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.on to equip just one RAF squadron,
No.101. The Sidestrand, as it was named
displayed remarkable agility for a
bomber, which was well demonstrated
in mock engagements with fighters
at the Hendon Air Displays. But with
such aerobatic prowess, life for the
front and mid-upper gunners was
proving exceedingly difficult.
A solution to the problem was
offered with the possibility of installing
the French-designed de Boysson turret.
But with the French Government
showing complete indifference to the
project, Boulton Paul were anxious to
acquire the manufacturing rights to the
turret. It was eventually fitted to the
Overstrand, a more powerful version
of the trusty Sidestrand; again operated
by 101 squadron. Their optimism was
vindicated; with the turret proving
to be an immediate success, enabling
gunners to improve their accuracy by
significant margins in air-to-air firing.
Following the clear success of
Boulton Paul’s turret in the Overstrand,the Air Ministry was keen to explore the
feasibility of a two-seat fighter; with all
.303 Browning armament concentrated
in a hydraulic four-gun turret. Boulton
Paul were obvious contenders, as were
Hawker; already well advanced in
the design of a two-seat light bomber.
Their theory behind the concept was
that the turret fighter would be merged
with numbers of single-seaters, such
as the Hawker Hurricane to intercept
formations of unescorted enemy
bombers. Clearly, the ‘enemy’ would