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Squadrons
Number 19
Bolton Paul Defiant

Philedition

S u m m a r y :

Catalogue Number, Description and ISBN:

Squadrons No. 19
The Bolton Paul Defiant
by Phil H. Listeman
Illustrations by Juanita Franzi

ISBN: 979-1096490-06-6

Contents & Media:

Soft-cover format, 80 pages.

Price:

Available online from www.raf-in-combat.com and selected retailers

Review Type:

First Look

Advantages:

Useful to both modellers and those interested in the history of aircraft and Commonwealth involvement in WWII, good set of well reproduced personal photos and very nice coloured profiles.

Disadvantages:

None noted.

Conclusion:

This is an interesting and valuable volume for both the historian and modeller that adds another chapter to the literature on the Defiant. Recommended.


Reviewed by Graham Carter


 

FirstRead

 

This is a 80-page case-bound A4 ‘bookazine’ with a glossy card cover and is another in this long series of editions covering specific squadrons using a variety of Allied fighters and light bombers during WWII. It contains 77 pages of information on semi-matte paper and 3 more that are either blank or advertise other volumes.

 

 

This volume starts with a three page introduction to the development and variants of the Defiant, which was a fairly unsuccessful day fighter but achieved some success after dark. It covers Day squadrons 141 and 264, which later became a night lighter unit, as did 255. The night Fighter squadrons covered are 151, and a brief section on 85, 96, 125 (Newfoundland), 153, 256, 307 (Polish), 410 (RCAF) as well couple of OTUs.

 

 

The main part of the volume is concerned with these squadrons.Some are treated with coverage of their actions, bases, and personnel. Each is accompanied by tables of battle claims, and aircraft losses due to action or accidents, interspersed with useful photos of aircraft and personnel from private sources, all in B&W. Quality is a little variable depending upon the originals, but are interesting in that they often show casual scenes around the planes. Others are only given a brief treatment. Number 264 is given the most coverage as it used the aeroplane from December 1939 until July 1942. There follows an ‘In Memoriam’ table of details of the 139 pilots and gunners who lost their lives while flying Defiants with these squadrons, truly a horrifying set of statistics.

 

 

The volume then concludes with four excellent colour profiles of representative aircraft from the squadrons - 264 in day and night colours, and night fighters from 151 and 410 - by our own Juanita Franzi from Aeroillustrations.

 

 

Conclusion

 

This is an interesting and valuable volume for both the historian and modeller that adds another chapter to the literature on the Defiant. Recommended.

Thanks to Phil Listemann for the review sample.

Review Text Copyright © 2020 by Graham Carter
This Page Created on 7 October, 2020
Last updated 7 October, 2020

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