Letter in today's "Times" from the Director of the RAF Museum from 1988-2010. He states
"Verkaik's book makes a revisionist case for an aircraft that was a death trap for those that flew in it. In the 1980's I interviewed several Defiant "survivors" all of whom were fiercely loyal to the aircraft. However their stories of poor performance, speed and the difficulties of bailing out of the rear turret were salutary."