Ukrainian PF-2 Beaufighter

[comrade harps]

Piper FP-2 Black Pearl 
a/c 42547/Yellow 47, 831 Escuadrille, Ukrainian People's Air Army
Vasyl'kiv, Ukrainian Socialist Republic, June 1946
Personal mount of Combat Pilots Inessa Tytova and Daryna Apanashchenko



Piper was one of the few American aircraft manufacturers to respond positively when the British Purchasing Commission toured America in 1939-40. The Commission was seeking companies that were willing and able to produce British designs as "trans-Atlantic shadow factories." Keen to expand their capabilities beyond light planes, Piper agreed to produce the Bristol Beaufighter for the RAF. Designated in the 30 series, these Beaufighters differed chiefly in being powered by the General Electric R-2300, a license manufactured Bristol Hercules. When the US entered the war, the Piper Beaufighters came under Lend-Lease and were designated as P-73s, the USAAF going on to use both British and American manufactured Beaufighters as night fighters. As the USMC was also in need of long range fighters with night and strike capabilities, they adopted the type as the Piper FP-1 Black Pearl. 




Although the Douglas P-70 Boston gained publicity as America's first radar equipped night fighter, the USAAF mostly used the type for training. It was the British designed P-73 Beaufighter that was issued to USAAF frontline units, seeing considerable action in the Asia-Pacific theatre until replaced by P-61 Black Widows in 1944-45. The P-73A featured the the SCR-540 air intercept radar, an American licence manufactured version of the British Mark IV. The P-73B used the SCR-520 and the P-73C the SCR-720 (also used by the P-61A). The USMC's PF-1 Black Pearl also used the SCR-540, but the PF-2 was equipped with the AN/APS-4 and the PF-3 with the AN/APS-6. The PF-2 and -3 also differed from the P-73B and C in omitting the 4 wing mounted .50 cal Brownings in favour of additional fuel. A unique feature of the PF-2 was its clipped wings, done so as to improve low altitude performance and roll rate.




Allies since the June 1941 Nazi invasion of the Moscow Pact, the US sent massive quantities of arms to the Socialist Union. Red evaluation teams toured US arms factories, received detailed briefings and tested equipment. They were lukewarm in their appraisal of the P-73A, noting that the SCR-540 was similar to their own Gneiss-2 air intercept radar; this was then entering service on Pe-2s and A-20B Havocs, both bombers converted for the night fighter role. Problems with the P-73B's radar produced a similar response. However, the P-73C's SCR-720 radar impressed the Reds, thanks to its microwave technology and use of a parabolic dish instead of external aerials. This version of the Piper Beaufighter was of interest, both from a technology intelligence perspective and from a combat efficacy view. The Reds immediately requested 100 P-73Cs and 200 SCR-720 radar sets. However, concerns over technology transfer led to the request being denied. Instead of the P-73C, the Reds received the AN/APS-4 equipped PF-2 Black Pearl. This radar had already been compromised, a US Navy TBM-3E Avenger having landed and been detained in Kamchatka in November 1943. 76 FP-2s originally ordered for the USMC and 150 radar sets were allocated to the Moscow Pact under Lend-Lease. The quid pro quo for the USMC was the construction of an equal number of PF-3s. 67 PF-2s and 100 radars had been delivered by the time the Separate Peace/Great Betrayal ended Lend-Lease to the Reds in August 1944. The AN/APS-4 would be reverse engineered and placed in production as the Gneiss-4 during 1947. This enabled the last Red Beaufighters to remain in frontline service until 1949. The Reds replaced the PF-2's 20mm A/N M3 cannon with ShVAK cannon of the same calibre. As with all mid to late production PF-2s, the observer's rear machine gun was omitted and an enclosed teardrop canopy was installed.




Camouflage is an issue for modellers making wartime models of Red PF-2s, as there are several variations. Some were taken from existing USMC stocks and retained their USMC camouflage until after delivery to the Reds. These airframes were subsequently repainted, but not always in official colours to the approved template. Others were rolled out of the Piper factory painted black, brown, grey green and dark grey. These examples may or may not have received official schemes at a later date. From April 1945 some PF-2s had a 2 tone grey scheme applied. After the war all Red PF-2s were stripped of paint and sealed with an aluminium lacquer. The airframe modelled here wears the Piper applied camouflage. 



