Introduced in 1939, the Boulton Paul Defiant was Britain’s innovative countermeasure against the German bombers of the London Blitz. This fighter stood out with its rear-mounted turret housing four .303 caliber Browning machine guns. Its deceptive resemblance to the Hawker Hurricane allowed it to surprise and engage enemy bombers.
However, the Defiant’s design, focusing on turret firepower over speed and forward guns, presented operational challenges. It struggled in direct confrontations with faster, more agile fighters like the Luftwaffe’s Bf-109. Despite these limitations, the Defiant played a pivotal role in advancing aviation technology, particularly in developing ejection seats, serving as a testbed for the first Martin-Baker ejection seats.
As the Defiant patrolled the night skies during the Blitz, this aircraft, initially designed to protect London from aerial bombardment, was about to achieve a record-breaking performance in the history of aerial warfare.
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The basic problem was there wasn't enough power in a single Merlin engine to drag it along with the turret. It would have made a good night fighter, but the early on-board radar was heavy, and that slowed down the Defiant further. The Bristol Beaufighter introduced at the beginning of 1941 had two Hercules (or Merlin) engines and lots of power to carry early radar, radar operator and 4 x 20 mm cannons and still be fast enough to catch enemy bombers.
Point of order: 264 Squadron's claims over Dunkirk are extremely exaggerated as a result of the over-claiming typical in dogfights of the time. For instance, if three separate aircraft fired independently at the same enemy aircraft – each unaware of the other fighter's presence – and that enemy plane was shot down, the result was that back at base three separate "kills" would be logged when in fact only one had been scored. 264's actual claim for the day is closer to 12 or so. Still impressive, but nothing special.
One of the versions came with 12 .303 cal guns all firing forward. That was a nice thought butnothing come out of that.
37 kills, in two missions, in one day, by one squadron? German records show way less losses for that day from all causes. Total and utter rubbish. I expect better from this channel, you know better. And you know this aircraft was the result of a very, very very bad idea. It's basically a peice of shite.
I can not find an image anywhere that has the Defiant with a gun sight, confirming the pilot rarely, if at all taking control of firing the guns locked at 19 degrees. I imagine handing off control back and forth between the pilot and gunner would cause disruptions and maybe even confusion during tense battles.
They were used later in the war in electronic warfare jamming German radars looking out for RAF night bombers.
any new videos out soon
8 y/o me, thought this a great design…
It exceeded the design specifications it was meant to meet. Just that the design specifications were outdated.
Ejection seats alone make this bird a legend.
How many lives have been saved by ejection seats? All because of her
I love your videos and the content is always informative and in depth but your titles are fucking click bait and you need to stop.
My friends grandfathrr was one of the pilots shot down during the five of six sircraft losses.
Pilot Officer S. R. Thomas.
He survived however his gunner wasnt so lucky and was killed.
RlP a/c John Bromley.
It should be remembered that at the Defiants time of development nobody ever even imagined that NW Europe would fall to Germany as quickly as it did in mid 1940 and that therefore German bomber raids on the UK could be escorted by short ranged fighters based just across the Channel along the Pas De Calais, it was reasonably assumed that any German aircraft over the UK would be unescorted.
In fact that thought prevailed in the Luftwaffe too and we see evidence of that through the development of the big heavy long range 110.
My mate now owns the Boulton Paul brand. He bought it for 50 quid! He also got Sopwith.
Is this a re-upload? Im sure I just saw this vid s few days ago. Am I the only one?
My first Airfix model. Fond memories. Y
It was not a "controversial bomber destroyer", it was not a bomber destroyer, period. Here endeth the lesson.
An ejection seat was added to this aircraft only after painful experience showed the Brits they could expect to give it plenty of use, the aeronautical equivalent of lipstick on a pig.
No forward firing guns in the wings . . . Ooooops
Flaw philosophy, period!
Only video ever scene that didnt describe it as a pig, against unescorted bomber and in a group, it was a lot of firepower, and it is good you didnt rehash, the same misgivings, the brave pilots who flew this, did shoot down a significant number of aircraft, and they knew it was game up if intercepted by ME109, but they still managed to shoot some down.
Yet another daft idea from the airministry. Responsible for numerous aircrew deaths
Rifle caliber projectiles weren't the medicine for enemy aircraft.
Complimentary algorithm enhancement comment!😊
Excellent video. If I may comment that RAF squadrons are normally referred to as 'number two-six-four squadron' or just 'two-six-four squadron', not 'the 264th squadron'.