**** DONE: GB-49 1/48 B.P Defiant NF 1 - WW2 Night Fighter

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Jock Tamson

Staff Sergeant
928
673
Jan 14, 2019
Scotland
Username: Jock Tamson
Name: Greg
Category: Intermediate
Model: Airfix B.P. Defiant NF I
Scale: 1/48
Extras: Canopy Masks; Yahu IP; Resin pilot seat with seat belts

The subject i have chosen is a favorite aircraft of mine and a night fighter, so it broaches the split nature of the GB. I have always had a soft spot for the Defiant as it is generally forgotten being the least successful RAF day fighter during the Battle of Britain, and compared to the Spitfire & Hurricane it is largely forgotten in the folk lore that now surrounds the battle in historical terms. A bit of an underdog perhaps but we all like a trier!

After early successes over Holland and Dunkirk the Defiant was "found out" by experienced Luftwaffe pilots and accordingly suffered heavy losses. By the height of the Battle of Britain it was withdrawn from frontline service. With the switch in September 1940 to night time raids by the Luftwaffe the RAF needed a night fighter force to try and defend the Skies over Britain from the terrible raids that are now known as the Blitz. The Defiant was now pushed in to service as a stop gap aircraft until it was replaced by the Beaufighter and eventually the Mosquito.

The Airfix Defiant is reportedly a really good kit in terms of build and accuracy. I am looking forward to getting started!

Cheers and thanks for looking,

Greg
 
Thanks folks, I'm pleased you like my choice of subject. The Defiant is a wee bit different from the usual single seat fighter the challenge will be making the overall black finish look interesting.

Cheers Greg
 
Good one, looking forward to the NF version.You probably already know this; the new Airfix kits have pretty tight fit tolerances especially in the cockpit area. A thorough clean up of sprue attachment points is required. If you use Tamiya paints, you can get some good variations using Rubber Black, Nato Black and German Grey. The black paint chipped pretty good as well so get out your favourite chipping tools
 
Thanks George

I have experienced the tolerances issues as you have with the Spitfire Vb kits so I will be well forewarned and reminded now for the Defiant.

I will also need to check out some of those paints you mentioned. Nice one!

Cheers Greg
 
pbehn said:
I think I know what you mean, but it does have two seats.
Click to expand...
Ah, yes of course, my bad

Mind you if you have ever seen the inside of a gun turret then I could suggest the poor old gunner didn't have a seat, more of a perch, and an uncomfortable one at that.

Escape from the Defiant's rear turret in an emergency really was a lottery.

Cheers Greg
 
N4521U said:
It's an overlooked AC and entry.
Nice to see another.
I did one in 72nd for one of my first GB's.
Did all the fiddly PE, my first go and had No Idea what I was in for.
Barely finished with my sanity intact!
Click to expand...
hi Bill,

I agree the Defiant is not as widely recognised as it's contemporaries and isn't modelled too often, which is a pity.

Was your 1/72 version the Airfix kit? PE in that scale is very challenging or in my case challenging in any scale!
 
hi Bill,
Was your 1/72 version the Airfix kit? PE in that scale is very challenging or in my case challenging in any scale!

**** DONE: Defiant 264Sqn PS*V 28 Aug 1940 BoB
The link to my build. Yes, PE is a challenge and as I remember this could have been my first experience with it. I started drinking on this one...... LOL I think 1/48th could be a bit easier based on my experience with bigger scale stuff.
 
Greetings folks!

Apologies for my tardy start to the GB, i was finishing off an ERTL P-40 Kittyhawk. I like to try and finish projects before starting another, which doesn't always happen. Anyway, on the the Defiant. I was reading a book about the aircraft and according to the book - Boulton Paul Defiant The Illustrated History by Alec Brew - It was designed from the outset as a night fighter, which i was not aware of. Through it career which spanned the entire war it fulfilled many roles from Air Sea Rescue to Army Co-operation, and being the first British aircraft to engage in electronic warfare.

On to the kit and i have hit a snag at the first fence! See photos below - the replacement resin seat, which is very nicely detailed is missing the fixture that holds the control column. The Airfix part only really needs seat belts to tart it up a bit but i would like to use the resin unit. As you will see in the photos adding the bit that holds the yoke would be a bit of a faff.

Meantime i have assembled other areas of the nicely detailed pit, and am enjoying it so far. Any comments and suggestions welcomed.

Thanks for looking, Cheers Greg.



P-40 Kittyhawk IV 1/48

 
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