John's Defiant Duo: DF.I L7025/PS-Z, TT.I AA507/8

[JohnRatzenberger]

Here is the standard parts shot of the victim. Mine is a bagged kit -- that is someone chopped up the box and stuffed it all into a zip-lock baggie. Nonetheless, all the parts are there and in good shape. The rivet detail is obvious but not as pronounced as I "remember it" from long ago when I first built this kit. IIRC my first kit was bagged, but properly so. The propeller looks a bit skinny and possibly a bit bent, but since I have to cut the blades off to use with the VW nose, it doesn't matter.

Note that I get to work with black plastic, not a favorite of mine. Also note the Valiant Wings nose. I also have an MPM kit that might contribute some detail parts to all this and I'm sure there are a few more useful parts in the spares box.



Now, when the GB came up, my intention was to do a Target Tug conversion, specifically to AA507/8 of No 26 AACU, Egypt, 1945, which is in a nonstandard overall yellow with black stripes wrapping around the whole fuselage and wings.

However, as time got closer, I ran into an interesting aircraft, a DF.I, L7025/PS-Z of 246 Sqn in 1940, which is in standard dayfighter camo of DE/DG/Sky but whose roundels are a pre-war blue. The color profiles are confirmed by several unit photos showing several other variations of camo and markings.



Of the color profiles, I had two different serials, L7025 and L7029, but none of my pix are clear/close enough to answer the question. I used the record of claims and losses in the Allied Wings #8 to pick L7025 as correct.

I should note that L7025 apparently shot down 3 aircraft on 24 August, 1940, before itself being shot down 2 days later.

I want to make it clear that while I will make some of the corrections from the Airfix (and Rimmel) articles, my aircraft may not be a completely accurate Mk.I, although it carries Mk.I markings.

Gee, I sure hope someone else does a TT ….

[Dirkpitt289]

Nice. I like the look of the profile you chose. I always wanted to to the Shark mouth Defiant. As far as shark mouth aircraft goes its a goofy grin but I still like it. Going to have to try and find a set of those decals for a future build.

[Old_Tonto]

That is an interesting choice John, the light blue of the roundals give it a unique look.

I had intended to do a target tug version because I realy like the black & yellow scheme but my daughter is doing a project about the Blitz later in the year so the nightfighter version has been chosen. I did fancy doing DZZ so if you ain't using those decals think of me.

You never know, there may be enough time to build another one before the deadline. Although looking at my example I will be lucky to get the thing together at all!

I like the look of this one too:


Defiants look pretty cool with teeth.

[JamesPerrin]

Looking at the nice box art, DZ-Z ( diz-zee) is a great code for a turret fighter

[Dirkpitt289]

Looking at the nice box art, DZ-Z ( diz-zee) is a great code for a turret fighter

Too funny

[JohnRatzenberger]

I can't stand it - a Defiant GB and no target tug, so I'll kick off a 2nd build here in same thread.



Different base kit as far as markings go. I also have the Aviation TSK vacform mod for the Defiant, Master, and Battle -- all it provides is a different rear deck and a canopy.

My target aircraft is AA507/8 of 26 AACU, Egypt, 1945. I chose this because the solid yellow with full wrap-around stripes is non-standard, and I have a photo to go with the color profile.

Now this is a TT.I, meaning it came off the Mk.II production line as a TT and is not a TT.III conversion. The difficulty this presents is my DF is a Mk.I but this will be based on the Mk.II, meaning different engine, radiator, tail, etc - plus the sand filter under the nose. Note that I only have one VW nose, so one gets done the old-fashioned way … OTOH, I do have the MPM kits to "borrow" parts from.

Really should be two threads, but let me see if we can do the common things together and then do the different things in parallel without confusing you or I too badly. If we reach the end of this and you see a DF in stripes, well … You can also view this as a Shared Build with myself

So, first step is to redevelop my plan, which I didn't have a firm grasp on anyway …

[Dirkpitt289]

I LIKE IT!!!!!!

[lancfan]

John, I am intrigued by your choice of markings for the TT, I modelled AA507 using side profiles from two different decades (Aircraft Profile 117 and Aeroplane Monthly 10/2008) and both views show the aircraft without the number '8' on the side but I did not have a photograph to work from, I always work on the assumption that a picture of the full-size wins over artwork every single time and if your picture shows the number 8 then I may need to alter my model unless of course the aircraft flew at different times in both forms.

David.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Ah, the joy of color profiles accuracy !

I also have an "8-less" color profile, in the Apr 2003 SAMI. It is also "8-less" in the MPM Defiant TT kit.

