1/48 Airfix BP Defiant

[Kahunaminor]

Started building the new Airfix Defiant. I seem to be on an Airfix "fix" at the moment! I am going to paste the link, because there is some previous interesting discussion on rivet detail. After today, I will do normal posts.

 

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235000323-148-airfix-bp-defiant/

 

Regards,

[LSP_Ron]

Having touched the the last real one on several occasions (with permission) I'd suggest the rivets truly do show up as a prominent surface feature even though they are flush rivets.  Here are a few pics I've taken

 

 

[Guest]

Why not post your build here. Looks good......Harv

[Kahunaminor]

Having touched the the last real one on several occasions (with permission) I'd suggest the rivets truly do show up as a prominent surface feature even though they are flush rivets.  Here are a few pics I've taken

 

 

 

Thanks Harvey,

 

There are points of view the flash photography accentuates the rivets on the Hendon aircraft more prominently than normal. However there is also a fair few photos of wartime aircraft where the rivet scheme is noticeable in broad daylight. I am leaning towards riveting but it would be restrained.

 

As another who has seen the real thing, would you say the flush rivets are similar to those obtained using the MDC rivet tool i.e. a circle rather than an indentation? I will post it here but I was just getting lazy. I can now add the title "by request"!

 

Regards, 

Edited April 6, 2016 by Kahunaminor

[Kahunaminor]

By request....

 

Hello fellow modellers,

I present my WIP of the new Airfix BP Defiant in 48 scale. Lots of words abound the internet concerning the quality of the kit and I, for one, am very pleased with this rendition. I am awaiting the arrival of Eduard's Zoom PE set, mask and Hurricane Mk I exhausts to go with the build, so I am limited to how far I can progress.

 

I started with the turret which includes a wealth of detail and excellent clear pieces including a choice of closed or open turret glazing. I left the vertical detail in place and will only use the PE on the gunner's horizontal controls. I replaced the barrels with Master .303 Brownings:

 

 

 

There is no gun sight included, so after a search of the web, I scratch built a simple Mk IIIA gun sight and mounted it accordingly (sideways):

 

 

 

The barrels were added and the whole thing received a coat of MM Aircraft Interior Black. The spent gun casing bags were painted OD, not sure if this is correct but once installed they will never be seen:

 

 

 

 

The two central gauges are related to the oxygen system so two of the smallest airscale "RAF gauges" set were installed, using copious amounts of Microsol:

 

 

Once the PE arrives and is installed, I will be able to continue with the turret construction.

 

So next up we turn to the fuselage and cockpit area. Basic assembly skills required to fit the sidewalls to each fuselage side. There is a nasty ejector pin mark on both the throttle quadrant and the fuse box (?) on either side. These were filled with punched discs and sanded smooth:

 

 

The cockpit floor forward cockpit area consists of 11 pieces. The fine detail in the seat supports reveals springs moulded (which are fragile) and the unique control column which attaches to the seat:

 

 

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc208/kahunaminor/Airfix%20Defiant/C2B67B9E-36DE-4102-82B6-2DD6A4557082_zpsos3wxfja.jpg

 

Turning to the IP, it is a little clunky by modern standards, so the Eduard PE one may be better. However to compare, I painted it up and used the kit IP decal with lots of Micro Sol. I also cut the decal where the gap above the compass housing and between the two compass housing supports, to enable a better fit:

 

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc208/kahunaminor/Airfix%20Defiant/5A583897-EE42-402F-8C5E-AA66CF55D5AD_zpsusdqc3am.jpg

 

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc208/kahunaminor/Airfix%20Defiant/D982BA47-8B76-4679-914C-D654A3E666F8_zpsdt3yx5em.jpg

 

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc208/kahunaminor/Airfix%20Defiant/343A381F-F002-4632-9F89-BB79D734D633_zpsizdykuva.jpg

 

The result is not too bad but I will have to replace the PE compass face as it looks ludicrously small in the current housing. I will have a look how the PE set for the IP looks when it arrives and decide to keep the kit one or replace it. For those of you who are building this and decide to use the decal, it may also be advisable to cut the two uppermost dials from the IP decal and attach them as a separate item into their respective dials. It will make the settling a little easier.

