Boulton Paul Defiant
The Boulton Paul Defiant was a British fighter aircraft. This single-engine, aircraft first in August 1937 and was used by the British Royal Air Force in World War II.
Defiants were different to other fighter planes because their guns (four Machine guns) were in a rotating turret and could fire in any direction. They had two crew: one man was the pilot and the other aimed the guns.
Defiants were made to shoot down enemy bomber aircraft. When they were used during the Battle of Britain, they were good at this. But they were slower and could not turn as well as German fighter planes, like the Messerschmitt Bf 109. A lot of Defiants were shot down by German fighters.
After the Battle of Britain, the British only flew Defiants at night. In this way they could attack the German bombers that also flew at night, and avoid the German fighters because they only flew during the day.
Today, only one Defiant is left in the world; it is in a museum in London.
Boulton Paul Defiant Media
Defiants of No. 264 Squadron in 1940.
Defiant N1671 from 307 Squadron at the RAF Museum London, partially dismantled, with its tail, engine cowling and outer wing sections removed, 2016
An air-gunner of 264 Squadron wearing a 'GQ Parasuit', or "rhino suit", August 1940
Defiant Mk.I N1585, PS-A of No. 264 Sqn., RAF Kirton in Lindsey, July 1940
Flight Sergeants E R Thorn (pilot, left) and F J Barker (air gunner) pose with their Defiant after destroying their 13th Axis aircraft; Thorn and Barker were the most successful Defiant crew of the war.
Groundcrew working on the Merlin engine of a Defiant at RAF Fairwood Common, Wales, January 1942
A Defiant TT Mk I in flight
Defiant TT Mk III target tug, number N1697; RAF Desford, May 1944. The wind-driven generator provided power for the target winch
Boulton Paul Defiant
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