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Airfix 1/48 Defiant + extras


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Hi all,

 

Having had an excursion into God's (apparently) scale, for a Battle of Britain collection, I've drifted into 1/48 and the new tool (ill-fated) Defiant seemed a rather nice place to start again. I usually model in 1/32 but having gotten used to 1/72 for the past 3 builds the Defiant looks absolutely huge!

 

I wasn't going to, but I do tend too get carried away with aftermarket and I lost all caution with this one finding myself ordering, almost with an unseen hand clicking the 'buy' button, a long list of extras:

 

Eduard Big Ed set EDBIG49148 (interior, exterior, flaps, canopy masks).

Quickboost landing gear doors QB48773

Quickboost exhaust stacks QB48755

Montex masks for the national & squadron markings MXMM48444

Quickboost antenna set QB48772

Master Barrels brass Browning .303 gun barrels for the turret

Yahu models Instrument panel YMA4823 Just thought I'd give this a go to compare to the Eduard panel...

 

I'm trying not to add up what the total cost was...

 

On first inspection, the kit is an absolute beauty! Beautifully moulded and detailed. I couldn't wait to get started. I've kicked off with the Eduard flap set as I thought this could be an area that needed some care and attention, and I wanted to see if I could make these to my satisfaction before leaping into the rest of the model.

 

I was very pleased with the construction - I managed to get them together without coating everything in globs of superglue! However, in hindsight, I wish I'd given myself more room with the cutting out of the moulded (up) flaps - it was an exact, but tight fit, and I'm left with some distortion of the delicate brass from squeezing it in. You live and learn. In retrospect, I would have just given myself more room to work with.

 

I'm doing the, seemingly standard, PS*V version from 264 squadron, but here is some Airfix artwork from another boxing - I post this as I'm going to try and replicate this finish on my model - the little bit of artistic licence in the shading, shown by the artist (goodness me, I wish I could paint like that!)...

 

 

B1715006-_FFE5-49_DD-9693-_DF3_C4_B8_D0_

 

 

No real point to this post other than it's a lovely image of the Defiant being refuelled:

 

 

C8_C1_C47_B-_D058-46_EC-85_F0-2_A37_E7_A

 

 

 

Although, it does highlight the riveting, which is fairly noticeable and I'm hoping to replicate this with my shiny new Trumpeter riveting tool!

 

Another photo here highlights the effect:

 

 

0884_DE56-3229-4_C8_D-_B25_C-_B97_B75879

 

 

I'm quite surprised Airfix don't try and mould this detail as the panel line detail is fairly sparse and the wings and fuselage do look very bare...

 

Anyway, here are some photos of the surgery and flap build up work:

 

 

BBA2_F3_F7-346_E-4_F26-8_FC6-53_F0_CF48_

 

 

513_D2_C83-18_BA-402_D-9953-_A94_CD85_D2

 

 

 

E0300850-_C7_F7-4_BEA-_B07_F-2_E425932_A

 

 

 

83645_B29-022_A-4_F72-_B952-_FDABB36_F19

 

 

 

This one shows the undercarriage bay detail from the exterior Eduard set:

 

 

A56_D5_C89-560_E-4_BE0-8622-7_EBF128_B8_

 

 

Thanks for looking in,

 

 

Guy

 

 

 

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Many thanks...

 

 

16 hours ago, Gondor44 said:

This looks as if it's going to be good, mind if I tag along?

 

Gondor

 

Of course, there are still a few tickets left :D 

 

On reflection, I’ve decided to re do the flaps having squeezed them in. So they’re been ripped out and a new set ordered. I just want this to be a model I’m happy with, and I wasn’t entirely satisfied. 

 

So putting the wings to one side, I made a start on the interior. I’m really impressed with the detail, fit and moulding. It’s really rather good. And having just gotten used to 1/72 - it seems much easier to work with and obviously, much better for detailing and photography. The Eduard interior set adds some detail here, although the bulk of it will be added after painting as it’s pre-painted instrumentation.

 

 

DE5_ECE72-8_CAB-4_D6_B-9_F39-53691_E6_A2

 

 

On first glance, there doesn’t seem a lot of difference between the Yahu and Eduard instrument panel, but looking a little closer, the Yahu panel is a lot better! Better definition, relief, colours. I’m impressed.

