Boulton Paul Aircraft - Boulton Paul Gun Turrets

Boulton Paul Gun Turrets

Boulton Paul was one of the two main innovators of gun turret designs for British aircraft, along with Nash & Thomson; they supplied large numbers of installations for British aircraft. Boulton Paul's designs were largely based on originals licensed from the French company SAMM (Societe d'Application des Machines Motrices), while Nash & Thomson concentrated on the FN designs originated by the firm's co-founder, Archibald Frazer-Nash. Boulton Paul's turrets were electro-hydraulic in operation; electric motors located in the turret drove hydraulic pumps that powered hydraulic motors and rams. This was more effective than electric motors alone, and did not require power developed by the aircraft's engines as did the hydraulic system utilized by the Nash & Thomson design. Production was transferred to Joseph Lucas Ltd.

Turret Models

• Type A
  • Mark II Used on Defiant (D) and Roc (R)
  • Mark VIII Four gun or two gun turret, dorsal on Halifax
  • Also used on Ventura, and for converting Short C and G class flying boats
• Type B
• Type C
  • Mark I, 2 guns used as nose turret on Halifax
  • Mark II, 2 guns used as dorsal turret on Halifax
  • Used on Hudson
• Type D
  • 2 0.5 in guns
  • Used on some Lincolns as tail turret, some fitted with AGLT
• Type E
  • 4 x 0.303 guns rear turret used on Halifax and some versions of Liberator
• Type K
  • Ventral design, 2 gun retractable used on Halifax
• Type N
  • Nose design for Lincoln
• Type R
  • Ventral, 2 x 0.303 guns with periscope sighting