**** DONE: GB-37 1:48 BP DEFIANT - Helicopters / Military a/c of BoB 1940

fubar57 · Mar 19, 2018

It's circled in Andy's photo in Post #36 but having a closer look, I think its the rear of the truck in the back ground. While we're talking antennae, I need to know where the small antenna enters the bottom of the fuselage. I'm thinking at the "A" position on this drawing.

Note the "B" arrow point to the rear antenna mast as being offset to the left. Airfix has it on the center line and the photo Grant loaded in Post #27 looks to me as being on the center line as well

Crimea_River · Mar 19, 2018

Those are radar antennae Wojtek. Here's the old Identification Friend or Foe on the Spitfire:

Replaced by this:

I can't be sure that there's a spike in your pic and it could very well be part of the truck in the background. I have also not found a pic of a Defiant with the spike but it definitely had the wires at some point.

Wurger · Mar 19, 2018

Oh the one.... OK. Here you are.. it seems that there was a kind of insulator pipe allowing the antenna wire to "get in" the fuselage.

Crimea_River · Mar 19, 2018

We're talking about this wire Wojtek:

Wurger · Mar 19, 2018

Yes I know , the IFF antenna , But Geo also asked about the bottom one ... Here is the insulator there...

fubar57 · Mar 19, 2018

Also that small one underneath Andy, in the middle of the main antenna. Cross posted with Wojtek. Merci, my friend

Wurger · Mar 19, 2018

See the pic above Geo. We criss-crossed posts.

fubar57 · Mar 19, 2018

Found this about the Mark II I.F.F.

An order for 1000 sets was sent to Ferranti in October 1939, and they had completed the first 100 sets by November. But the rapid expansion of the RAF meant there were not nearly enough to equip an appreciable amount of the fleet by the time of the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. Additionally, as the action took place mostly over southern England, IFF would not be very useful as the CH stations were positioned along the coastline and could only see the fighters if they were out over the English Channel. As such there was no pressing need to install the systems, and pip-squeak continued to be used through the Battle.

From the Wiki

Wurger · Mar 19, 2018

A nice find Geo.

I would like to get back to the pic you posted in the #36...

I have enlarged my one .... it appears that there is the tip of the prop blade and something that looks like the rear of the truck but this looks rather like something attached to the wing.

Airframes · Mar 19, 2018

Just confirming, as Grant mentioned, all RAF aircraft compass bodies were grey.
The retractable antenna mast was offset to port.
All my scale drawings show the antenna wires for IFF Mk.II, but it is probable that, during the BoB period, MkI 'Pipsqueak' was retained, for the reasons mentioned previously, and the wires would not be present.
However, the wires, and IFF MkII probably would have been fitted to night fighter Defiants by at least early 1941, possibly by winter 1940.
The later dipole antenna, under the wing, for IFF Mk.III/IV is unlikely to have been seen on Defiants as, apart from target tug versions, they were out of service by the tine it was introduced.

Crimea_River · Mar 19, 2018

Good info Terry, thanks. Not sure we should be placing any credence to the theory that the yellow circled thingy is the spike. Based on your info and the fact that I can find no other pic of a Defiant that has the spike, I would leave it off. The Defiant at Hendon doesn't have it either as I already checked my pics.

Geo, it sounds like there's a good chance your rig didn't carry the IFF cheese cutters so your first instinct to leave them off may be a good one.

fubar57 · Mar 19, 2018

Greatly appreciated Terry. And I have been actual modelin' in the during the lull, pics once I re-size 'em

Airframes · Mar 19, 2018

You're welcome Geo.
That 'spike antenna' in the pic looks to be the rear of the van, a curved panel where the light has caught it.
The 'insulator' mentioned by Wojtek, and shown in the enlarged pic looks more like a drain cock, possibly for the radiator, although it is in roughly the right place for the large retainer for the floor escape hatch. There aren't any electrical connections in this area.

fubar57 · Mar 19, 2018

Our next piece to add is the rudder pedals to the floor. For whatever reason Airfix has decided to make this fun. It's not your basic "insert round peg into round hole found in every bloody kit ever made", nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! It's a slotted affair which is rounded at one end, kinda like all those question marks. And like all the other small parts, a very tight fit with nothing to hold onto. Took a few minutes, mostly trying to pick it up after it pinged out of my grip

The sidewall insert were another tight fit in a good way. Again, I could have left it alone without glue but no sense tempting fate.

Lets look ahead and see what fun Airfix has next. Add turret decking to fuselage half....easy peasy.

Remove cross members...........WUT???

I did a trial fit and I see no reason to not remove the cross members before hand. They fit very nicely and securely onto the mounts. There aren't a lot of these built out there yet but I'm going to find some and see how they dealt with this. Another step further down the road, adding these boxes to the inside of the wing halves...

They aren't really boxing anything in like a wheel well or a gun bay. The wings are a five piece affair so I think this is added strength.

Again I'm going to see how any other build dealt with this.

Airframes · Mar 19, 2018

Interesting bits and pieces - noted for when I do mine.

parsifal · Mar 19, 2018

great information guys, I'm picking up a lot

Crimea_River · Mar 19, 2018

Very different kit it seems. Hope it all works out well.

fubar57 · Mar 20, 2018

Went to 6 different sites and learned a little. One guy had a wee problem with the wing/fuselage fit, another guy said it fit like a glove. No one mentioned any problems with the 5 piece fit. Re: the cross-members, one guy removed them before installing and had no problems, the others removed them after with no problems. I'm going to leave mine until after installation but first I'm going to score them until they're just holding on. The turret was a bit of a problem for half with one guy struggling. The others went from popped into place to had to remove a bit of material. It was said that because the kit was designed with Autocad(?) the fit tolerances are very slim which might explain why I had a problem with the rudder pedals. Anyhoo.....modelin'. Innards are painted and when dry I'll do the detailing. Seat and frame are just dry-fitted for painting, reservoir glued on.

Wurger · Mar 20, 2018

**** DONE: GB-37 1:48 BP DEFIANT - Helicopters / Military a/c of BoB 1940

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