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]

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
  • No. 409 (Nighthawk) Squadron used the Defiant on night fighter operations between July 1941 and October 1941,[3] using the squadron code letters 'KP'.[4]
  • No. 410 (Cougar) Squadron used the Defiant as a nightfighter between June 1941 and June 1942, using the squadron code letters 'RA'.[5]

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