AndyL

Next year. Something called 2020 got in the way and due to a few issues I couldn't finish it. Trying to tie everything up by the end of the year.

Just an update - Ian Donald was the pilot of L7009, and his family have been found. He was an exceptionally keen photographer ( as family members still are ) and they hold a lot of photographs taken by him, so we might just get to see an image of 'Cock of the North' after all. So, watch this space...

Does this help - one from my collection showing the set up on an 85 Squadron Havoc.

Nice to see the progress on the Defiant. Just in case you might not have seen this, here's the real thing. And here's a few items from the above..

Just starting my trip into this GB, but still wondering which Defiant to depict, as I have four 264 Squadron options and three from 141 Squadron. Or the one Defiant that flew with 264 on 29th May 1940 when the squadron claimed 37 enemy aircraft and later served in the Battle of Britain with 141. Choices, eh? Base kit will be the 1/48 Airfix offering, to which I may add a Barracuda wheel set to. So, I'm off to clear the bench and build something for the first time in 28 months.

I've gone through my Defiant images for 264, with some taken at Martlesham Heath, Duxford and Hornchurch and they are parked with the turret turned to starboard and open, gunners access footpeg extended, footstep on the port wing down, and the speed fairing behind the turret lowered. The pilots canopy is open. 141 set up the same, photos taken at West Malling, Hawkinge and Grangemouth. Both squadron images in my collection show pilots parachute and air gunners Parasuit on the port tail plane.

L7021 was lost when being flown by Squadron Leader George Garvin and Flight Lieutenant Robert Ash. Garvin had joined 264 to take over from Philip Hunter who had been given a staff officer posting, but his command was somewhat thrust upon him when Hunter was killed on 24th August. Robert Ash was an ex 149 Squadron air gunner who had flown operationally before requesting a posting to Defiants. Their loss came about after 264 were engaged by JG26, and and during the encounter, the master fuse in Ash's turret blew - he had been using it on the high speed setting and if you used it in this mode to

@gingerbob Here's Michael Young and Les Russell in front of N3377. Note Michael Young had a line of kill markings under his cockpit. Young survived the way, but Les Russell was later killed in action serving with 78 Squadron. The photo came to me via the Russell family.

Grey codes. Unsure of exact finish of the undersides though.

He 111P-4, 2976 of 1/KG55, shot down by Sergeant E Dye of 219 Squadron.

If you fancy doing a specific Defiant, then you could do N3377 of 264 Squadron, and coded PS-J. Flown by Flying Officer Michael Young with Sergeant Les Russell as air gunner. They claimed a Me 110 over Merville on 9th May 1941. This Defiant was fitted with the Bluenote exhaust system - the six ejector set up as opposed to the kidney exhaust style.

Here's one a bit later: Squadron Leader Ted Wolfe, with Pilot Officer Pearmain as air gunner in Defiant N1725 as recorded in the formers log book, dated 7th April 1941. " Operational intruder to Lille. Two chases. Did M attack on Dover Balloon!!. Saw Beau shoot Hun down at Worthing."

141 and 264 flew intruder sorties with the former flying their first in November 1940.

Well, I'm in. Needless to say my entry will be a Defiant

Front view of X4382 , LO-G showing the non standard leading edge paint scheme.