Defiant Proto K8310

Is there any way the Defiant could have been made in to a worthy fighter during WW2? An aircraft with as much promise as this one couldn’t surely have been a complete failure.

Thought so.

aeroflight.co.uk says that this is a mock-up..

Real aeroplane, faired over turret location.

aeroflight.co.uk says that this is a mock-up..

..thanks for sharing those, I always though the Defiant could, aesthetically,have been a fine looking aircraft if it hadn’t been lumbered with the turret..was there ever a variant proposed without the turret.??

Well, as it happens I have recently met a relation of one of the Defiants designers. According to information passed down to him, the Defiant WAS originally conceived as a ground attack aircraft, as per the Sturmovik and Stuka. This is why it was so strongly built, and provision was armour around the pilot.

The RAF/Ministry didn’t like this idea (at the proposal stage) and so the design was modified to include a turret, in response to a new requirement, and to achieve some production aircraft sales.

This designer was always upset by the fact the type was seen as outdated, obselete, and outmoded, because as originally concieved it would have been a great asset.

Thanx Rogier. The book should be ready to go to pubs in new year…if I get on with it! If you are at Martlesham, it will have local interest as the family came/comes from there (still!).

I never know whether to post photos here or not as interest is often hit or miss….the Westminster Abbey bomb damage was of no interest to others and the Hampden neither!

Thanks Tony for sharing the pics and good luck with the book.

Blimey, Northolt horizon has changed a lot since then!

Cheers all….It is fun digging out his shots. He died in 1986 and I find it difficult doing some of his shots, however, I would like to try and get memoirs published in next year or so: The photos would help ‘complete’ the book.

Some of the best are at the New Types Park, Hendon 1935/6 and Croydon in mid to late 30s. He was at Northolt with ULAS before the war so took some cracking shots

I googled the serial number an there are some lovely images out there, however, it was nice to look at his pictures.

When his book is on its ‘way’ I will turn my attention to the post war shots he took at Farnborough etc

Interesting comparison to be made of the Defiant and Roc in those photos.
Have to say in my view one looks modern, the other already outdated and obsolescent. But both have a charm all of their own.

One Flight image here.

More here.

PS – meant to say ‘thanks!’ to Rocketeer for sharing these images. Cheers!

I presume that was on the same day the best of the British aero industry was shown to the Members of Parliament? If so there’s some great shots of the same occasion on Flight’s website.

The Defiant was designed to carry the Boulton Paul turret; but the prototype did fly without it fitted, and later it was shown it could be converted into a single-seat fighter; but like the Miles M-20, there was no need.

Cracking shots Tony thanks.
One can only imagine the high hopes those onlookers must have had for the Defiant whilst watching it perform that day.

One of my all time favourite aircraft!

..thanks for sharing those, I always though the Defiant could, aesthetically,have been a fine looking aircraft if it hadn’t been lumbered with the turret..was there ever a variant proposed without the turret.??