Date:	Wednesday 31 May 1944
Time:	day
Type:	Boulton Paul Defiant TT Mk I
Owner/operator:	1 AGS (India) RAF
Registration:	AA371
MSN:	723
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Saragapur, Botad District, Gujarat -   India
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Bairagarh, Bhopal, India
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Boulton Paul Defiant AA371, 1 AGS (India) RAF Bairagarh, Bhopal, India: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 31 May 1944 when ran out of fuel and belly landed at Sarangpur (also known as Salangpur) a village in the Botad District in the state of Gujarat, India. According to some published sources, Defiant AA371 sustained only Cat.B (repairable) damage' however, as the Defiant was an obsolete type, and being withdrawn from service, it was not repaired, and was formally struck off charge on 1 January 1947.

No.1 Air Gunners School, Bairagarh.
The No.1 Air Gunners School at Bairagarh, Bhopal undertook training for Wireless Operator/Air Gunners of the IAF. The WOp/AGs were required to equip the Vultee Vengeance Units being operated by the IAF at that time. The unit was formed on 13th May 1943, out of the holdings of the previous unit No.1 Armament Training Unit (Which was in turn raised at Peshawar on 18 February 1942 and moved to Bairagarh in June 1942). The AGS at the time of its raising had Audaxes for towing targets. Most units that came for gunnery training bought in their own aircraft. The unit was mainly staffed by RAF Officers and airmen, with the odd sprinkling of IAF officers doing administrative duties.

The first Defiant for 1 AGS (India) did not arrive until February 1944 when Defiant AA371 was delivered to the School from No.320 MU in Karachi. Over the subsequent months, the AGS received as many as 11 Defiants, including attrition replacements.

The Defiant served for about ten months before they were replaced by Hurricanes, Vengeances and Harvards. Six of the surviving aircraft were dispatched to 18 Maintenance Unit on 11 October 1944 for scrapping. (Known exceptions were Defiants AA470 (crashed 1 May 1944) and AA371 (crashed 31 May 1944, as per the above)).

Another one (Defiant AA474) followed on 1 November 1944. By 31 December 1944 all Defiants with 1 AGS (India) have been retired.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft AA100-AZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain (2nd Edition) 2000 p.6)
2. The Defiant File – Alex Brew, Air-Britain Historians, London, 1996.
3. Profile Publications No.117 Boulton-Paul Defiant – Michael JF Bowyer, Profile Publications Ltd, London, 1966.
4. Warpaint #42 Boulton-Paul Defiant – Alan W Hall, http://www.warpaint-books.com/
5. Boulton Paul Defiant – Mushroom Model Publications Yellow Series – 6117 – Mark Ansell, Artur Juszczak. MMP2006.
6. History of the Indian Air Force 1933-1945 – Ed by SC Gupta, Combined Historical Section, India and Pakistan
7. The Eagle Strikes – Royal Indian Air Force 1933-1950 – Sqn Ldr R T S Chhina, Center for Armed Forces History, USI
8. Operational Record Book – No.1 (India) Air Gunnery School, Bairgarh; National Archives (PRO Kew)
9. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/aircraft/past/defiant/
10. https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/40623-indian-air-force-boulton-paul-defiants?page=1
11. https://rnzaf.proboards.com/post/221966
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salangpur,_Gujarat

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