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Vulcanicity's Defiant - N1801 "Coimbatore II"


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Hi all!

I've been rather absent around BM parts of late, PhD demands plus having to clear all my childhood stuff out of my parent's house before they downsize (don't ask...) are increasingly limiting my modelling time, and so in a desperate attempt to build an acceptable number of kits this year I've been doing more modelling and less forum-ing (I've now managed three completions in 2016!)

 

Anyway, this is the result - it's the Airfix 1:72nd Defiant. I have always found the "Daffy" fascinating, and so I decided to lavish all the available aftermarket and as much care as possible on this build. I've added:

  • Quickboost gun barrel set
  • Quickboost fishtail exhaust set
  • Barracuda wheel set
  • Eduard Interior and exterior photo etch sets
  • Xtradecals for N1801 "Coimbatore" of 264 sq. There's much controversy over whether this aircraft was PS-B or PS-Y with no conclusive proof either way, so I went with Xtradecals' suggestion.

 

I also added a tiny amount of scratchbuilding for a few things Airfix had forgotten, namely the prominent details behind the pilot's bulkhead (radio, bracing supports for the bulkhead, and retraction jack for the fuselage fairing). It very much looks the part accuracy-wise to me, apart from a couple of minor quibbles: one, the trailing edges are a bit thick, and two: I suspect that the spinner is a touch on the small side and the nose behind it is a little pinched.

 

Paint is Humbrol 33 from a rattlecan, with a mixture of Humbrol rattlecan and Revell aqua brush-painted varnish.

Having spent much of this summer clubbing the 1/72 Vulcan into submission, this went together like an absolute dream, even with all the aftermarket gubbins. The Eduard wheelbay walls were a bit of a PITA to fit and all the rivet details are almost invisible under the paint, but ho hum. The only other surprise issue was the Xtradecals, which fought me every step of the way, particularly the tail flashes which refused to sit down. This is most unlike my usual experience with them, so I think I may have been a bit over-tentative with the gloss coat.

 

On the whole, however, I'm pretty chuffed with the way this has come out. Hope you like it!

 

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The flash makes this look hideous, but it was the only way I could show off all that lovely pre-coloured interior PE!

 

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P.S. Does anyone know whether Defiants carried a wire antenna strung between the two ventral radio masts? Every profile under the sun shows this, and the prototype K8310 definitely did, but I've never been able to find any evidence from photos of production machines carrying the wire.

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A really fantastic Defiant !!!

I first thought it was 1/48 scale but at the end I saw it was 1/72!!!

You really did a fantastic job on this Defiant !
I do really love it.

Bravo. Polo.

 

:wow::goodjob::wow::clap2:

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4 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

Lovely job mate, she's a beauty B)

 

Can't help re the antenna wire I'm afraid, I fitted it to all mine on the assumption that there were two masts for a reason but I never had any proof to back it up :)

 

Cheers,,

 

Stew

77A77C54-895D-466D-BA73-21BB492E29DB_zps

I have this section of a photo on my computer from a search I did a while ago. This aircraft is not in the same condition as your model - well worn I think you would call it?  

There is a wire seen coming from the front Ariel mast but it does not seem to go to the one at the aft of the aircraft?  It seems to diagonally up to the fuselage.  

 

Andrew. 

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25 minutes ago, Bear Paw said:

...There is a wire seen coming from the front Ariel mast but it does not seem to go to the one at the aft of the aircraft?  It seems to diagonally up to the fuselage.  

 

Andrew. 

 

I'm not sure Andrew, but if it is the bit that I am seeing I think that might be the border of a field on the ground behind/beneath rather than an antenna wire?

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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43 minutes ago, Stew Dapple said:

 

I'm not sure Andrew, but if it is the bit that I am seeing I think that might be the border of a field on the ground behind/beneath rather than an antenna wire?

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

Yes Stew, it looks like that could be the edge of that field.  In that case no Ariel?   

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7 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

Lovely job mate, she's a beauty B)

 

Can't help re the antenna wire I'm afraid, I fitted it to all mine on the assumption that there were two masts for a reason but I never had any proof to back it up :)

 

Cheers,,

 

Stew

If someone can tell us if it was an HF or VHF radio that was carried then:

If HF you had a wire between masts; VHF, no need for the long antenna stung between them. 

(Thinks - Spitfire radio kit and the with or without...)

My guess, is an HF set was installed, with a wire between the masts, otherwse why the two?

Just a thought...

FFH

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Very nice indeed :)

 

On the issue of the aerial wire, I couldn't find any photos which clearly show it in place. Certainly the RAF Museum example doesn't have a wire fitted. The history of that particular aircraft indicates it was converted to VHF in Jan '41.

 

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