Defiant, Blenheim and Havoc Aces

Author: Andrew Thomas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780964382
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 223

Book Description
An illustrated history of three pioneering fighters. The Defiant and the Blenheim enjoying early successes until they came up against the vastly superior Messerschmitt Bf 109, and the American-built Havoc. The Blenheim IF flew some of Fighter Command's early offensive operations, and the type soon proved vulnerable when pitted against single-seat fighters. However, for much of 1940 the Blenheim fighter squadrons provided the RAF's main long-range convoy escort and nightfighter capability. In the mid-1930s, in an attempt to capitalise on its expertise in power-operated gun turrets, the Boulton Paul Company developed the Defiant, a single-engined fighter in which all the armament was concentrated in the turret behind the pilot. Intended as a 'bomber destroyer', the Defiant had its combat debut over Dunkirk, and initially achieved some considerable success. A number of American-built aircraft called Douglas DB-7 light bombers (named Havoc by the RAF), were fitted with radar for nightfighter duties and others successfully replaced the Blenheim as night intruders. As this book outlines, a total of 11 pilots claimed five or more victories when flying these three types to become aces, whilst no fewer than 33 who became aces claimed at least part of their scores when flying the Blenheim, Defiant or Havoc.

Boulton Paul Defiant

Author: Alec Brew
Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited
ISBN: 1445687151
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 214

Book Description
Over 200 rare and previously unpublished illustrations of this iconic aircraft - the Boulton Paul Defiant.

British Secret Projects 3

Author: Tony Buttler
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781910809174
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
The British Secret Projects series covers the design and development of UK military aircraft since the mid-1930s with strong emphasis on designs that were never built, particularly those types generated by various design competitions. The original Volume Three (Fighters and Bombers 1935 to 1950) has now been split into separate volumes with this book covering fighters and a new Volume Four in preparation solely devoted to bomber designs. This split has allowed space for the inclusion of much new information and many new photographs. This book describes the design and development of the British fighter from the end of the biplane fighter to the start of the jet era. The projects and programmes which feature in its pages begin with those prepared in the mid-1930s in the knowledge that war was coming and go through to some which appeared after the war had ended. During this period the art of fighter design took some big and important steps forward and here can be found fixed-gun fighters and turret fighters, in both single and twin-engine form, plus the first generation of jet fighters. Types designed to meet the requirements of both the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm are included. Drawings new to this volume include the Folland Fo.118 and the Westland P.13. As with the companion volumes, the author has undertaken extensive research and made full use of primary source material. Three-view drawings plus photographs of models or original artist's impressions combine to show how these unbuilt designs would have appeared. Data and appendices summarise the projects, contracts and specifications and provide a detailed insight into many fascinating aircraft.

Boulton Paul Defiant

Author: Mark Ansell
Publisher: Yellow
ISBN: 9788389450197
Category : Crafts & Hobbies
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
The Boulton Paul Defiant is one Britain's most famous night fighter aircraft. First used as a day, then night during the Battle of Britain; and thus saw service as an auxiliary aircraft. Details are provided of a wide selection of historic machines and fascinating color schemes, as well as full technical details. The book is very well illustrated with many period black and white photos as well as a number of walk-around color photos, taken at the RAF Museum Hendon, of the only surviving Defiant. Also included in the book are a number of excellent 1/72nd scale plans and multiple view drawings of all the significant variants as well a numerous color profiles for both RAF and USAAF operated aircraft. It contains 53 black and white wartime photos, 18 black and white line drawings of various marks in 1/72nd scale, 136 color photos that are walk-around shots of the last existing example of a Defiant in the Hendon Museum, UK, several information charts, 16 illustrations out maintenance manuals and 35 full color side profile paintings (a couple of which are three-views). This book will have great appeal to model builders, aircraft enthusiasts, and aviation historians.

