The Boulton Paul Defiant is a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any fixed forward-firing guns, also found in the Blackburn Roc of the Royal Navy.
In combat, the Defiant was found to be reasonably effective at destroying bombers but was vulnerable to the Luftwaffe's more manoeuvrable, single-seat Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. The lack of forward-firing armament proved to be a great weakness in daylight combat and its potential was realised only when it was converted to a night fighter. It eventually equipped thirteen squadrons in this role, compared to just two squadrons as a day-fighter. In mid-1942 it was replaced by better performing night-fighters, the Bristol Beaufighter and de Havilland Mosquito.
The Defiant continued to find use in gunnery training, target towing, electronic countermeasures and air-sea rescue. Among RAF pilots it had the nickname "Daffy". Wikipedia
Known Squadron Assignments: 409
With No. 409 (NF) Squadron, RCAF from 9 July 1941. One of the first 13 aircraft delivered to that unit, all arriving on 9 July 1941. Crashed on 11 October 1941, after pilot lost control. Came down at Wolverton, Norfolk. Pilot Flight Lieutenant F.S. Watson killed, F/S McKinnon bailed out. 2024-03-07Known Squadron Assignments: 1622
1943-August-16 KIFA RCAF Flight Sergeant Wilber Joseph Shaver 2021-08-01Known Squadron Assignments: 2
1942-November-30 KIA RCAF Warrant Officer 1st Class Robert George Brookes 2021-05-10Known Squadron Assignments: 141
1940-July-19 KIA RAF Pilot Officer Richard Alexander Howley 2021-03-02Known Squadron Assignments: 277
1943-May-27 KIA RCAF Warrant Officer 1st Class Alfred Irvine 2022-01-26Known Squadron Assignments: 281
1942-September-03 KIA RCAF Flight Sergeant Joseph Alphonse Jean Gerard Pelletier 2021-05-06Known Squadron Assignments: 410
Served with No. 410 (NF) Squadron, RCAF, in 1941/42. Crashed while on patrol night of 26/27 March 1942, came down near Morpeth, UK. Pilot F/S F.E. Haines killed. 2024-03-07Known Squadron Assignments: 410
Served with No. 410 (NF) Squadron, RCAF, in 1941/42. Crashed into Aberlady Bay, East Loyhian on 11 April 1942, during a training flight. Sgt. R.G. Smith and Sgt. A.G. MacKinnon killed. 2024-03-07Known Squadron Assignments: 256
1941-February-26 KIA RAF Flight Lieutenant Sydney Farquhar Johnson 2021-03-07Known Squadron Assignments: 153
1942-February-18 KIA RCAF Flight Sergeant John Robert Lucas 2023-07-19Known Squadron Assignments: 277
1942-July-25 KIA RCAF Flight Sergeant John Stanley George Arundel 2023-07-28Known Squadron Assignments: 60
1941-September-26 KIFA RCAF Pilot Officer Robert Charles Colley 2024-03-23Known Squadron Assignments: 60
1942-January-14 KIFA RCAF Sergeant Kenneth Gordon Drinkwater 2024-03-23