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1/48 Classic Airframes BP Defiant Mk 1


Calum

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Started this last year and is on my Facebook page but thought I'd also stick it here

I've got a soft spot for this aircraft, despite it being an abject failure as a day fighter, and barely much better as a night fighter.

Frost of the Obligatory Box sot. This is the second edition of the Defiant done by Classic Airframes. This has the one piece injection Canopy which bits of I'm going to replace with a Vacuform one.

Defiant-01.jpg

Lots of resin, lots of casting blocks removed

Defiant-02.jpg

This gear makes that resin clean up a lot easier

Defiant-03.jpg

Figure I'll glue the nose to the fuselage. I'd rather deal with a gap along the centreline rather than laterally.

Defiant-04.jpg

Gunners position (not complete) Classic Airframes didn't include the PE set in the kit, (it's been hand scribbled out with black ink in the instructions) so I've used some spare PE to make a belt for the gunner. It's pure fiction.

Defiant-05.jpg

Cockpit is really nice. I used a few online builds for reference. The Instrument panel is old school dry brushed with some Future for the instrument glasses. The Belts are some left overs from a Spitfire set.

Defiant-06.jpg

Here it is altogether

Defiant-07.jpg

The fuselage halves went together without much difficultly

Defiant-08.jpg

That'll do for part 1.

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I like this aircraft too. Lookeeng gooood so far!

I often wonder how it would have fared as a single seat fighter.

And, Ah weel be followeeng dees!

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Looking good so far. I did quite a bit of research on the Defiant for my 1:72 build - particularly the turret and wheel wells. There is a WIP thread here if you're interested:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234945752-172-mpm-boulton-paul-defiant-mk1/

Looking forward to progress.

Thanks I'll check it out

You doing it as the 141 Squadron option? I copied the entire loss file for that aircraft yesterday, as I am currently writing an article about 141 and their one awful engagement in the Battle of Britain.

yes I'm doing the one on the Box Art

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Next update

I had to scrape a bit of the inside to get the cockpit assembly to fit

Defiant-09.jpg

The moveable fairing over the rear fuselage only just sat over the hole which is understandable as it is supposed to go withdraw into the recess. But as I intended to put it up I added some card to give it something to sit on

Defiant-10.jpg

Cockpit ready to insert into the fuselage

Defiant-11.jpg

Pretty good fit all things considered

Defiant-12.jpg

Defiant-13.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
Been a bit distracted at the moment with other things but I need to get this done for the NSW Scale model show in May.


For me the focal point of the Defiant is the Turret. I figured I should use a vac form and open it up.


The kit turret on the left and the Vac form on the right..... Not quite the same. I know the Kit one is supposed to be a little to large but the Vac form is only the top section of the turret. Obviously I need to build the bottom part. ;(


Defiant-16.jpg


After searching the house for something of the appropriate size I discovered the cats pill bottle is pretty much the right diameter - Sorry Louise sacrifices have to be made by all


Defiant-17.jpg


So after a bit of work with the bench sander I've got something I might be able to use. As for cutting out the Vacuum turret , well I only used 2 sets to do that piece.


Defiant-18.jpg


First fit, it looks OK


Defiant-19.jpg


But not so when you put the turret lid on. I think the centre glazing isn't quite in the right place....


Defiant-20.jpg


After moving the glazing forward slightly things are looking better


Defiant-21.jpg


Since it's all about the turret I really needed brass barrels for .303's


Defiant-22.jpg

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I've always been interested in this aircraft and have been on the verge of buying this kit several times so I'll be watching this closely. Super work so far. Probably a stupid question but what are the advantages to you of having a vac formed turret rather than the kit piece? It's much thinner, clearly, so is your aim to make more detail visible?

Cheers,

Roger

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  • 2 weeks later...
Onto the paint shop.


Firstly though, to get the front vac form windscreen to sit with the rear face vertical I had to build the front up. The real aircraft didn't have such a large bit at the bottom of the windscreen, but as I've ruined the kit piece when cutting it I'm stuck with this solution. I'll take a better photo later to show how bad it is.


Defiant-23.jpg


Defiant-24.jpg


Firstly the brown from Mr Color's lacquer range. And then some masks made from the instructions scaled up, with some Panzer Putty in a few places


Defiant-25.jpg


All done, green is a Mr Color Lacquer with some bits of Tamiya's XF 81 RAF dark green.


The Brown has also had patches of Tamiya Dark Earth, decanted from the aerosol applied.


One thing I like about the Lacquer paints is you can apply an oil wash directly over them without the need for a gloss coat. I've used Paynes grey thinned with Mig Thinners. The excess is wiped off using a paper towel, usually no thinner is required once the oil dries.


Defiant-26.jpg


The bottom is Mr Color Sky, with the wheel wells Tamiya AS 11 again decanted from the can, again the wash is oil Paynes grey


Defiant-27.jpg

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