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 Royal Air Force Museum London 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 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• No. 1480 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• No. 1481 Target Towing and Gunnery Flight RAF
• No. 1482 Target Towing and Gunnery Flight RAF
• No. 1483 (Bombing) Gunnery Flight RAF
• No. 1484 (Bombing) Gunnery Flight RAF
• No. 1485 (Bombing) Gunnery Flight RAF
• No. 1566 (Meteorological) Flight RAF
• No. 1600 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• No. 1602 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• No. 1616 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• No. 1622 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• No. 1623 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• No. 1624 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• No. 1631 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• No. 1692 (Radio Development) Flight RAF used the Defiant on Radar Counter Measures (RCM) operations

Fleet Air Arm

• • Operated the Defiant Target-Tug^[8]
• 721 Naval Air Squadron
• 726 Naval Air Squadron
• 727 Naval Air Squadron
• 728 Naval Air Squadron
• 770 Naval Air Squadron
• 771 Naval Air Squadron
• 772 Naval Air Squadron
• 774 Naval Air Squadron
• 775 Naval Air Squadron
• 776 Naval Air Squadron
• 777 Naval Air Squadron
• 779 Naval Air Squadron
• 788 Naval Air Squadron
• 789 Naval Air Squadron
• 791 Naval Air Squadron
• 792 Naval Air Squadron
• 794 Naval Air Squadron
• 797 Naval Air Squadron

United States

United States Army Air Forces

• No. 11 Combat Crew Replacement Centre USAAF^[9][10] - 1 aircraft