Defiant Colors

[Charles Dykas]

Greetings from snowy Washington DC. I'm about to have to go at the Airfix 1/72 Boulton Paul Defiant. I'm not sure whether I am going with all black scheme or the earth/green one.

Can anyone clarify the colors of the wheel wells, wheel hubs and struts in both versions? The directions are a bit sketchy in that regard.

Thanks in advance.

[Troy Smith]

from photos, and other types, the camouflaged planes had them painted aluminium.

the black ones seem to have gear leg done in black, but repainting wheel wells is a hassle, so probably still aluminium.

if you have not seen it, I recommend reading this

http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/Profiles/Camoflage-Markings/08-Boulton-Paul-Defiant

and if possible refer to a photo...

others may know more

HTH

T

[Charles Dykas]

Excellent reference...thanks much...I would never find that one on my own.

[Mike Starmer]

One point not generally realised is that the codes on early 1941 night fighter Defiants were Sky Grey, not as is the accepted belief and decal offerings Medium Sea Grey. Those very light codes that may be seen on Blenheims, Beaufighters and Defiants that have been stated as white are not so.

Signal X 798 of November 1940 for aircraft code colours states that night fighter codes and serials shall be the same as for night bombers. A supplementary signal of January 194 called for serials to be Dull Red so there were grey codes and red serials until later in 1941 when Dull Red was promulgated for codes too.

[Work In Progress]

This question of sky grey codes came up last year on the basis of the unsubstantiated claim in the Ducimus book and met with considerable scepticism from forum regulars:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234982751-sky-grey-squadron-codes-in-148th-any-makers/

If you have any direct documentary evidence of Sky Grey codes on Defiants it would be useful to know what it is.