Did you know there were 8 Defiant aces during it's service? Apart from the well known day and night fighter duties, it was used in air sea rescue. Also there's a hell of a lot pilots today who (maybe in the smallest of parts) owe their lives to the unsung Defiant. After the war, it was the Defiant which was used to test ejection seats and systems.
Yes, it's easy to love the Spitfire, Mustang or 109 and who could blame you for that. But it takes something special to do research on an unloved aircraft and see it for what it truly was. I love the Defiant for it's uniqueness, for the fact it challenged convention. It didn't win but it fought a good fight and it stood up to be counted alongside it's beter known contemporaries.
For instance, 1 of our squadron member's Grandfather was a navigator or rear gunner (I forget which) on Fairey Battles during the Battle of France...he won't hear a bad word against the Battle.
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03-23-2011, 11:18 AM
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