Boulton Paul Defiant
From Our Contribution
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Type | monoplane |
| Role | Interceptor |
| Designer | John Dudley North |
| Manufacturer | Boulton Paul Aircraft |
| Produced | England |
| Number built | 1,064 |
| Primary users | RAF, RAAF, RCAF, Polish Air Force |
| In service | December 1939 |
| Out of service | The last operational use was in India, used as target tugs |
Remarks
The Defiant was found to be effective at destroying bombers, the role it was designed for, but was vulnerable to the Luftwaffe's more manoeuvrable, single-seat Messerschmitt fighters. The Defiant lacked forward-firing armament, which proved to be a great weakness in daylight combat with fighters. It did, however, find success when it was converted to a night fighter. Eventually thirteen squadrons were equipped for this role, compared to just two squadrons as a day-fighter, though this was mainly due to slow initial production. In mid-1942 it was replaced by better performing night-fighters, the Bristol Beaufighter and De Havilland Mosquito.
The Defiant continued to find use in gunnery training, target towing, electronic countermeasures and air-sea rescue.
General characteristics
- Crew: two, pilot, gunner
- Length: 35 ft 4 in (10.77m)
- Wingspan: 39 ft 4 in (11.99m)
- Height: 11 ft 4 in (3.45m)
- Empty weight: 6,078lbs (2,757 Kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 8,600lbs (3,901 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Merlin III liquid-cooled V12 engine
- Maximum speed: 304 mph (489 km/h at 17,000 ft
- Range: 465 miles (748 km)
- Service ceiling: 31,000 ft (9,400m)
- Armament
- Guns: 4 × 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns in hydraulically powered dorsal turret