The date is February 13, 1945, the time 1345hr. A Beaufighter of 19 Sqn, South African Air Force, fires its 3in rocket projectiles in salvo from 500ft on the snow-covered town of Zuzemberk, Yugoslavia.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Bristol Beaufighter - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1939

Beaufighter Mk X NT950 of 236 Sqn, bearing its individual letter “T - Tommy”on its nose, displays its rocket armament in late 1944.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Bristol Beaufighter - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1939

Beaufighter crews of 16 Sqn, SAAF, Balkan Air Force, rest on the pierced steel planking (PSP) runway in front of one of the unit’s Beaufighter Mk Xs in 1945. No 20 Sqn was renumbered 16 Sqn in Madagascar in September 1942, and began reequipping with Beaufighters in December 1943. It moved to Italy when shipping targets in the Aegean declined, carrying out similar work to that described in the article.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Bristol Beaufighter - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1939

Beaufighter Mk X RD162 returns from a sortie with its rocket rails empty. This aircraft is recorded as suffering an engine cutout on approach to Araxos, Greece, on January 8, 1946, while serving with 252 Sqn. It swung, stalled and crashed, being destroyed in the ensuing fire.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Bristol Beaufighter - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1939

A salvo of rockets fired by a SAAF Beaufighter of the Balkan Air Force smash into a bridge at Gorica, Yugoslavia, during attacks against German escape routes in late 1944.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Bristol Beaufighter - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1939

Beaufighter navigator Fg Off G. W. Calder at work in 1944. Flight photographer John Yoxall wrote: “I have never heard or seen anything so truly terrifying as a rocket projectile attack".

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Bristol Beaufighter - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1939

Beaufighter pilot; Sqn Ldr P.J.E. Ritchie of 143 Sqn was awarded the DFC in 1943.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Bristol Beaufighter - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1939