ADF-SERIALS
Australian & New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials & History

RAAF Boulton Paul P.82 Defiant
456 Sqn, RAAF

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Boulton Paul Defiant
     
 

Boulton Paul Defiant Image Gallery

  
     
 
Serial Type C/N Aircraft History
N1558 Mk.1 111 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 04/07/41 to 24/10/41.
To 60 OTU, converted to TT Mk3.
N1569 Mk.1 122 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 04/07/41 to 26/07/41.
Damaged on landing Valley, Wales to 43 Group for repairs.
N1647 Mk.1 173 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 04/07/41 to 21/10/41.
To 60 OTU.
To 153 Sqn, RAF.,
Written off 25/01/42 on 153 Sqn RAF.
N1690 Mk.1 199 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 02/07/41 to 26/09/41.
Damaged on landing Valley, Wales 17/09/41
To 43 Group for repairs.
N1706 Mk.1 215 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 07/09/41 to 24/10/41.
To 60 OTU,
To 153 Sqn RAF.
N3313 Mk.1 297 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 10/09/41 to 15/11/41.
to 264 Sqn, RAF,
To 43 Group Depot (Ex-264 Sqn RAF).
N3367 Mk.1 328 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 04/07/41 to 14/10/41.
To 256 Sqn RAF, converted to TT Mk3 30/11/43.
N3370 Mk.1 331 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 10/09/41 to 04/11/41.
In April 1942, during the German bombing of Bath, Defiant N3370 flown by Pilot Officer White and Pilot Officer Gavegan, madecontact with a Heinkel 111 of IV/KG 55 which was flying near Bristol, and in the ensuing combat the German gunner, Oberfeldwebel Willi Schulze, was killed and one of the bomber's engines damaged. However, Wnr.5319 was a tough old aircraft and the surviving crew members managed to nurse it back to France. P/O White's Defiant also had its problems, for on landing back at Colerne, the nearest airfield to Bath, at 3.15 am, the port oleo leg collapsed and a wheel snapped off causing the aircraft to slew round, damaging both its port wing-tip and flaps. (from http://www.626-squadron.co.uk/willem4.htm)
To 125 Sqn, converted to TT Mk3 25/1/44.
N3458 Mk.1 404 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 29/08/41 to 05/12/41.
Damaged on landing Valley, Wales.
Repaired 43 Group, to 256 Sqn RAF.
18/12/42 When in service with No 2 AGS , this a/c crashed in a forced landing at Sutton Bank ,North Yorkshire.
It was flying from it's base at Dalcross to Henlow when it tried to land at Topcliffe Q-Site (decoy field) on the top of Sutton bank, wrecking it.
The remains were still there in the 80's - the engine at least.

At 10.45hrs on 18th December 1942 the crew of this aircraft set out from Dalcross in Scotland to ferry it to Henlow in Bedfordshire. Before taking off the wireless transmitter was found not to be working but the crew took off anyway. They were to refuel at Catterick on their way south but whilst over Yorkshire the weather turned poor. As a result of poor visibility Catterick airfield was not located, 10/10th's cloud cover was reported on this day, due to the wireless being unservicable a diversion signal could not be passed to the aircraft to go to another airfield where a landing could be safely made. It was thought that the pilot had flown on and after running low on fuel, had tried to land once darkness began to set in. The aircraft may have suffered engine trouble before its crash which could be related to the lack of fuel. The pilot's choice of airfield could not have been worse, he made a attempted forced landing at 12.15hrs (though quoted elsewhere as 17.10hrs, which is a serious difference of time) on Topcliffe's "Q" Site decoy airfield near Sutton Bank at Cold Kirby, no doubt thinking it was a real airfield. Just before touching down the undercarriage clipped a stone wall and the aircraft overturned on striking the ground near Garbutts Farm killing the pilot and badly injuring his passenger. The aircraft was written off as following the crash.

