The Boulton and Paul P.41 Phoenix, a single-engined two seat parasol monoplane, was aimed at the amateur private flyer and intended to cost less than the successful de Havilland Moth.

Boulton & Paul made two ventures into the light aircraft market, the first in 1919 with the P.9, then ten years later with the P.41 Phoenix.

Realising that the de Havilland Moth and its competitors like the Blackburn B-2 controlled much of the two seat market, they set out to design a machine which was not in direct competition but lower in both capital and running costs.

It was mounted on a pair of substantial streamlined struts from the lower fuselage longerons to the front wing spar.

These main struts each carried a pair of short, slimmer members from near the wing to the front and rear spars.

[1] When covered this had much the same shape as the earlier wooden one apart from the nose, where a 40 hp (30 kW) uncowled nine-cylinder Salmson radial replaced the ABC.

The main wheels were now on wing-mounted vertical legs, each on a stub axle that had a pair of vee struts to the lower fuselage; the revised aircraft sat higher above the ground.