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]

India 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]
  • No. 1422 Flight RAF
  • No. 1479 Flight RAF
  • No. 1480 Flight RAF
  • No. 1481 Flight RAF
  • No. 1482 Flight RAF
  • No. 1483 Flight RAF
  • No. 1484 Flight RAF
  • No. 1485 Flight RAF
  • No. 1566 Flight RAF
  • No. 1592 Flight RAF
  • No. 1600 Flight RAF
  • No. 1602 Flight RAF
  • No. 1616 Flight RAF
  • No. 1622 Flight RAF
  • No. 1623 Flight RAF
  • No. 1624 Flight RAF
  • No. 1631 Flight RAF
  • No. 1692 Flight RAF used the Defiant on Radar Counter Measures (RCM) operations

 United States

United States Army Air Forces
  • No. 11 Combat Crew Replacement Centre USAAF[8][9] - 1 aircraft

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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Hall 2003, p. 14.
  8. ↑ Ansell 2005, p. 46 and back cover.
  9. ↑ Hall 2003, p. 19,25.

Bibliography

  • Ansell, Mark. Boulton Paul Defiant. Sandomierz, Poland/Redbourn, Herts, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2005. ISBN 83-89450-19-4.
  • Hall, Alan W. and Thomas, Andrew. Boulton Paul Defiant, (Warpaint Series No.42). Luton, Bedfordshire, UK: Warpaint Books Ltd., 2003. OCLC 64949042.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
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