 

Regards and thanks for looking,

[Kahunaminor]

Thanks guys,

About the only real criticism one could have of this kit is the lack of rivets. Apparently a defining characteristic of the real aircraft. The question now begs itself...."to rivet or not to rivet?"

 

 

I am torn. A search of the Internet images show me examples for both arguments. I may have to resort to a coin toss!

 

As an aside, from my quest I have found an Australian connection. 456 Squadron, RAAF, flew Defiants, albeit briefly in Jun-Sep 1941. They were a NF squadron and transitioned to Beaufighters and then Mosquitos during WWII. I may have found a contender for a second build (or change this one if I can find proper markings).

 

 

Regards,

Edited April 6, 2016 by Kahunaminor

[Kahunaminor]

After searching my picture library,I found this one,this was taken about 1940,and those rivets as dazdot pointed out are flush,almost indented into the fuselage,so definitely not proud of it,see bottom left of picture,hope it helps the decision.

 

 

Thanks for that photo Jackofalltrades,

 

It still makes me ponder about the rivets, as they are still very noticeable/prominent. Certainly not proud of the panel nor divot like, as in the marks you would get from a "general" rivet tool. They appear (to me) to be more like the circular design of the MDC rivet tool?

 

Certainly in 32 scale I think they would have to be included but in 48?

 

Thoughts?

 

Regards,

[LSP_Ron]

Thanks Harvey,

 

There are points of view the flash photography accentuates the rivets on the Hendon aircraft more prominently than normal. However there is also a fair few photos of wartime aircraft where the rivet scheme is noticeable in broad daylight. I am leaning towards riveting but it would be restrained.

 

As another who has seen the real thing, would you say the flush rivets are similar to those obtained using the MDC rivet tool i.e. a circle rather than an indentation? I will post it here but I was just getting lazy. I can now add the title "by request"!

 

Regards, 

I'd agree with circular,  I don't buy the flash arguement. I've stood around that airframe several times over the years and the rivets are literally dents in the wings. You can see that quite clearly in the far right of the top picture I posts.  You can also see the same in the period pics in your Britmodeller thread. 

[dennismcc]

I'll follow this one with interest as I built a 1/48 scale Westland Whirlwind due to a lack of a 1/32 scale kit, so a small Defiant may be the way to go.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Kahunaminor]

Still debating the rivet question. I have the MDC rivet tool so I am going to try that out on some spare plastic, so I have been faffing around the peripheries. I had a spare set of PE belts for the pilot's seat, so they went in and will need some touch ups (I will have to reattach the control column too):

 

 

MM Aircraft Interior Black for the sidewalls:

 

 

Wiring of the gun sight and touched up the overall blackness of the turret:

 

 

And the prop completed:

 

 

 

News in the Eduard stuff has been despatched so that should be here in a week or so.

 

Regards,

[LSP_Kevin]

Nice work so far, Kent! Looking forward to following your progress.

 

Kev

[Erwin]

Looks great.

 

We MUST have a 32 nd or 24 th !!

[Kahunaminor]

Not much to report, apart from the arrival of these items today:

 

 

Even at first glance, the IP is superior to the kit plus decals. So there will probably be some reworking. I may try and keep the two upper dials as they protrude and just fit the panel and blind flying panel in. The compass face in the Zoom is much larger and should look much better!

 

Regards,

[LSP_Kevin]

Jeez, Eduard haven't mucked around getting their sets out! Looking forward to watching you put them through their paces, Kent.

 

Kev

[Kahunaminor]

Jeez, Eduard haven't mucked around getting their sets out! Looking forward to watching you put them through their paces, Kent.

 

Kev

Not at all, the BigEd comes out next month and they have Meteor sets out already.

 

Regards,