Boulton Paul Type D Gun Turrets

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Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 51

Can anyone let me know what aircraft these turrets were used in? I understand that late model Halifaxes (B VIIs) & A (Xs) did? What else?

Cheers
David

Original post

Member for

17 years 6 months

Posts: 1,586

Lancaster VII's, Lincolns I believe. There is a Lanc in Australia that still has one fitted IIRC.

Cheers

Cees

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 51

Thanks

Thanks for that - I'll check it out....

Member for

20 years 6 months

Posts: 8,195

Can anyone let me know what aircraft these turrets were used in?

British Aircraft Armament Vol 1, R Wallace Clarke (again) Was a new turret, designed to take the heavier .5in Browning MGs (x2):

HP Halifax B.VII, Avro Lincoln; Shackleton Mr.1.

Could take AGLT 'Village Inn'. (Airborne Gun Laying Turret radar blind tracking.)

"Several type D Turrets still exist, many having been rebuilt by enthusiasts. A prime example can be seen at the RAF Museum at Hendon where it is exhibited on a stand."

Certainly G for George at the Australian War Memorial doesn't have one; so I presume Cees is thinking of the Lancaster in WA?

http://www.raafawa.org.au/wa/museum/lanc/history.htm

Noted as being fitted originally with a Nash & Thompson .5 Browning turret set.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 91

I need to update the list, but I currently have 4 shown on the Boulton Paul website preservation page: www.boultonpaul.com then click on preservation or direct link: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/markansell/bpa/preserved/preserved.html

Type D Turret
in Lincoln RF398 Aerospace Museum, Cosford
in Lincoln RE408 Argentina
on display stand Aerospace Museum, Cosford
under restoration Sywell Aviation Museum

Mark

Member for

17 years 9 months

Posts: 82

The Lancaster at the War Memorial in Canberra (Australia) has a Fraser Nash FN121 Rear Turret. (ok, maybe an FN120..)

But, what exactly is the turret on the Lancaster in Western Australia??

(I hope the photographers don't mind me using their pictures?)

Boulton Paul Type D Turret, thanks to Mark Ansell's website:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/markansell/bpa/turrets/rafmtyped.jpg

Fraser Nash FN82 Turret on Lancaster NX611 in UK:
http://www.tmquinn.net/airgunners/memorialroom/fn82.jpg

Rear Turret on Lancaster NX622 in Western Australia:
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/AWA1/501-600/walk525_Lancaster_Hollingsworth/39.jpg

It seems the WA turret looks like a Boulton Paul Type D on top (upper cupola), BUT EXACTLY like the FN82 on the bottom (actual turret structure). I suggest it may be a modified FN82. Any other ideas?

Member for

20 years 6 months

Posts: 8,195

Interesting, Linrey.

Both NX611 and NX622 are ex-Aeronavalle Lancasters. What period their current turrets date back to I don't know, except the WA machine was donated by the French 'with armament fitted'. It would be reasonable to expect that the French had updated their turrets. But maybe not.

Presumably the Cosford turret is the same one as Clarke mentions as being (presumably previously) at Hendon?

Regards,

Member for

20 years

Posts: 4,561

We have one on display and the APs if needed....

TT

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 718

It's those ugly flat panels on NX611's cupola that makes it look different.

My money is on a repair, due to the original double curved panels having been damaged at some stage. It may even be vandal damage since its arrival in the UK, perhaps when on display at Blackpool?

Does anyone have photos of its turret when it first arrived back in this country?

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 1,404

this is an fn82 with fairings over the draught excluders under the guns.

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 1,404

Yes this turret has been repaired with straight panels added,probably due to damage on the front perspex curves,my cupola is damaged in the same areas and making a pair (handed) of replacements with compound curves is a daunting task as the perpex panels are quite large.

Member for

13 years 3 months

Posts: 774

Hi

Just bumping up this thread

Would anyone have anything else to add in regards to the Boulton Paul D type rear gun turret, ie photos along aircraft variants,  it has been mentioned above that the likes of the Avro Lincoln, Halifax B V11s, Lancaster V11s , Shackleton Mr1 were fitted with the D type.

Would anyone have any images to back this up? the reason being i have a rear turret door that i would like to see in situ, if not it may be a visit to Cosford as the D type turret there appears to have both turret doors fitted.

Many thanks in advance

Member for

10 years 5 months

Posts: 64

Hi Hawker 1966

I am trying to help a friend to restore a D type turret and as you can see from the photo its not to healthy so I know he would be intrested in any parts to help its restoration .the other photo is of a D type that's on display at RAF Cosford hopefully this will answer your question with regard to the origin of your door?

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Member for

13 years 3 months

Posts: 774

Hi ballturret

Thank you for the two photos they are very much appreciated, i have the right hand door as you look at it, once i can work out how to send images i will send a couple of photos of mine of which is made of wood.

Would you be able to confirm the aircraft variants that the D type fitted?

Also good luck with your project as im pretty sure the D type is extremely rare and would be great to see another one restored.

Member for

13 years 3 months

Posts: 774

Hi

A couple of images of my D type turret rear door

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