Defiantly completing a horrible nightmare. Airfix Bolton Paul Defiant 1/72

[rtfoe]

Hi Everyone, as the Defiant seems the topic in both the 1/72 and 1/48 new versions from Airfix, I thought I'd show how an old mold kit of the 1/72 scale nightmare turned out.



The nose is totally out of shape despite all the shims I added to widen it. The turret and guns received most attention including the undercarriage.(you'll see what I mean when I start the build thread)
Dang it...when this was finished Airfix announced they were coming out with new molds for the Defiant in both scales. Now I have the new 48 scale kit...will not do the 72 one as it will be unbearable to put it next to this one.
For those building the new kits, thank the lucky stars you escaped from this poor kit. Is it because it did poorly in the BoB that Airfix paid little attention to the kit in the early days?...I wonder.

Thanks for looking in and I will add a link to the build thread once its up. Here it is.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[stona]

For all the trials and tribulations you've done a great job on that.

It certainly looks like a Defiant!

I'm glad that I'm building the new one and not this one

 

[BarryW]

You made a decent job out of it though.

I remember building the old Airfix BPD ‘back in the day’ black plastic as it was then. I think it’s just how expectation and standards have changed. The old Spitfire and Hurricanes back then left a lot to be desired but we did not know any better. That very first Spitfire kit Airfix brought out their first aircraft kit if I remember correctly was not much more than an approximation of the Spity.

 

[Lee Drennen]

Richard. It looks good outside it’s short comings o like the paint job.

 

[Richard48]

Done a superb job of the old girl.
Jolly well done fella.
Rich.

 

[rtfoe]

Thank you gentlemen,

The black plastic was horribly brittle. By the time I got this it was the light blue gray soft plastic which suffered with some edges of parts not formed.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[JR]

Looks good Richard.

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks John, but since these images have been shown on the other site it will soon be deleted I think.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Jim R]

Hi Richard
You did very well to get such a great result from a very poor kit.
Jim

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks Jim, but how many will know it was a poor kit without seeing the build images or be ready to correct it?

Cheers,
Richard

 

[AlanG]

Richard. Please stop with the snide comments. I gave you a resolution on the other thread.

 

[rtfoe]

Whats the point.

 

[flyjoe180]

Creation of a silk purse out of a sow's ear has been fulfilled. A brilliant result from what was a terrible kit Richard. Kudos to you

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks Joe. I'm not satisfied with the nose...just doesn't look right so I've just decided to correct it further than I did before. Got a spacer and putty ready so look out for it in the build section as I will continue from there.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[adt70hk]

Richard, great job. Well done.

Andrew

 

[Ralph]

Very nice Richard .

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks Andrew, hop over to the build. I've started on showing the undercarriage assembly. I will try to get past that as quick as possible to get at the present status of the build.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

Ooh, thanks Ralph, nearly missed you post.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Guys, here are the complete completed build of the defiant Defiant.



Here is something you probably didn't see but there were aerial lines leading from the body to the tail wings which weren't fitted yet in the earlier pictures.



There is an aerial line at the bottom which I didn't take a photo of. Hope you like them.

Cheers,
Richard