Fly Past

BOULTON AND PAUL ‘STRANDS’ 100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE

BOMBERS RAF CENTENARY CELEBRATION 25

Above left

Overstrand K4561

was delivered to 101

Squadron at Bicester

in May 1936. It was

withdrawn from use

in August 1938 and

scrapped the following

year. The large rudder

servo-tab, mounted

on the rudder, was a

means of lessening

control loads.

© ANDY HAY

http://www.fl yingart.co.uk

Left

The Sidestrand

prototype, J7938,

served on and off

with 101 Squadron

during its service

life, 1926-1934. In

between it had periods

back with Boulton

Paul, the Aeroplane

and Armament

Experimental

Establishment at

Martlesham Heath,

and the Royal Aircraft

Establishment at

Farnborough. KEC

Left

Overstrand J9815

started life as a

Sidestrand II in 1929,

serving with 101

Squadron. It was

rebuilt as a Sidestrand

and re-entered service

with 101 in January

1935. It was written
      off following a crash
      at North Coates on
      September 9, 1935. KEC

overhauled BP and become the top
manufacturer of the RAF’s turrets
for the ‘heavies’ of World War Two.

END OF THE LINE
Converted from a Sidestrand, and
initially known as the Sidestrand
Mk.V before Overstrand was
settled upon, the prototype had
its maiden flight in August 1933.
The first deliveries were made to
101 Squadron, by then at Bicester,
in January 1935. Oddly another
Bicester-based unit, the newly
re-formed 144 Squadron,

operated a quartet of Overstrands

during the first two months of

1937, before standardising on

Hawker Audaxes.

Overstrands were retired from

frontline use in June 1938 when

Bristol Blenheim Is were adopted.

A handful were still on charge with

10 Bombing and Gunnery School at

Warmwell, in early 1940.

After the disastrous Defiant

turret fighter, BP

became an

efficient sub-contractor during

World War Two. Post-war BP

returned to designing aircraft, but

in 1957 it completed its last aircraft

to concentrate on powered control

units of increasing sophistication.

The name Boulton Paul was

dispensed with in 1969 and today the

enterprise is part of the Moog Group.

At the forefront of servo

motors and controls,

the company can

trace its roots

back to the

RAF’s first turrets.

Type: Three-crew medium bomber

First fl ight: August 1933, entered service June 1936

Powerplant: Two 580hp (432kW) Bristol Pegasus IIM3 radials

Dimensions: Span 72ft 0in (21.9m), Length 46ft 0in (14.0m)

Weights: Empty 7,936lb (3,599kg), All-up 12,000lb (5,443kg)

Max speed: 153mph (246km/h) at 6,500ft (1,981m)

Range: 545 miles (877km)

Armament: One machine gun in nose turret, one in dorsal and one in ventral

position. Up to 1,600lb (725kg) of bombs

Replaced: Boulton Paul Sidestrand

Taken on charge: 24, and conversions from Sidestrands

Replaced by: Bristol Blenheim Is in 1938

BOULTON PAUL OVERSTRAND Above leftAbove leftAbove leftAbove left

Overstrand K4561 Overstrand K4561 Overstrand K4561 Overstrand K4561

was delivered to 101 was delivered to 101 was delivered to 101 was delivered to 101 was delivered to 101 was delivered to 101

Squadron at Bicester Squadron at Bicester Squadron at Bicester Squadron at Bicester Squadron at Bicester Squadron at Bicester

in May 1936. It was in May 1936. It was in May 1936. It was in May 1936. It was in May 1936. It was

Type: Three-crew medium bomber

First fl ight: August 1933, entered service June 1936

BOULTON PAUL OVERSTRAND

“The Sidestrand was capable of rolls and loops that would fool an

RAF fi ghter attempting a practice interception. Yet it was easy to

fl y and very stable, making it a pilot and a bomb aimer favourite.”