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I am looking to build the Airfix 1/48 Defiant and I was wondering if anyone could point me at some plans for the panels and rivet pattern. I do not want to go overboard as I am still nervous about rivetting and scribing, but the kit does seem a little bare particularly on the fuselage. Any help or pointers would be much appreciated.

By the end of November 2015 I was getting quite confident. I had already decided on the next build a month earlier as I had been eying up the old Revell 1/48 Bf109 G10 which I had bought some years previously for silly money (£5 if I remember correctly). I had recently picked up some photo etch sets for various intended projects at Scale Model World and also picked up a rivetting tool. I also have the Hasegawa Luftwaffe pilot figures and equipment set so the lack of a pilot was not an issue. Unfortunately I cannot find the pictures I took of the initial stages so we start at the completed cockpit enhanced with an Eduard photoetch set fully enclosed in the fuselage and the wings and tail already on. The various scoops around the nose have been hollowed out as have the exhaust stubs. You will also note that I made the cardinal sin of assuming something without checking references and cut off the square bulge for the enlarged battery behind the pilot and made it flush with an engraved door as in the E model. Did not realise my error until all was buttoned up and painted so it's not going to get corrected. I have come to the realisation that I need a LOT more practice with photoetch but I did manage to get it mostly in without too much anguish. Managed to fettle the gear into the up position (I really prefer them flying ) Cut out the solid navigation lights and created clear ones fron clear sprue cut to a right angle, drilled at the back and the relevant colour of Tamiya clear popped in the hole. Glued to the wing and then sanded and polished to shape. Red didn't turn out so good. Happy with the green though Those hollowed out and painted exhausts I felt he looked better with the 'tache although he now looks more likely to say 'Tally ho chaps!' In his office Canopy on The pencil lines show where I have added the rivet lines using the Master tools rivetter although I couldn't get the rivets to show on the picture Used custom Tamiya mixes for the RLM 76,81 and 82. RLM 76 applied after a nice undercoat of primer and a preshade. Note the prop spindle is now missing. That is the result of a mishap whilst undercoating whereby the spring clamp I was using to hold the plane sprung off sending the freshly primered 109 nosediving to the front dorstep where it proceeded to cartwheel with all the grace of a wounded gymnast hard against the wall. Not a happy bunny. Fixed it by drilling out the centre and glueing in a length of plastic rod of the appropriate diameter when the time came to add the prop Freehanded the camo but did use blutack sausages for the demarcation between upper and lower and Tamiya tape for the nose My first attempt at freehand mottling with an airbrush begins, I had also feathered in the demarcation between the RLM 76 and the top camo colours. 2nd mottle colour on 3rd mottle colour on and the nose is now a very fetching shade of RLM 04 Gelb Gloss coated and decals on. Didn't use the decal for the green fuselage band as it didn't go all round the fuselage at the location it was supposed to be at. All the bits on, some weathering courtesy of the new set of Flory washes I got from Telford, a bit of exhaust staining topped with a coat of Tamiya Matt Clear and we're just about done. Swastika came from a very old Xtradecal set of assorted sizes and I ended up masking around the fuselage decals and painting the fuselage band with my own approximation of the green. And you even get a shot of Phil's fingers too:) Comments and suggestions always welcome.

Rivetting Tools 1:72/1:48 SBS Models There are times when a model really needs a good sanding and polishing to reduce/eliminate the seams where parts meet. This also causes the moulded detail to be lost. Now, panel lines aren’t too difficult to re-instate, but rivets are quite a bit harder. Well they were until the invention of the riveter of which there are now a few examples about. This new pair, one for 1:72 and one for 1:48 have recently been released by SBS Models of Hungary. Both riveters have an air of quality and solidness about them. The nicely moulded wooden handle is comfortable to hold and the brass rivet wheel, permanently mounted into the handle, should last a fair about of use. Operation is easy, just clean the area to be riveted, mark the line with a pencil, then, using a stiff straight edge roll the wheel along the pencil line. When you’re happy with the result give the area a polish with some micromesh and you’re done. Of course practice makes perfect so it might be an idea to try it out on a paint mule or the like before tackling a future masterpiece. Conclusion These tools are a real boon to those who wish to undo the loss of detail through sanding and really should be in every modellers tool box. Nicely made and comfortable to use, just what the modeller needs. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of