gingerbob Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Hi all, I just had a thought: Mightn't the Defiant have been a good airframe for Night Intruder work? You could even carry a couple of 250 lb bombs like the Hurribombers did, to stir things up (annoy the enemy) a little bit. Relatively little worry about interception, and some reasonable defense if someone DID try to inconvenience you. And that turret might be able to take pot-shots at landing bombers, etc, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I think a couple of bombs and a turret might have stressed the poor thing. The actual value of a turret in such a scenario would seem to be small. It has been said that the Defiant would have made a good airframe for (single-seater) ground attack, but hardly worth the effort in closing down the production lines and starting again. I rather doubt that the wing structure would make for an easy addition of eight/twelve machine guns. The Hurricane of course only made a reasonable intruder with added tanks. And there was a genuine need for fast target-tugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Maybe not a couple 250lb. bombs, but what about a couple of the small bomb carriers, like you could see under a Blenheim, aft of the bomb bay and on the winglets of a Lysander? One of those under each wing, outboard of the u/c. More of a nocturnal nuisance raider. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Hi The AP manual lists in the pilot notes item 62 bomb selector switches item 63 bomb jettison switch I will try to see if there is more in the main manual that i have cheers jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyL Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 141 and 264 flew intruder sorties with the former flying their first in November 1940. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyL Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Here's one a bit later: Squadron Leader Ted Wolfe, with Pilot Officer Pearmain as air gunner in Defiant N1725 as recorded in the formers log book, dated 7th April 1941. " Operational intruder to Lille. Two chases. Did M attack on Dover Balloon!!. Saw Beau shoot Hun down at Worthing." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) Hi found a bit more bomb release gear in the outer wings, so presumably the same place the ASR racks were fitted ? the electrical drawing shows one jettison switch type F two type C selector switches ( port & stbd ) four switches on each box found the bomb carrier info provision for light-series bomb carrier beneath each outer wing each carrier can accommodate four 20lb bombs cheers jerry Edited March 30, 2020 by brewerjerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Successful intruders had forward-firing 20mm cannon, or at least a fair complement of forward-firing .50s, so the Defiant wasn't really the best choice for the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Work In Progress said: Successful intruders had forward-firing 20mm cannon, or at least a fair complement of forward-firing .50s, so the Defiant wasn't really the best choice for the job. Hi true, but for nuisance attacks on airfields it might have been handy during the early blitz on the UK just the disruption of usual duty on the airfield due to an air raid might have very been useful even just lack of a good sleep for ground support staff a couple of bombs and a few bullets, causing turning off airfield landing lights for returning night bombers cheers jerry Edited March 30, 2020 by brewerjerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyL Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) If you fancy doing a specific Defiant, then you could do N3377 of 264 Squadron, and coded PS-J. Flown by Flying Officer Michael Young with Sergeant Les Russell as air gunner. They claimed a Me 110 over Merville on 9th May 1941. This Defiant was fitted with the Bluenote exhaust system - the six ejector set up as opposed to the kidney exhaust style. Edited March 30, 2020 by AndyL 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 1 hour ago, AndyL said: If you fancy doing a specific Defiant, then you could do N3377 of 264 Squadron, and coded PS-J. Flown by Flying Officer Michael Young with Sergeant Les Russell as air gunner. They claimed a Me 110 over Merville on 9th May 1941. This Defiant was fitted with the Bluenote exhaust system - the six ejector set up as opposed to the kidney exhaust style. Hi curious would this have black or night undersurfaces ? and what colour code letters .... red ? cheers jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Here's a picture @brewerjerry sent to me, to post here. 2 hours ago, AndyL said: This Defiant was fitted with the Bluenote exhaust system - the six ejector set up as opposed to the kidney exhaust style. The Defiant wasn't fitted with the kidney ( slotted )exhaust pipes, but with the regular three pipe ejector style. Later nightfighters did have the 6-pipe exhausts. Chris 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 Oops! Forgot this. From the same MMP book. Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 From Warpaint # 42 The Boulton-Paul Defiant: Chris 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackem01 Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 13 hours ago, AndyL said: Here's one a bit later: Squadron Leader Ted Wolfe, with Pilot Officer Pearmain as air gunner in Defiant N1725 as recorded in the formers log book, dated 7th April 1941. " Operational intruder to Lille. Two chases. Did M attack on Dover Balloon!!. Saw Beau shoot Hun down at Worthing." Can anyone add anymore detail about the aircraft shot down near Worthing by this Beaufighter (sorry for thread steal). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyL Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 43 minutes ago, mackem01 said: Can anyone add anymore detail about the aircraft shot down near Worthing by this Beaufighter (sorry for thread steal). He 111P-4, 2976 of 1/KG55, shot down by Sergeant E Dye of 219 Squadron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyL Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 12 hours ago, brewerjerry said: Hi curious would this have black or night undersurfaces ? and what colour code letters .... red ? cheers jerry Grey codes. Unsure of exact finish of the undersides though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 14 hours ago, brewerjerry said: Hi true, but for nuisance attacks on airfields it might have been handy during the early blitz on the UK I'm inclined to believe that there were plenty of initiatives using any available aircraft however madcap it would seem. Not speaking about effectiveness but as they say 'all hands on deck'.. Whether these efforts are all usably documented is another matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyL Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 @gingerbob Here's Michael Young and Les Russell in front of N3377. Note Michael Young had a line of kill markings under his cockpit. Young survived the way, but Les Russell was later killed in action serving with 78 Squadron. The photo came to me via the Russell family. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 Thanks Andy (and all), A passing thought has stirred up some interesting conversation, as I hoped it would. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AltcarBoB Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 Just a thought could the Daffy have been used as a flare dropper to illuminate targets for something with the teeth to make a difference. Four twenty pound bombs might not even wake up the Germans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 5 hours ago, AndyL said: @gingerbob Here's Michael Young and Les Russell in front of N3377. Note Michael Young had a line of kill markings under his cockpit. Young survived the way, but Les Russell was later killed in action serving with 78 Squadron. The photo came to me via the Russell family. Hi nice photo, darkened roundel and maybe dark undersurfaces cheers jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 1 hour ago, brewerjerry said: Hi nice photo, darkened roundel and maybe dark undersurfaces cheers jerry I'd say overall black/Night. I can't see any colour difference that would indicate DG/DB camo. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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