Boulton Paul Defiant Mk 1D, Western Desert, 1942

[Doug K]

Parts picture to be taken but the plan is to combine the Defiant and Hurricane to form a new ground attack/ army cooperation variant used in the Westen Desert once the aircraft was outclassed in Europe.

Rationale is simple; when attacking ground targets an an ever changing battlefield it was very easy to be jumped by Italian or German fighters when focussed to the front. The second seat helped provide another pair of eye, facing backwards and, most importantly, surrounded by 4 Brownings!

The army cooperation role was only used during the great set-piece artillery duels, where spotting the fall of shot (naval fashion) helped the gunners accuracy.

I'll add the pics when I fire up the computer.

[Doug K]

The plan is to combine the Defiant and Hurricane to form a new ground attack/ army cooperation variant used in the Westen Desert once the aircraft was outclassed in Europe.

Rationale is simple; when attacking ground targets an an ever changing battlefield it was very easy to be jumped by Italian or German fighters when focussed to the front. The second seat helped provide another pair of eye, facing backwards and, most importantly, surrounded by 4 Brownings!

The army cooperation role was only used during the great set-piece artillery duels, where spotting the fall of shot (naval fashion) helped the gunners accuracy, helpful when 4 sets of eyes are available

Paint scheme stil TBD, backstory likewise

IMG_1411 by doug_alba, on Flickr

[Leading Observer]

Look forward to this one.

[NARSES2]

Look forward to this one.

Same here. 

Must admit whilst building my current Defiant I got thinking about one with a couple of 250lb's or maybe even some 20mm under wing gun pods ?

[dadlamassu]

Must admit whilst building my current Defiant I got thinking about one with a couple of 250lb's or maybe even some 20mm under wing gun pods ?

During the "Invasion Scare" my father was  in a Defiant Squadron training for night fighting and when not doing that training for other anti-invasion duties.  Where he was posted there were various trials including fitting bomb racks under the wings of the Defiant.  Unfortunately he did not say if they were 250lb or the quad small bomb racks.  They also trialled strafing beach targets and circling over landing barges to pour the concentrated firepower into the hold.  A bit like modern AC-? series gunships. 

I have one of the old Airfix black plastic Defiants on the workbench just now being converted to the Army co-operation role to go with "his" black one I already have. 

[NARSES2]

During the "Invasion Scare" my father was  in a Defiant Squadron training for night fighting and when not doing that training for other anti-invasion duties.  Where he was posted there were various trials including fitting bomb racks under the wings of the Defiant.  Unfortunately he did not say if they were 250lb or the quad small bomb racks.  They also trialled strafing beach targets and circling over landing barges to pour the concentrated firepower into the hold.  A bit like modern AC-? series gunships. 

I have one of the old Airfix black plastic Defiants on the workbench just now being converted to the Army co-operation role to go with "his" black one I already have.

That's very interesting to hear  My personal thoughts are that they would of been the quad small bomb racks. 8 small bombs and the ability to strafe the landing barges would have been quite effective if they could have survived the general environment over the beaches. However if things had gone that far then anything and everything would have been thrown in. There were plans to equip Magister trainers with racks for gas bombs (I've build one) and undoubtedly far "stranger" plans, at least to our modern eyes, which have not yet seen the light of day and are buried at Kew, if they weren't destroyed once the War was over.

[Doug K]

During the "Invasion Scare" my father was  in a Defiant Squadron training for night fighting and when not doing that training for other anti-invasion duties.  Where he was posted there were various trials including fitting bomb racks under the wings of the Defiant.  Unfortunately he did not say if they were 250lb or the quad small bomb racks.  They also trialled strafing beach targets and circling over landing barges to pour the concentrated firepower into the hold.  A bit like modern AC-? series gunships. 

I have one of the old Airfix black plastic Defiants on the workbench just now being converted to the Army co-operation role to go with "his" black one I already have.

That's very interesting to hear  My personal thoughts are that they would of been the quad small bomb racks. 8 small bombs and the ability to strafe the landing barges would have been quite effective if they could have survived the general environment over the beaches. However if things had gone that far then anything and everything would have been thrown in. There were plans to equip Magister trainers with racks for gas bombs (I've build one) and undoubtedly far "stranger" plans, at least to our modern eyes, which have not yet seen the light of day and are buried at Kew, if they weren't destroyed once the War was over.

Opens all sorts of whiff options, particularly as the Defiant is one of my favourites.....

[The Rat]

I'll be watching this with interest. Have a similar idea ready to go (translation: when I overcome the fear  ) of an RAAF ground attack version.

[Doug K]

I'll be watching this with interest. Have a similar idea ready to go (translation: when I overcome the fear  ) of an RAAF ground attack version.

[Doug K]

You can see where I'm going with this.....   

IMG_1412 by doug_alba, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

Ahah, that makes much more sense than my aborted attempt at a 'Turricane' by grafting the Defiant turret into a Hurricane fuselage. That just doesn't work, whereas your scheme looks a real goer.

[Dizzyfugu]

Oh, with "sand and spinach" nose!? 

[NARSES2]

Opens all sorts of whiff options, particularly as the Defiant is one of my favourites.....

Mine to. "Despite" the turret I think it's a quite clean looking aircraft.

Mine is just about done, and yes she is Western Desert based, but will look a fair bit different to yours 

[Doug K]

Oh, with "sand and spinach" nose!? 

Yup... I said you'd see where I was going with it..

[Doug K]

Oh, with "sand and spinach" nose!? 

Yup... I said you'd see where I was going with it..

Damn but that's tricky to achieve, will tone down with weathering.... 🤞