WI-The Boulton Paul defiant had forward facing guns?

From Tony Buttler’s ‘British Secret Projects, Fighters and Bombers 1935-1950.

Prototype Defiant K8310 eventually had its turret removed and in August 1940 was flown as an unarmed flying demonstrator for a fixed-gun version called P.94, which was intended for rapid production using many complete Defiant components. The P94 had the turret replaced by 12 0.303” MG disposed in each side of the wing centre section in nests of six – 4 20mm cannon replacing 8 of the 0.303” in two nests of two each were an alternative while the MG could also be depressed 17 degrees for ground attack work. P.94 had a 1,100hp Merlin XX, which offered a maximum speed of 360mph at 21.700ft, a sea level climb of 3,250ft.min and would get to 25,000ft in 8.1 minutes. To allow the type to act as a long range fighter two 30-gallon auxiliary tanks could be carried and in production the aircraft would use standard Defiant jigs. The P94 was never ordered but Boulton Paul also proposed to convert the now single seat Defiant prototype into a 4 cannon fighter demonstrator. The Air Ministry’s rejection of this idea was recorded at a company board meeting on 26th September 1940.

someone at BP obviously thought that either the wing would be modified or a new wing fitted
 
From Tony Buttler’s ‘British Secret Projects, Fighters and Bombers 1935-1950.

Prototype Defiant K8310 eventually had its turret removed and in August 1940 was flown as an unarmed flying demonstrator for a fixed-gun version called P.94, which was intended for rapid production using many complete Defiant components. The P94 had the turret replaced by 12 0.303” MG disposed in each side of the wing centre section in nests of six – 4 20mm cannon replacing 8 of the 0.303” in two nests of two each were an alternative while the MG could also be depressed 17 degrees for ground attack work. P.94 had a 1,100hp Merlin XX, which offered a maximum speed of 360mph at 21.700ft, a sea level climb of 3,250ft.min and would get to 25,000ft in 8.1 minutes. To allow the type to act as a long range fighter two 30-gallon auxiliary tanks could be carried and in production the aircraft would use standard Defiant jigs. The P94 was never ordered but Boulton Paul also proposed to convert the now single seat Defiant prototype into a 4 cannon fighter demonstrator. The Air Ministry’s rejection of this idea was recorded at a company board meeting on 26th September 1940.

someone at BP obviously thought that either the wing would be modified or a new wing fitted

There are photographs of K8310, the modified Defiant, early in natural aluminum, and later, painted. They show that the landing lights were deleted. They don't show gun ports or ejection chutes, and no angle is shown illustrating servicing access. Depressing the guns 17 degrees would be something to see. The Merlin XX was rated much higher than 1100 hp, but the Hurricane couldn't do 360 mph, and a Defiant certainly couldn't. Maybe the Air Ministry weren't so naive after all. Talk is cheap. Photographic evidence?
 
What if it had the turret and the wing guns? It would get through ammo like hell but it's sure to bring something down

Put a hook on that and you have a real if shorter ranged alternative to the Fairey Fulmar. Heck remove the turret and give the observer twin Vickers K guns and the Fulmar would be hopelessly out classed. So would the Firefly.
 
Put a hook on that and you have a real if shorter ranged alternative to the Fairey Fulmar. Heck remove the turret and give the observer twin Vickers K guns and the Fulmar would be hopelessly out classed. So would the Firefly.

Except that the Defiant was ring fenced for the RAF. If the RAF did not want it then the turret fighter concept was dead (no Roc hooray!) and there would be no Defiant and Boulton Paul would be building Spitfires, also just for the RAF.

The POD time for the Admiralty would be 1938 at the latest when they ordered Sea Gladiators as they could obtain no other single seat fleet fighter. They knew the Fulmar was a poor choice but it was all they could get and that took until 1941 to serve in quantity. Even that was developed from a 1934 design.

The Admiralty was right in 1938 to ask for a folding wing Sea Spitfire as their preferred choice. Just possibly an AH whereby extra Boulton Paul built Spitfire production allows some Hurricanes to be released as Sea Hurricanes or Gloster is shifted into extra Hurricane production instead of more Gladiator. But the FAA run the risk of beginning the war with Sea Hurricanes not yet built and interim Gladiators not having been made so you are down to Skuas, Rocs and Nimrods.

Now a POD could be specification 0/30/35 with the Boulton Paul P85 Sea Defiant winning the order instead of the Blackburn Roc. Boulton Paul built the Roc for Blackburns anyway so a P85 production line would be easier. But you still have a turret sea fighter. Albeit a Defiant instead of a Roc. Just perhaps, the Admiralty becomes unenamoured of the turret fighter concept and asks Boulton Paul to alter their forthcoming Sea Defiants to single seaters with wing mounted guns.
 
The glorious Seafiant, designed to a specification made mushy by the seas of time, in the twilight zone.

Seafiant.png
 
Could the Defiant have been fitted with 2 forward firing MG's, either wing mounted or firing through the prop/synchronized without affecting performance in a major way? While not ideal, this means there is no true safe zone for an attacking fighter (although 2 .303 MG not totally dangerous), it makes the Defiant much less of a sitting duck.
 
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