Pilot - F/Sgt Alan Frank Martin RAF (932841), aged 21, of Ilford. Buried Manor Park Cemetery, Essex.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner (passenger?) - Sgt George Osmond Pitcher RAF (332458). Injured.

http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/42/n3458.html
N3477 Mk.1 407 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 17/09/41 to 31/10/41 Coded PZ-V.
To 125 Sqn RAF,
To 286 Sqn RAF.
N3496 Mk.1 426 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 02/07/41 to ?/41.
To Reid & Sigrist (Desford Aerodrome).,
02/01/1942 To 24 MU,
16/06/1942 Taxied into Beaufighter T5147 at Driffield airfield. Both aircraft repaired.
To TT Mk3 12/4/44.
N3497 Mk.1 427 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 02/07/41 to 16/09/41.
Damaged on landing (Parageter/Fell) to repair Reid & Sigrist.
Converted to TT Mk3 12/1/44.
T3933 Mk.2 473 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 04/07/41 to 21/07/41.
Crashed Llanerchymedd, Anglesey.
Crew; Sgt A.F. Brookes RAF solo killed.
Aircraft Written Off.
T3940 Mk.2 480 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 04/07/41 to 30/10/41 Coded PZ-V.
Crash landing Valley, Wales 27/7/41.
Repaired and back to 456 Sqn.
To 125 Sqn RAF.
T3950 Mk.2 490 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 04/07/41 to 27/08/41.
Damaged on landing 20/8/41.
To Reid & Sigrist for repair.
T4003 Mk.2 524 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 09/09/41 to 21/10/41.
To 60 OTU, w/o 31/10/41.
T4007 Mk.2 528 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 04/07/41 to 23/08/41.
Damaged on landing Valley, Wales 15/8/41.
To repair at Reid & Sigrist.
T4065 Mk.2 567 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 18/09/41 to 21/10/41.
To 60 OTU damaged 26/2/42.
T4066 Mk.2 568 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 29/07/41 to 25/10/41.
To 256 Sqn RAF coded JT-P.
V1116 Mk.2 611 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 16/09/41 to 25/10/41.
To 256 Sqn RAF coded JT-H.
07/02/1942 Crashed into sea after wingtip hit Lytham Pier during simulated attacks on coastal battery.
P/O W.J.P.Olney RAF killed. Sgt. S.L.Greenwood RAF killed.
Written off 07/02/42.
V1124 Mk.2 619 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 05/08/41 to 25/10/41.
To 256 Sqn RAF.
Damaged 23/11/41 and converted to TT Mk3.
To Royal Navy 19/01/45.
V1175 Mk.2 642 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 02/07/41 to 24/10/41.
To 60 OTU, RAF.
To 153 Sqn, RAF
13/11/1941 Written Off.
V1177 Mk.2 644 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 02/07/41 to 04/09/41.
Forced landed and hit trees at Squires Gate, Black Pool.
Crew; F/O T Cleary ok.
AA282 Mk.I 652 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 04/07/41 to 25/10/41.
To 256 Sqn coded JT-Q.
Converted to TT Mk3 21/9/43.
AA283 Mk.I 653 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 02/07/41 to 16/11/41.
To servicing at Reid & Sigrist then to 2 AFU,
29/09/1942 Sgt K. Johnson and passenger injured in a take off crash of Defiant AA283 of No.2 OAFU,
Written off 29/9/42.
AA284 Mk.I 654 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 02/07/41 to 24/10/41.
To 60 OTU,
To 277 Sqn, RAF.
25/10/1942 DBF after crashing while landing after training flight - Stapleford Tawney, Essex.
W/O F.D.Hubbard RCAF injured. Cpl. R.Prior injured.
Written off 25/10/42.
AA285 Mk.I 655 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 02/07/41 to 20/10/41.
To 60 OTU.
Damaged 04/01/42.
AA286 Mk.I 656 To 456 Sqn, RAAF, 17/09/41 to 25/10/41.
To 256 Sqn RAF coded JT-K.
Converted to TT Mk3 8/12/43.
 
     
 

Model of Boulton Paul Defiant as operated by 456 Sqn, RAAF for the RAAF War Collection  Boulton Paul Defiant in Night Fighter Scheme

Defiant II AA436 DZ-V of 151 Sqn, RAF
Defiant II AA436 DZ-V of 151 Sqn, RAF

This aircraft is very close in appearance to 456 Sqn, RAAF aircraft.

  
     

Page Authors: Darren Crick and Brendan Cowan.

Source: National Archives, British Military Aircraft Serials 1911-1979, Bruce Robertson, Australian War Memorial, Operational Record Book, 456 Sqn RAAF Fighter Nights, John Bennett, http://www.britishaviation-ptp.com/ ,

Emails: Gordon Birkett, Bertus Scholten

Updated 21 February 2016
     

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