaneTags are made from real fuselage, each PlaneTag bears the color, thickness, and wear and tear from the portion of the fuselage from which it was cut and it is therefore rare to create two identical PlaneTags. These variations and imperfections are not product flaws. They are part of the beauty of PlaneTags. As a result, you will not have an option to select the color of your PlaneTag. The images on this website are provided for reference only and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a particular PlaneTag.