Hi Rowan,

well as I wrote it is just a bend down. So no big deal.

Gary ... we can't have everything, can we.

cheers

Steffen

Steffen,

I got admit that your camouflage sure fooled me, I was betting on some sort of mask use to achieve it. Well done indeed!

Btw, one question about the new 1/48 Gustavo from Eduard (if I may...) are the previous dimensional errors corrected in your opinion?

Keep that Defiant going please

Cheers
Pedro

Cheers Pedro,

Excursus: Eduard Bf 109G-6 well, Personally I was rather worried about the shape issues in the original kit (e.g. transition prop/circle to engine/U-shape and cockpit/square to tail/oval, stance) and those were addressed. To me it looks good.

I know the millimeters summed up but I think the kit as a KIT was great. If you are after those mm go over to HS, ARC (...) I bet there are tons of posts what eduard got wrong again. I just want to have fun with the kit and build it. And it builds very well.

Just my 2 ct.

all the best

Steffen

Nice work, but I don't think anything could compel me to construct a kit of an aircraft widely regarded as one of the most useless crates ever to disgrace the sky.

The kit's box artwork actually made me laugh out loud as it shows a BPD after having shot down a German aircraft! Believe me, that didn't happen. Hardly ever.

Hi Roland,

well I am not a big fan of obscure aircraft, but this one had it's share of fighting and there were quite a few kills claimed and granted. So in my book this model deserves to be on the market more than any "Luftwaffe 1946 paperplanes", but thats just my 2ct.

all the best

Steffen

Hi Roland,
I think that you are missing the point with aircraft such as the BP Defiant:



The BP Defiant was one of several aircraft in service at the start of the Battle of Britain and, as such was untried. In its first engagements it certainly took the enemy by surprise, and did rather well; so the box art is pretty good! Soon, however the luftwaffe found its weaknesses and they were shot down in droves, which is your point. My point is that the crews of these aircraft still went up to face the enemy and did their duty, even knowing that they were probably doomed. To me that is the reason to build this model. The same could be said for many designs of aircraft and vehicles and, for me, to refuse to build these models because they were not the best is odd as its about what the pilots did with them!

Why do you say '1946 paper planes' Steffan?

Anyway, In theory, the idea of the Defiant was sound. Two seater fighters such as the Bristol Scout had given excellent service in World War One, and had been a staple of the RAF in the inter war period. This arrangement would allow the pilot to concentrate on flying whilst his gunner could worry about firing, and also provide a defense against the classic diving attack. Once again, however, when faced with the harsh reality of modern war, it was exposed as a liability. The only way the gunner could get aim at an opposing fighter would be if the pilot flew straight and level, which in a dogfight is the very last thing you want to do. The aircraft lacked any forward firing guns, and the turret could not even fire head on. The Browning 7.62mm (.303 inch) was the standard RAF weapon for much of the war, but the rifle calibre bullets lacked stopping power against modern aircraft. It also proved almost impossible for the gunner to bail out of a stricken aircraft.

The Defiant suffered very heavy losses once its Achilles Heel was discovered. Despite the losses, the RAF’s version scored some early success and proved a reasonable night fighter during the early stages of the Blitz, so for that it gets a by I guess.

Great work though Steffan, you're doing a ssuper job on that kit.

Nice work Steffen,

I sent you a PM (wrong spelling on your name-sorry). The MMP book is well worth the reference material for the Defiant. Very nice work on the camouflage and weathering. I like the 109 too.

Regards,

Kent

Hello again,

Kent notified me about a big mistake that I had made when installing the instrument panel. It should have been installed further up and towards the pilots seat. The picture that shows the installation is a bit ambiguous but the following picture shows the correct position .. I just have not seen the error.

As Kent I think this is hard to correct but I will have a look into it once I resume the build.

Thank you for the heads up! I think nobody should make the same mistake ....

all the best

Steffen

Well .. some things bother me massively ..soooo

I cut the forward panel around the windshield with my hypercut saw. a bit of cleaning and I could proceed with a scalpel and pliers to get out the instrument panel



almost no damage to the interior. I cleaned things up with the scalpel and my motortool with a burr. A lick of paint and the ip was back in again...



mission accomplished

cheers

Steffen

Steffen,
A most impressive reconstruction surgery. Well done my friend.
Joel

I wish my surgeon was as accomplished!

As I said to you, the instructions are a bit ambiguous in their placement. I would go as far as saying they actually indicate the wrong position. Even the finished drawing does not assist. It is not until you see a picture that the clock and gear indicator housing should protrude (just) above the coaming, then it becomes apparent. A good save and glad I was ale to assist.

Regards,

Cheers Joel,

and everything in just under an hour from decision to completion

Kent, many thanks again for the hint! It is very kind of you to blame Airfix for being not clearer, but still this was my mistake....

all the best

Steffen

Not a problem,
Just to show I can put something together, I have posted my build here as well. My first on here, so thanks for dragging me along!

just a short picture update before I proceed decalling the 109



On the picture in AoA 105 it looks like this crate had an old replacement panel on the engine. I tried to replicate this but probably I will have to do some more on it once the flat coat is on.
The demarkation on the spinner also looks like it is not directly at the prop blades. To mask this was not easy and as you can see needs a little more work.

all the best

Steffen

Steffen,
The engine panel is something that I've never had to face, but if I had to I would have used an NMF 1st, then light mist coats of the colors in a random pattern, making sure that the NMF still shows through in various places. That hopefully would replicate the actual paint and weathering process, and be much easier then trying to accomplish it in reverse. Still, I have the utmost confidence in you accomplishing it in a most realistic manner.
Joel

Hi Steffen

Good save on the instrument panel. You're right about the replacement cowl panels on PS-V - they do show up clearly in photos. Also, the spinner tip looks slightly darker than on the other aircraft in squadron formation shots, but was it a different colour or just not freshly painted?

All the best

Rowan

Nicely done Steffen,

You would never know she had surgery. Thanks for sharing.

Regards

Thank you guys for the kind comments!

Joel: I have done that in the past and it is good for some kind of surface damage, but in general I prefer to build up effects on something that is already there. This time I masked the panel and misted on a light grey coat. The silver was added with a "sponge" (I used the foam plastic that is in the Eduard Brassin boxes to protect the contents). It looks good close up but it does not on the picture.

Rowan: thanks for the heads up on the Spinner colour but I will stick to white, though it will get some wash.

Kent: Thanks mate! Actually I like this kind of stuff .. much more than building and painting cockpits or adding stencils (the 109 has few but even these bug me...)

all the best

Steffen

Very nice work, Steffen

Thanks Russel!

Now the 109 is done I can focus again on this kit. Actually there is merely the turret left, but it is quite difficult to tell things apart.

There is kind of a folding board in front of the instruments and steering. As the Mushroom book is still not here, does anyone know what this is and color this should be



Thanks

Steffen

Hi again,

on wednesday the book finally arrived and also makes things clearer about the armrest. I proceeded adding Master gun barrels .. a worthwhile addition! It was darkend with UvdR oxidation fluid for brass. YOu still see a bit of brass in the picture which will be addressed later.



all the best

Steffen

Great work on your Bolton Defiant Steffen. Pretty brave to do the correction on the ip .



Jelger

Nice work,

The barrels truly make a great difference.

Regards,

Thanks Jelger and Kent!

As written earlier, even if one does not want to use any aftermarket, think twice about the guns. It is worth it as the turret is a focal point of the kit and they are not expensive.

cheers

Steffen