The Bristol Type 164 was the outcome of the 1942 Air Ministry specification H.7/42 calling for a faster development of the Beaufighter for long-range torpedo work and anti-shipping strikes.

[1] The Bristol design team led by Leslie Frise used the wings, tail and undercarriage of the Buckingham with a new fuselage of oval cross-section.

The first unit to convert from Beaufighters to the Brigand was 45 Squadron, based at RAF Station Tengah, Singapore, operating in support of British forces against the Communist guerrillas, engaged in an insurgency in Malaya.

Brigands of 45 Squadron and soon 84 Squadron were routinely engaged in strikes against Communist insurgent targets throughout Malaya, direct and in close support of ground forces, as well as providing air cover as needed to convoys on the ground, against possible ambushes.

This was traced to rubber seals in the hydraulic jacks deteriorating in the hot, humid climate.

An accumulation of gases in the long cannon blast tubes, which ran under the cockpit, was igniting through use of high-explosive shells.

[3] Another design flaw arose in the leather bellows used to deploy the air brakes during dives.

This led to Brigands losing wings in dives due to excessive airspeed or rotation as only one brake deployed.

When this problem was discovered the air brakes of all Brigands were wired shut, decreasing the aircraft's dive bombing capabilities.

The fuselage of Brigand RH746, in poor condition, was acquired by the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in 2010, after being recovered from a scrapyard in 1981.