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The Boulton Paul P.82 Defiant, designed and built in Norwich - the only East Anglian "local" aircraft, was produced to Air Ministry Specification F.9/35 and
was the first RAF fighter in service with a four-gun turret. The first prototype [K 8310] made its initial flight, without turret, on the 11th August 1937. The
second prototype, with turret, first flew on 18th May 1939 with the first production aircraft [L 6950] built to Specification F.5/37 flying on the
30th July 1939.
The Defiant introduced a new tactical concept to the RAF in that all the offensive firepower was concentrated in the rear turret and no forward-firing armament was fitted. 264 Squadron, who received their first Defiants in December 1939 and first took them into action on the 12th May 1940, found that this gave them a distinct advantage during early engagements and by the 31st May they had destroyed 69 enemy aircraft. The success was short-lived however and they soon fell prey to single-seater fighters using head-on and belly attacks. The losses mounted and in August 1940 they were withdrawn from daylight operations and used in the night-fighter role until Mosquito's and Beaufighters became available in late 1941 and early 1942. 264 Squadron, based at Colerne, retained theirs until July 1942. Production of the Defiant ceased in February 1943 after 1,064 had been built. As well as being used for target-towing and air-sea rescue duties the Defiant also saw extensive service at Air Gunnery Schools, Operational Training Units and Anti-aircraft Co-operation Units. |
| DEFIANT Mk 1 |
| 713 Mark 1's were built [L 6950 - AA 362] with the 1.030hp Merlin III engine and the armament mounted in a Boulton-Paul A Mk III hydraulically-powered turret.. 150 were later converted to T.T.III target tugs with some being tropicalised for service in the Middle and Far East. An additional 50 were converted for the air-sea rescue role. |
| DEFIANT Mk 1A |
| Some Mark 1's were delivered in the Autumn of 1941 fitted with the AI Mk IV radar and designated Mk 1A. |
| DEFIANT Mk 2 |
| The prototype Defiant II [N 1550] first flew on the 20th July 1940 and deliveries of the production aircraft commenced in February 1941. In all 210 Mark 2's were built [AA 363 - AA 670] with the Merlin XX engine developing 1,280hp as well as a larger rudder. |
| MOSQUITO Mk II |
| MOSQUITO Mk VI |
| MOSQUITO Mk XIII |
| MOSQUITO NF.36 |
| METEOR NF.11 |
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| METEOR NF.14 |
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