The Battle of Britain

Author: Richard Townshend, Bickers
Publisher: Batsford Books
ISBN: 1849943168
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 283

Book Description
By the summer of 1940, the overwhelming might of the German air force had triumphed over Poland, Norway, France, Holland and Belgium. As the fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe amassed on the north west coast of Europe, they had no reason to believe that the heavily outnumbered squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) would prove any more difficult to overcome than their earlier opponents. However, these illusions of invulnerability were soon to be shattered in whirling combats over southern England in the conflict that would be known as the Battle of Britain.

Flying to the Limit

Author: Peter Caygill
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 184415226X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 257

Book Description
Describes the design and testing of British fighter planes during World War II.

Defiant

Author: Robert Verkaik
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1472143531
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 251

Book Description
'Defiant is both a stirring testament to the courage of the men who flew them and a welcome new examination of one of the Second World War's most famous conflicts' Alexander Larman, Observer In this startling new perspective on the Battle of Britain, Robert Verkaik reveals the surprising truth about the battle's forgotten fighter, the Boulton Paul Defiant. The crucial role played by the Spitfire and the Hurricane has been exhaustively recorded, but, to date, next to nothing has been written about the third British fighter which took part in the battle. By writing from the unique perspective of the pilots who flew the Defiant and their air-gunners, Verkaik helps to set the record straight. The Air Staff regarded the Defiant as a state-of-the-art bomber destroyer and wanted to equip a third of all Fighter Command squadrons with this new plane. But the head of Fighter Command, Hugh Dowding, had other ideas and went to war with Whitehall over its plan to saddle him with hundreds of 'obsolete' turret fighters. Then at Dunkirk, a Defiant squadron scored a huge success against the Luftwaffe by shooting down more German planes in one day than any other RAF unit before or since. Fighter Command, enthusiastically urged on by the Air Ministry, now committed its third fighter to the coming air battle over southern England. In the desperate dogfights of the battle, Defiants shot down both German bombers and fighters but suffered heavy losses too - one squadron was almost wiped out when it was ambushed by a superior force of Messerschmitt 109s. On 30 August 1940 all Defiant squadrons were withdrawn from the front line. The families of the Defiant air crews believed that their husbands, brothers and sons had died in vain, but the truth is that their vital contribution to the battle over Dunkirk and their role in the Battle of Britain has been all but erased from the official history. The story of the Defiant has not been allowed to mar the glorious victory won by the Spitfire and the Hurricane. But Verkaik has uncovered new records, including top-secret memos written by Hugh Dowding and his deputy Keith Park as well as correspondence with the Air Staff, combat and squadron reports, pilot logs and recordings of the last interviews with Defiant crews. He has also succeeded in tracing relatives of Defiant pilots and gunners to tell the story of the Battle of Britain as it has never been told before. He reveals how the myths which have grown up around the Defiant mask some inconvenient truths.

Boulton Paul Aircraft

Author: Alec Brew
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 188

Book Description
This book records the aeronautical activities of this Norfolk-based company, with a brief history of its origins by William Moore in 1797, and its work during the First World War. It pioneered metal construction after the war and produced parts for the R-101 airship. As Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd at Wolverhampton, the Defiant was conceived, and its gun turrets would defend RAF bombers during WWII.

BATTLE OF BRITAIN COMBAT ARCHIVE

Author: SIMON. PARRY
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781906592851
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description

Beaufighter Aces of World War 2

Author: Andrew Thomas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472801717
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 150

Book Description
Entering service at the end of the Battle of Britain, the pugnacious Bristol Beaufighter was deployed in numbers by Fighter Command just in time for the start of the Luftwaffe's night 'Blitz' on Britain. Flown by specialised nightfighter squadrons – several of them elite pre-war Auxiliary Air Force units – it was the first nightfighter to be equipped with an airborne radar as standard. Thus equipped, it combined the ability to 'see' the enemy at night with the devastating hitting power of four cannon and six machine guns. This book covers the exploits of the men who made ace in the Beaufighter and includes stunning original artwork together with first hand accounts of the action.