The Bristol Type 163 Buckingham was a British Second World War medium bomber for the Royal Air Force (RAF).

The specification stipulated a speed of at least 300 mph at 5,000 ft, a normal load of 1,000 lb of bombs and a centre turret armed with at least two 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns.

[2] So when Bristol brought their Type 162 ("tentatively named Beaumont"), which was well matched to B.7/40, to the Air Staff, the company received a request to complete a mockup in 1940 and then a confirmed contract for three prototypes in February 1941.

Changes in the requirements, removing dive bombing and "direct army support" which incoming US bombers were expected to be capable of and increasing the performance to allow for the future, meant the Beaumont would no longer suffice.

An order for 400, at an initial rate of 25 per month, was made with deliveries expected in March 1943 but Bristol were still concerned that this not a reasonable scale and would prove expensive, and as such complained to MAP about poor planning.

[3] By the time the design entered production, requirements had changed, with attacks against German industry being covered by the US by day and by RAF Bomber Command de Havilland Mosquitos by night.

Despite its 300 mph (480 km/h) speed and superior range to the Mosquito transports, with room for only four passengers, the Buckingham was rarely put to use.

[3] A total of 65 Buckingham bombers were unfinished on the production line and ended up being rebuilt as the Buckmaster, a trainer for the similar Brigand.