Bolton-Paul Defiant
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The Bolton Paul Defiant was a single engined two seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force from the late 1930s and through the Second World War. The unique design concept harked back to the days of 1918 when the likes of the Bristol Fighter proved the concept of a heavily armed two-seat fighter. This aircraft was armed with four browning 0.303 machine guns located in a single power-operated turret immediately behind the cockpit. Crucially, the Defiant did not have any forward firing guns.
Engined with the same Rolls Royce Merlin that powered the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire, the clean lines of the Defiant meant a top speed of around 305 mph. Its unique lay-out meant modified tactics were devised for combat by 264 Squadron, who were the first to be equipped with the fighter in late 1939.
The Defiant was first blooded in the air cover operations during the evacuation from Dunkirk in June 1940. From a distance, the Defiant looked similar to a Hurricane fighter, which may have been an advantage in these early combats with the Luftwaffe since German pilots would attack from behind, thinking that they had the advantage, only to be shot at from the rear facing turret.
The Germans learned and changed their tactics and attacked the Defiants from below and head-on, where no defence was possible and heavy losses resulted. Although 264 Squadron claimed an astonishing 48 kills in eight days over Dunkirk (recent research suggests no more than 12 to 15 were actually destroyed) the cost was high at 14 Defiants lost.
Further heavy losses for 264 Squadron and the only other Defiant squadron at this time (141) during the Battle of Britain led to a withdrawal from the daylight battles by late July 1940.
The aircraft served on night fighter duties over Britain through 1941 until other aircraft better designed for the role came into service. It was slightly more successful in this role, claiming more German bombers shot down than any other type apart from the radar-equipped Bristol Beaufighter. It was finally phased out of front line service in 1942 though was used for liaison and target towing duties until the end of the war.
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