Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[NARSES2]

Going to get another Airfix Defiant as it's a gorgeous kit  and have figured a wif for her. Thinking RAF Aden circa late 1942. Used for inshore patrol work. Desert camouflage with maybe two guns removed from the turret to lighten her and increase range ?

[Captain Canada]

I like it. Can't wait to see this kit. Such a lovely aeroplane !

[Mossie]

Sounds good to me Chris.

How about Russia?  Remove the turret, have a guy in the back with a single gun.  It could even be a mini Šturmovík, as the Defiant had hard points for small bomb racks.  They were trialled on the prototype, but only the ASR variant used the points in service for the dinghy rack.

[Captain Canada]

The ASR variant sounded pretty interesting.....doesn't seem too much different tho. In the real world anyway !

http://gregers.fr.yuku.com/topic/14804/ASR-Defiant-1st-ever-Mod-using-resins-and-scratch-building#.VMfwHuk5DIU

[Mossie]

Thanks for that, that's the closest I've come close to seeing of the dinghy stores.  I've got the Mushroom Model Publications book on the Defiant, the only pic is that one the modeller shows.

Another role I can think of is strafer.  Worst comes to worst, the invasion happens, send in Defiants with wing mounted bombs and let go with the turrets as the hordes run up the beaches.

[Thorvic]

The ASR Defiant is on the Xtradecal sheet, although it doesnt mention where your supposed to get your dinghy pods and racks from !

[Thorvic]

Chris what about swapping out the BP quad .303 turret for the Martin twin .50 turret 

[Mossie]

Or a pair of Hisso's.   There's a few drawings of the proposal on the Defiant thread:
http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,27707.45.html

[zenrat]

Or a minigun that fell through a hole in the space time continuum.

[NARSES2]

Chris what about swapping out the BP quad .303 turret for the Martin twin .50 turret 

I may well have one as well, but no, I think any coastal patrol Defiant will just have a 2 gun standard turret.

Anyway made progress and the Defiant is together whilst the Hurricane is ready to be closed up. The Defiant has gone together superbly. She looks as though she will need just a couple of swipes of Mr Surfacer in a couple of places and some PPP where I rather clumsily removed the lower wing from the sprue.

[kitbasher]

I bauguely recall seeing a pic somewhere of British single or possibly twin 20 mm cannon mid-upper style turret trials very early in the war. Or have I just made that up? Could that be a Defiant whif option?

[Mossie]

Not sure about early war, but here's one in a Lanc:

[PR19_Kit]

I wish those Master guys would make those 20mm guns in brass.

I've wanted to add that turret and gun combo to SO many models, but AFAIK there's never been a kit that had them. The up coming Airfix Shackleton will of course, but in styrene they'll still be a tad fragile.

[Gondor]

I wish those Master guys would make those 20mm guns in brass.

I've wanted to add that turret and gun combo to SO many models, but AFAIK there's never been a kit that had them. The up coming Airfix Shackleton will of course, but in styrene they'll still be a tad fragile.

I am guessing that as we speak they will be looking at producing them as they know that the Airfix Shackleton will sell and I agree about wanting to add that turret to lots of models.

Gondor

[Radish]

You could lighten things considerably and remove the turret and just have a couple of 0.5s, or perhaps just one, add a bomb/bombs and underwing dive brakes?

There was a Defiant in "Biggles Defends The Desert".