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Having recently talked about of couple of embarrassingly awful US World War 2 aircraft it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t mention some from my side of the Atlantic that were knocked together in the jolly old British Isles! Sadly, there are way too many to cover so I’ll just take a deep breath and mention a few!
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Adverts for Boulton and Paul garden sunrooms.
![](https://airlinepilotguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/a05128a_bolton-paul-defiant-mki_box-front.jpg)
The Wonderful Airfix Defiant model.
![](https://airlinepilotguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/1024px-An_air_gunner_of_No._264_Squadron_RAF_about_to_enter_the_gun_turret_of_his_Boulton_Paul_Defiant_Mk_I_at_Kirton-in-Lindsey_Lincolnshire_August_1940._CH874-790x1024.jpg)
The ungainly Rhino parachute that the Defiant gunners wore.
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The Sopwith Camel that Boulton Paul built under licence.
![](https://airlinepilotguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Boulton_Paul_Defiant_gun_turret_WWII_IWM_CH_879.jpg)
Boulton Paul had become well known as a turret manufacturer.
![](https://airlinepilotguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/1024px-An_air_gunner_of_No._264_Squadron_RAF_about_to_enter_the_gun_turret_of_his_Boulton_Paul_Defiant_Mk_I_at_Kirton-in-Lindsey_Lincolnshire_August_1940._CH874-790x1024.jpg)
The ungainly Rhino parachute that the Defiant gunners had to cope with.
![](https://airlinepilotguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/15_Boulton_Defiant_Defiant_Mk.Is_N1536_PS-R_15650318708-1024x595.jpg)
Boulton Paul Defiants lined up on the ground.
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Taken out of front line operations the Defiant found a place as a target tug aircraft.
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The large and slow Fairey Battle.
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The Battle’s bomb aimer’s position.
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Bombing up a Battle.
![](https://airlinepilotguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/1920px-100_years_of_the_RAF_MOD_45163637-1024x745.jpg)
How many apprentices does it take to push a Fairey Battle?
![](https://airlinepilotguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Swordfish_7582559196-1024x698.jpg)
The Fairey Swordfish.
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The aircraft due to replace the Swordfish, the Fairey Albacore.
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An Albacore departs from HMS Victorious.
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The damaged and sunk capital ships of the Italian Navy after the Battle of Taranto.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Boulton & Paul Ltd, Airfix, the RAF, Air Historic Branch RAF, RN, and The Australian War Memorial Collection,