**** DONE: GB-58 1/48 Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.1 - Night Fighters all Eras

[Ralph Haus]

Username: Ralph Haus
First name: Ralph
Category: Advanced
Manufacturer: Airfix
Model: Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.1 (kit A05218A)
Scale: 1:48

My second entry into this GB. This one may prove to be fun as well as a challenge (from what I have read?). In any case there won't be any paint color searching with this build; black it is and there are not many choices when using that.

The box art, if you squint you can see the night fighter como in the lower left.

The spru trees. Just for reference for those wanting to see the quality (or lack of) of the plastic.

And the instruction page that illustrates the night fighter info and camo scheme. Although the color swatches are notated with Tamiya colors, I have since the kit purchase, stocked up on most of the Vallejo British colors and may use them, but brushing with Tamiya.

 

[fubar57]

Great kit Ralph. Built one myself. The fit is very tight so all attachment points need to be totally removed and the parts need to be aligned as near to perfect as possible

 

[Ralph Haus]

Great kit Ralph. Built one myself. The fit is very tight so all attachment points need to be totally removed and the parts need to be aligned as near to perfect as possible

Just now getting a good look a the plastic. Really detailed and well molded. Looking forward to this one. Hope I can justify the detailing, paint wise (interior).

 

[Ralph Haus]

Great kit Ralph. Built one myself. The fit is very tight so all attachment points need to be totally removed and the parts need to be aligned as near to perfect as possible

Well, I thought I had all my paints covered! Seems like the interior is a miss on what I have. You use Tamiya, what color did you use for the interior and wheel wells? One site suggested XF-71, which I have, but it seems to light.

 

[fubar57]

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

Username: fubar57 First name: George Category: Advanced Manufacturer: Airfix Add-ons: Eduard masks, AML Camouflage masks My entry is from the No.2(Army Cooperation) Squadron, KO•I, s/n N1572. Only one was trialled and rejected. : Raf-in-combat.com

ww2aircraft.net

Yours, being a nightfighter, will probably have black in the wheelwells

 

[Crimea_River]

My go to formula for cockpit grey/green: XF5:1 + XF21:3 + XF65:1

And I agree with Geo on the wheel wells.

 

[Ralph Haus]

My go to formula for cockpit grey/green: XF5:1 + XF21:3 + XF65:1

And I agree with Geo on the wheel wells.

View attachment 723577

Glad I brought it up. The Airfix instruction sheets show Humbrol 56 (metallic aluminum) for the wells and the insides of the door panels as well? The mechanical, struts and all, are called out to be black ( Humbrol 33). I thought at first the wheel well illustration was possibly pointing to the internal plumbing but then I saw the door panels? Looking at all the other 'could be seen' internal surfaces, they are called out to be black. Where did the aluminum come from??

 

[Ralph Haus]

My go to formula for cockpit grey/green: XF5:1 + XF21:3 + XF65:1

And I agree with Geo on the wheel wells.

View attachment 723577

Now that some alchemy. I'll mix up a small bit (I have all) and compare to the Vallejo 71.126 I have. Probably the Vallejo is not really close, but we'll see. My wife, the color expert, suggests a drop of grey or black in the Vallejo would do it?

 

[Ralph Haus]

It seems I need some history/craft ID help here. The Airfix kit has the craft flown by D. Hughes, April 1941, No264 Sq. It has markings PS-Y and ID N1801. Just read an article on D. Hughes (another British hero) where they reference him flying the Defiant as PS-B with the same ID N1801. I would have thought that the ID was constantant with the call letters? I'll plead TOTAL ignorance in this area, but just wondering? The PS-B is noted as being flown by Hughes in mid 1940, so do call letters change and the ID remain the same?

Probably a bunch of eye rolling, sorry!

 

[fubar57]

Serial Numbers stay with the aircraft. Said aircraft could possibly move from squadron to squadron so squadron marking would change

 

[Ralph Haus]

Serial Numbers stay with the aircraft. Said aircraft could possibly move from squadron to squadron so squadron marking would change

It seems that this craft was always in No. 264 though? Not really a big issue, I'll go with the decals I have, but just curious as to the differences for the supposed same craft, same time frame, same pilot, same squadron?

 

[fubar57]

PM sent

 

[Crimea_River]

It's not common for an aircraft to change the aircraft ID letter while on the same squadron. Maybe Geo sent you something interesting. Would love to know the reason for the discrepancy in this case.

 

[Wurger]

According to the site ROYAL AIR FORCE FIGHTER COMMAND, 1939-1945. the one seen in the pic below is the PS-B N1801

.

 

[Wurger]

And here is a comment to the image above I found ...

Actually this can't be Hughes Defiant in 1940, N1801 was issued to the Sqn late December 1940 and to Hughes a couple of days later as his personal aircraft. He then had the Red Hand of Ulster on the white shield painted on the cowling,the codes were PS-Y and there were no kill markings as he didn't score his 5th kill until late March 1941.Hughes retained N1801 until it was replace by a Mk2 in September 41.I have photos of it early 41 with the stub exhausts and no Coimbatore name and apart from a few profiles I can find no evidence it carried the PS-B codes. I have a copy of Hughes unpublished memoirs giving these details.

the info source: Building an Airfix 1/48 Boulton Paul Defiant.

and here is the PS-Y N1801 ...

the source: the net.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Lots going on here Ralph, great kit and it will be an enjoyable build for you to bring to life and us to watch.

 

[Ralph Haus]

Lots going on here Ralph, great kit and it will be an enjoyable build for you to bring to life and us to watch.

Enough. I'll probably never understand, nor probably need to! As I posted to George - as long as PS-Y/N1801 are valid, acceptable markings for entry in this GB, then I'm good. What's a B or a Y between friends?

 

[SaparotRob]

It's the B and S that counts.

 

[Wurger]

What's a B or a Y between friends?

Depending what the brand of a vodka you prefer. Either the B or the Y.

 

[Airframes]

Good choice Ralph, and a nice kit. I have one in the stash.
I have a number of detail photos of the RAF Museum's example if you need them.