List of Boulton Paul Defiant operators

This is a list of the Boulton Paul Defiant operators.

Operators of the Defiant, dark blue = operator, light blue = operator in exile, yellow = training use only.

Operators

Australia

Royal Australian Air Force
  • No. 456 Squadron RAAF used the Defiant between its formation in June 1941 and November 1941 when it converted to Beaufighters. Squadron code letters 'PZ'.[1]

British India

Royal Indian Air Force[2]
  • No.1 Air Gunners School (India)
  • No.22 Anti Aircraft Co-Operation Unit

Canada

Royal Canadian Air Force

Poland

Polish Air Forces on exile in Great Britain
  • No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron "Lwowskich Puchaczy" used the Defiant between September 1940 and August 1941,[6] using the squadron code letters 'EW'. 307 was a new nightfighter Defiant squadron formed but did not become operational until December defending western Britain. One of their aircraft was serial number N1671, EW-D, and is the sole complete surviving Defiant which is on display at the RAF Museum at Hendon.

United Kingdom

Royal Air Force
Squadron Period Operations
No. 2 Squadron RAF August - November 1940 Fighter, Squadron code KO[7]
No. 85 Squadron RAF January - February 1941 Fighter, probably Squadron code 'VY'.[7]
No. 96 Squadron RAF March 1941 - July 1942 Fighter, Squadron code 'ZJ'.[7]
No. 125 (Newfoundland) Squadron June 1941 - April 1942 Night fighter, Squadron code 'VA',[7]
No. 141 Squadron RAF April 1940 - August 1941 Fighter, Squadron code 'TW',[7]
No. 151 Squadron RAF December 1940 - July 1942 Nightfighter as radar countermeasures, Squadron code 'DZ', .[7]
No. 153 Squadron RAF October 1941 - May 1942 fighter, Squadron code 'TB', .[7]
No. 255 Squadron RAF November 1940 - September 1941 Fighter, Squadron code 'YD',[7]
No. 256 Squadron RAF November 1940 - June 1942 Fighter, Squadron code 'JT', .[7]
No. 264 Squadron RAF December 1939 - July 1942 Fighter, Squadron code 'PS', .[7]
No. 275 Squadron RAF May 1942 - June 1943 air-sea rescue, Squadron code 'PV', .[7]
No. 276 Squadron RAF May 1942 - May 1943 Air-Sea Rescue, Squadron code 'AQ',[7]
No. 277 Squadron RAF May 1942 - May 1943 Air-Sea Rescue, Squadron code 'BA', .[7]
No. 280 Squadron RAF May - December 1942 Air-Sea Rescue, Squadron code 'MY', .[7]
No. 281 Squadron RAF April 1942 - July 1943 Air-Sea Rescue, Squadron code 'FA', FA-H[7]
No. 285 Squadron RAF March 1942 - January 1944 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation, Squadron code 'VG', .[7]
No. 286 Squadron RAF April 1942 - July 1944 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation, Squadron code 'NW'.[7]
No. 287 Squadron RAF April 1942 - October 1943 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation, Squadron code 'KZ'.[7]
No. 288 Squadron RAF May 1942 - April 1943 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation, Squadron code 'RP'.[7]
No. 289 Squadron RAF May 1942 - July 1943 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation, Squadron code 'YE'.[7]
No. 515 Squadron RAF June 1942 - December 1943 Radar Counter Measures (RCM) operations.
No. 567 Squadron RAF
No. 667 Squadron RAF December 1943 - February 1945 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation, Squadron code 'U4'.[7]
No. 691 Squadron RAF December 1943 - April 1945 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation, Squadron code '5S'[7]
Fleet Air Arm

United States

United States Army Air Forces

References

Notes

  1. ^ Halley 1988, p. 478.
  2. ^ Boulton-Paul Defiant TT.I & TT.III article at Bharat Rakshak website. Archived 2012-10-02 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Halley 1988, p. 496.
  4. ^ Hall 2003, p. 14
  5. ^ Halley 1988, p. 497.
  6. ^ Halley 1988, p. 360.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Hall 2003, p. 14.
  8. ^ Thetford 1991, p. 421.
  9. ^ Ansell 2005, p. 46 and back cover.
  10. ^ Hall 2003, p. 19,25.

Bibliography

  • Ansell, Mark. Boulton Paul Defiant. Sandomierz, Poland/Redbourn, Herts: Mushroom Model Publications, 2005. ISBN 83-89450-19-4.
  • Hall, Alan W. and Thomas, Andrew. Boulton Paul Defiant, (Warpaint Series No.42). Luton, Bedfordshire: Warpaint Books Ltd., 2003. OCLC 64949042.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Thetford, Owen (1991). British Naval Aircraft since 1912. London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books, an imprint of Conway Maritime Press Ltd. ISBN 0-85177-849-6.