I first spotted the "with-8" 4-view color profile in the new Airfile RAF Trainers Vol 1, which got me looking around. I found another starboard side-only profile in the Warpaint and, on pg 20, a B&W photo of the starboard side. The Airfile states that while the starboard can be confirmed the port side marking is conjectural.

Frankly, from the photo, the "8" looks "crammed in" between the roundel & serial, perhaps because the serial appears to be positioned forward of standard so maybe it didn't exist on the port side, or indeed the profiles are based on two different periods of time.

BUT, just to piggy-back on my "rant" about color profiles (see the reference thread), the Warpaint profile does not have a fin flash, while it clearly exists in the photo.

AND, I will also say that the MPM kit has the stripes absolutely wrong.

[lancfan]

the '8' does look to be wedged in there doesn't it, so it could very well be a later addition so on the assumption that may be the case I will wait and see if more info comes to the surface before repainting the fuselage.

David.

[JohnRatzenberger]

First thing I did was go back through all the conversion articles and some of the conversations here. That lead me to anh Airfix Spitfire Vc kit in my stash which might provide a nose, sand filter, and spinner, so I got them out.

If I use the Spitfire nose and sand filter for the TT, then the VW nose could go on the DF1 -- seemed straightforward enough …. except when it isn't. The DF.I is 6 inches shorter than the TT.I (which remember is a Mk.II) and the more logical approach is to put the VW nose on the TT and the Spitfire nose on the DF.I … except the sand filter then wouldn't be with the correct nose and I need it to hide the reshaping, etc ….



Today, I started cutting off parts and separating control surfaces and such, ever mindful of the above confusion. I have cut the rudders off each fuselage half and the elevators off each tail plane. The fins will be reshaped and the rudders remade from card. I have partially reshaped the elevators, making them less pointy at the tip, but I have to fix the trailing edge also. The stabilizers will be padded out a bit at the hinge line, then the modified elevators attached. The ailerons are already separate and will be modified as necessary before reattaching.

The nose has been cut off the DF. When I cut the VW nose from the pour block, I'll work at both the fuselage and the nose to shorten the overall length about 2mm. I have separated the nose plus a bit from the Spitfire and will work at cutting the TT fuselage to fit the new nose next, including the sand filter which isn't that close in shape but close enough to slop putty onto it and make it look right.

If you think that sounds confusing, you should have seen how many times I had to stop myself from cutting the wrong thing up today …. I almost cut the rear deck off the DF, that's when I quit.

[Old_Tonto]

That sounds like a plan.

I have cut the rudders off each fuselage half and the elevators off each tail plane. The fins will be reshaped and the rudders remade from card. I have partially reshaped the elevators, making them less pointy at the tip, but I have to fix the trailing edge also. The stabilizers will be padded out a bit at the hinge line, then the modified elevators attached. The ailerons are already separate and will be modified as necessary before reattaching.

You seem to know your way around a Daffy & how to correct it. I will follow your lead so can you provide plenty of images 'coz i iz a bit fik'.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Fast start, slowed by a lot of things around home; it's kinda taken the buzz off, because it won't stop for two weeks or so.

None of that helps me keep track of what I'm doing, so the risk of a major mod to the wrong fuselage has always been a problem. Well, I got past that today.

Here's the target tug. I only really need to worry about improving the top shape of the cowl, the sand filter hides the too slim bottom of the nose. I'm using a Spitfire Vc engine and sand filter and I only really need the top of that cowl, say from just below the exhausts up. Out came the razor saw and a few minutes later, here she is roughly assembled. Putty and sanding do the rest.



From there, I assembled the outer wing sections. I glued the fuselage together for the DF. I also cut out the turret and rear deck for the TT -- the USK instructions aren't any good and neither is the part because a lack of demarcation lines means I'm not sure what exactly it is meant to replace. I finally decided to lop out a section of rear fuselage, get it stuck together, and figure it out from there.



At least now I shouldn't be too confused about which fusleage is which ....

I might get some more time this weekend, but I'm also trying to time slice my way through the Telford kits. I have dialed back my scope of effort here - there will be far less detailing than I had planned. My goal is to make basic changes and then do a good finish such that they look like my target aircraft from a couple feet away.

[JohnRatzenberger]

No pix.

I've separated the VW nose from the sheet and need to sand off a mm or so to make it seem like a Mk.I. I've also slopped a buch of putty on the two fuselages, in particular the TT, and need to sand that down.

Been cold & rainy, so didn't get outside for either yet -- hopefully today.

[Dirkpitt289]

Coming along nicely John. I like the approach you took with the nose of the TT.