About the film
The Defender is a 54-minute Canadian documentary directed by Stephen Low. Made in 1988 and released in 1989 by the National Film Board of Canada, it follows the construction of the Diemert Defender, an emergency fighter-aircraft project led by Canadian aviation engineer Bob Diemert. Diemert’s plan was to build a Canadian strike fighter capable of challenging the Soviet Union if an invasion occurred.
To support that ambition, he depended on selling a restored warbird. The film therefore centers on aircraft building, engineering plans and the personal project behind them. Aviation is its listed subject, and English is its language.
As a documentary film from Canada, The Defender offers a focused account of one aircraft project and the circumstances attached to it. Its 54-minute length keeps the story compact while retaining the project’s military purpose and Diemert’s role as an eccentric engineer.
Who it is for
It suits viewers interested in aviation, aircraft engineering and Canadian documentary subjects. Students studying military technology or individual engineering projects may appreciate its focused case study.
Worth knowing
- Profiles the Diemert Defender aircraft project
- Examines Canadian aviation engineering
- Directed by Stephen Low
- 54-minute runtime
- Produced by the National Film Board of Canada
Before you press play
- Made in 1988
- Released in 1989
- English-language documentary
- Focused on one aircraft project
The short of it
The Defender presents a concise account of Bob Diemert’s fighter-aircraft project and the restored warbird linked to its funding. It is a suitable choice for viewers seeking a focused aviation documentary from Canada.