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Subchaser -> (10/14/2003 3:16:58 AM)
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I was wondering about the same a couple of weeks ago and didn’t find anything on RAAF Beaufighter torpedo attacks.
In Europe only 2 Australian sqns were equipped with Beaus. 455 Sqn main job was to provide escort for the torpedo-carrying Beaus of 489 Squadron, but unit never used torpedoes on its own, only bombs and rockets (both MSW and trawler claimed by this unit were sunk with rockets). 456 Sqn had Beaus only for 10 months in 1942 and was flying patrols and rescue missions, didn’t claim anything while flying Beaus.
RAAF had 5 Beaufighter sqns in PTO (22, 30, 31, 92, 93, last two were formed in 45 and saw very little action) and they never employed torpedoes in combat also, despite the fact that many aircraft (both UK and Oz built) had torpedo-carrying gear. There were two main reasons for this, 1) no torpedo training (all PTO sqns were trained for ground-pounding) 2) no torpedo-worth targets within a range (90% of targets attacked on anti-shipping sorties were barges and small auxiliary vessels, these could be easily destroyed with Beau’s cannons and rockets, no need for torpedoes actually, in addition majority of engaged vessels were operating in shallow waters, barely suitable for torpedo attacks. RAAF Beaus didn’t use torpedoes even on occasions when torpedoes could be employed with great effect - Bismarck sea).
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