The Ukrainian 831 Escuadrille's association with night fighting dates back to 1937. Flying Polikarpov I-16s, the unit took on night fighter duties in addition to its day fighter commitments. In mid-1942 they were re-equipped with Lend-Lease A-20B Havocs converted into night fighters with the Gneiss-2. Havocs with Gneiss-3 arrived in mid 1943. Like the similar P-70, these Havocs were barely adequate for the role; successes were few, but a great deal of experience was gained.



831 Esc received its first PF-2s at Vasyl'kiv near recently liberated Kyiv in April 1944. Phasing out their Havocs as Black Pearls arrived, the last A-20 was retired from the unit in July. The PF-2s eclipsed the unit's Havoc night kill tally in 4 months. They formed a detachment at Kulbakine in June, adding nocturnal shipping escort to their duties.  831 Esc PF-2s flew night air defence and offensive night fighter missions from these bases for the remainder of the war.



This 831 Esc Black Pearl was usually flown by an all-pilot team. Combat Pilots Inessa Tytova and Daryna Apanashchenko were both Air Cadets before the Axis invasion of 1941. Evacuated to safety, they joined the exiled Ukrainian Air Force in early 1942, trained as pilots and were both posted to 831 Esc in February 1944. Cross training as radar operators on the newly arrived Black Pearls, they teamed together as a flight crew and took turns to sit up front. Their first aerial kill was a Luftwaffe Ju-88A-4 on the night of 27 April. By the end of the war the duo had been credited with 32 kills and 7 probables, all at night and all in Yellow 47. This was more than any other Red night fighter pilot, radar operator or team. Post war analysis placed their kill total at 35. 



This airframe, Bureau Number 42547, was the 3rd production PF-2. After testing it was delivered to Cherry Point for training duties with VMF(A)-413. Selected with other early production PF-2s for Lend-Lease delivery to the Reds, it was returned to Piper for export preparation, which included the application of the black/brown/dark grey/grey green camouflage. Flown to Ladd Field in Alaska, it was handed over to Red pilots to complete its journey across the ALSIB (Alaska-Siberian air road) during March 1944. It was delivered to 831 Esc of the Ukrainian People's Air Army (UPAA) in early April, becoming Yellow 47. Combat Pilots Inessa Tytova and Daryna Apanashchenko selected it as their personal mount. Tytova and Apanashchenko left the UPAA in August 1947 and Yellow 47 was struck off in January 1948.

Tytova and Apanashchenko were prominent in Ukrainian politics throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Their relationship gained some notoriety due to its use in anti-Red propaganda. Capitalist pamphlets, newspapers and Voice of America shortwave radio programs made scandal from their open lesbianism. In response, the pair wrote a famous 9 word press release: "Reports on our sexuality are wrong. Inessa is bisexual."

Victory tally (as per post war analysis of 35 kills)

• Avis 7 x 1
• Bf 109Z x 2
• Bf 110 x 1
• Bf 410 x 1
• Fw 190 × 4
• Go 145 x 1
• He 111 × 7
• He 117 x 6
• Ju 87 x 2
• Ju 88 × 6
• Ju 188 x 4

[NARSES2]

That's come out well, I particularly like that colour scheme   

[George the Cat]

Neat modelling. 

[Rheged]

High quality modelling and an unexpected but finely crafted backstory!

[DogfighterZen]

 

[zenrat]

Good job Comrade.

 

[kerick]

Looks great and a great story too!

[The Rat]

Terrific bit of work, and that camo is exquisite!

"Reports on our sexuality are wrong. Inessa is bisexual."

    

[Captain Canada]

Love it ! We don't see enough Beaufighters around. Great read too. Cheers !

[comrade harps]

Terrific bit of work, and that camo is exquisite!

"Reports on our sexuality are wrong. Inessa is bisexual."

    

I wondered if anyone was going to respond to that bit.