Boulton-Paul.

[Ginger.]

This company made Camels did they also make SE's,is it the same Company responsible for the Defiant in WW2?

The company that made the Camel is the same company that made the Defiant. I'm unsure about the SE, but it wouldn't surprise me at all.

[Mark_Miller]

I'm not sure who *made* the SE5a
But it was designed by a government agency.
I'm not sure what it was called back in WW1 but it's modern day equivalent is DERA.

In fact
I had some dealings with some DERA designers a couple of years ago. One thing led to another and I sent them some of my SE5a renderings.
They said that it was possible that some old SE5a drawings might still exist in their facility - somewhere

Nothing came from it though.

Mark

[Michael Skeet]

The SE-5 was designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough. After 1 April 1918 the RAF was renamed the Royal Aircraft Establishment.

All RAF designs were license-built by private firms around the UK. Many, if not most, of these companies did not have their own design units and left the aircraft business when their last government contracts expired.

Aren`t Boulton and Paul furniture makers/retailers these days

I know the Austin Motor Company made SE's during the war. I'm looking for a comprehensive list of contractors, but no luck yet.

[Graeme]

Rex, according to the SE5 File, constructors were:

The Air Navigation Co Ltd, Addlestone, Surrey (337 built)
The Austin Motor Co (1914) Ltd, Birmingham (1,550 built)
Martinsyde Ltd, Brooklands, Surrey (550 built)
Royal Aircraft Factory, Farnborough, Hampshire (250 built)
Vickers Ltd (Aviation Department), Crayford, Kent (665 built)
Vickers Ltd (Aviation Department), Weybridge, Surrey (1,500 built)
Whitehead Aircraft Ltd, Richmond, Surrey (no aircraft actually built as contract cancelled)
Wolseley (431 built)

Ginger:

Boulton & Paul made about 1,375 Camels, didn't do any SE5s and were responsaible for the Defiant. Not sure if that makes 'em heroes or villains.

Graeme

Thanks for the list Graeme! 8)

I have to admit a soft spot for the old Defiant myself. It was a miserable failure as a combat aircraft, but it is pleasing to my eye. :-[

[Graeme]

I know what you mean, Rex. The Defiant looks pretty businesslike, has a snout not unlike a Hurry's and four guns for the guy in the back. Just the turret, guns, ammo and gunner weighed too much (almost 1,000 lbs more than the Hurricane). The Rolls-Royce was a damn fine power plant, but even it struggled to make something that heavy go fast.

Did a pretty good job in the night-figther role, tho'.

Graeme

[Hugh_A._Halliday]

Let us face it - the Defiant was based on a ridiculous premise: "Chase me, Charlie, so I can shoot you down !" While often praised as a night fighter, I am at a loss as to whether Defiants ever shot down a dam thing. Lumbering Blenheims with primitive AI could at least fire forwards at a target.