 

The top panel is Yahu:

 

 

165_AB2_AB-_F2_F8-4_DC2-_B07_C-_D5_C1071

 

 

Moving laterally onto the turret, I was surprised at how busy this section is. A lot of parts and detail, which is crying out to be displayed. There are 3 options for the way the turret Perspex is displayed on the finished model, and it certainly deserves the ‘open’ option or this will all disappear once closed up. I replaced the moulded barrels with Master Barrels brass. Although the plastic ones aren’t badly moulded, there are of course limitations with the soft plastic, and the brass detail just pings out! The only danger here is making sure the barrels are all perfectly aligned as a slight ‘lean’ on a barrel here will stand out and completely bug me!  The plastic barrels were cut off then carefully hand drilled out with a 0.5mm bit, taking care to make sure the hole is at 90 degrees to the base. Test fitted, then superglued into place. I think they look lovely in situ!

 

 

900_A5_FD3-3676-40_C4-81_C1-408_FA5_E24_

 

 

 

Getting close to laying down some paint on the interior, Just a few wires to add to replicate the cockpit photo I have... the detail from the kit is very good, and I’ll be using a few areas from the kit over Eduard as they are more 3D - the throttle quadrant as a case in point.

 

831889_C7-31_F4-4151-9_BC1-_F6_DE0_A65_E

 

 

 

 

Thanks again,

 

 

Guy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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58 minutes ago, amblypygid said:

That Yahu IP is remarkable. Really nice, I must see what else they provide. Great work on the armament, as well. Just watch the turret glazing if you're posing it open, as the open doors aren't a great fit.

 

Thanks for the tip.. will look out for that. 

 

Yep, the Yahu is really as good as you could ask for. The Eduard has micro dots from the priniting process, but the Yahu panel is 100% crystal clear. Worth the extra few quid I think.

 

Guy

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Finally got the fuselage glued together, not without the usual mishaps here and there.

 

As beautiful as the Yahu instrument is, I found it was a little too wide for the kit.. This may have been my error - paint on the joints perhaps, but as I was test fitting the components I squeezed a little too hard and the panel buckled and cracked. A shame. Luckily I had the Eduard panel as a back up. So, after all that the Eduard IP is now in place. Looks fine, just slightly annoying, but no harm done.

 

Here's the interior prior to closing up... The Eduard interior detail was used and I modified the kits throttle quadrant by replacing the levers with brass and superglue knobs... 

 

 

fullsizeoutput_fee.jpg

 

 

 

The other side...

 

 

fullsizeoutput_ff1.jpg

 

 

 

The (almost) finished turret - Ive lost a bit to the carpet (garage workshop floor) monster. Hoping it will turn up before long...

 

 

fullsizeoutput_ff0.jpg

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

Guy

 

Edited by Gisbod
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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks.. 

 

Apologies for the delay- I’ve been on holiday ;)

 

Will be up and running again shortly I hope. I’m after a diagram showing all the riveting patterns? I’ve tried googling but haven’t found anything that clear yet.

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction? 

 

Many thanks,

 

Guy

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just to prove I am actually progressing on this kit (albeit slowly)...

 

I’ve glued most of it together (excellent fit) and radically, for me, I’ve attached a lot of the sticky out bits which I wouldn’t normally do until I’d finished painting, but I could just envisage getting glue everywhere over my painstakingly painted finish, so decided to risk it all being knocked off. Hopefully, it’s protected by the temporary wooden undercarriage (aka cocktail sticks).

 

A coat of primer is on and sanded hence it probably looks a little patchy in the photos, and the riveting is lightly done. I’m hoping this doesn’t disappear under the paint, but will be visible - just.

 

Cheers,

 

Guy

 

 

65_B21_E52-934_A-47_B3-_A783-91_C54_EDA7

 

 

05697122-7_F77-4_A7_A-8_E5_E-3568_E8_D55

 

 

8_BB8046_E-_B65_D-425_C-_B959-_C4_B09660

 

 

4_E33_BBFE-_B605-487_E-9_BFC-797_FFFD30_

 

 

 

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Very nice work! Looks great! :)

 

Defiant have been a bit of a fav since I built Airfix old kit in 72nd a very long time ago! :)

 

Håkan

 

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