{"product_id":"boulton-paul-was-the-aircraft-manufacturer-sports-badge","title":"Boulton Paul was the aircraft manufacturer, sports badge.","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBoulton Paul was the aircraft manufacturer, based in Wolverhampton (Pendeford factory) from 1936. They built the Defiant fighter and Balliol trainer, among others \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eS.W.S stands for Sports and Welfare Society — this was the company’s staff social\/welfare club membership badge, dating from the late 1940-50s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis company made a huge array of items during WW2 that included\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eDefiant (P.82) — the famous “turret fighter,” two-seater with all guns in a powered dorsal turret rather than fixed forward-firing armament. 1,064 were built, first flying on 11 August 1937 and entering service in December 1939.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eIt fought in the Battle of Britain, then found its real niche as a night fighter through 1940–42, later serving as an air-sea rescue and target tug aircraft.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBuilt under contract \/ subcontract for other manufacturers:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eBlackburn Roc — the Fleet Air Arm’s naval turret fighter. This was designed in Blackburn’s name, but the detail design was actually done in Boulton Paul’s own drawing office, and the whole aircraft was built by Boulton Paul.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eFairey Barracuda — Boulton Paul also built the Fairey Barracuda , the Fleet Air Arm’s torpedo\/dive bomber.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eVickers Wellington — Boulton Paul carried out conversions of the Wellington\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003ebomber.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGun turrets: this is arguably their biggest wartime contribution — Boulton Paul was one of the two main innovators of gun turret designs for British aircraft, supplying large numbers of installations, based on designs licensed from the French company SAMM, using electro-hydraulic operation . Their turrets went into many other British bombers beyond their own aircraft (Lancasters, Halifaxes and others used Boulton Paul turrets extensively)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gradia Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53935999844680,"sku":"10199","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0924\/1103\/5976\/files\/IMG-2141.heic?v=1788176328","url":"https:\/\/www.gradiamilitaria.com\/products\/boulton-paul-was-the-aircraft-manufacturer-sports-badge","provider":"Gradia Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}