Dave Fleming

https://imgbb.com/ Usually works

I like the reheat! Might watch out for that, I'd like the book but not the big Revell kit

Not going to get mine done, I've had a bit of an eye issue that means I've not been able to do any modelling for about a month. Hopefully on the mend now, so I'll plod on, but I'll miss the GB deadline

Indeed, Dale himself left Hornby once before.

Looking at photos it seems to be between the exhausts and the firewall, at the rear of the engine. (Same as the Hurricane and Spitfire - which makes sense as the XX engine was longer at the rear.)

That’s what I found! Thanks Geoffrey, that’s very useful. The bolted in section is obvious on the prototype, and the fin l/e on the mk II production clearly finishes further forward on the fuselage. Need to look at the rudders again!

LF replied to my query regarding the origin:

His post on FB says it’s not as soon as the publishers have hinted, but it’s on my wants list!

The recent release of the Wingleader BP Defiant book reminded me of a puzzle that has perplexed me since the 'new' Airfix 1/72 Defiant came out - how much longer than the Defiant I was the mk II. Every source says it had a longer nose, but none say by how much or where the increase came. Similarly, many sources say the mk II had an enlarged rudder, but photos don't seem to bear that out - it DID have an increased fixed portion of the fin, with a tapered insert added to the leading edge, but the rudders don't seem to have changed. In anticipation of building one, I bought the Special Hobby mk II kit, but it's the same length as the Airfix mk I - measuring this shows the Airfix correct and the SH kit is too short. I suspect the SH kit is based on the old MAP plans in their Aircraft Archive book series, which it matches. Sadly, their fuselage drawings are a couple of mm too short for the mk I and the mk II drawing is the actual scale length of the mk I. Looking at photos, the extension appears to be between the firewall and the exhaust stacks (Understandably) but, similarly to the Hurricane, a reprofiling of the underside and a small extra section immediately behind the prop. Does anyone have any more info?

No, that’s an Fi156D (triangular window behind the main glazing) where as the one in the original photo is a C. Broadhurst used a couple of different Storches over the campaigns. I still have doubts that the Storch in the colour photo is one of Broadhurst’s. His aircraft usually carried HB rather than DAB. There is a tendency to allocate any captured Fi156 to him, but there were quite a few of them. My suspicion is this aircraft actually belonged to AVM Dermot A Boyle, who was commander of 85 (Base) Group within 2 TAF Most in the Desert had RAF camouflage The reference to ‘bright yellow’ could be a colloquialism/impression for Midstone. It could also be that yelllw explains the dark shade in the ortho photograph

Look at where the wing support struts meet the fuselage, the struts (and possibly the underside) are lighter than the tone on the fuselage. Colours could be RLM79/78 or Middlestone/Azure Blue, depends where it was repainted.

Is it confirmed anywhere this is the RS kit and not a new one ?

G-ACUU in the civvie kit, in what I think are (one of) her post war markings. This is the aircraft that’s now at IWM at Duxford.

I love that box art!

I did a bit of a dig and found an old magazine article based on a copy of the above photo that suggested that it might be 'overall PRU Blue', but I think we can dismiss that based on the video and the better quality picture (showing that the underside is lighter). Pity, as that would have been quite nice!