Boulton Paul Defiant ideas

[NARSES2]

Good, looking forward to it

[Dizzyfugu]

Kit has been completed (final details like position lights and antenna added), hope to take pics soon. Looks... special. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Impression of the Boulton Paul P.81 "Reliant" light bomber. More to come in a separate post soon...

1:72 Boulton Paul P.81 'Reliant', aircraft "302" of  The Royal Netherlands Army Air Corps, De Kooy airfield, autumn 1938 (Whif/Pavla kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Boulton Paul P.81 'Reliant', aircraft "302" of  The Royal Netherlands Army Air Corps, De Kooy airfield, autumn 1938 (Whif/Pavla kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Boulton Paul P.81 'Reliant', aircraft "302" of  The Royal Netherlands Army Air Corps, De Kooy airfield, autumn 1938 (Whif/Pavla kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Boulton Paul P.81 'Reliant', aircraft "302" of  The Royal Netherlands Army Air Corps, De Kooy airfield, autumn 1938 (Whif/Pavla kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[ChernayaAkula]

The "Reliant", huh? Bet it has an outstanding roll rate!    

Nice model! Love the camo! 

[PR19_Kit]

That's amazing Thomas, did it really start as a Defiant? I can't see ANY Defiant bits in it, apart from the main gear perhaps.

[Dizzyfugu]

Yes, it's a Defiant - and actually much of it. It's the Pavla kit, and fuselage and wings are original. Tail is new (Bf 110), engine had to be swopped (the bomb bay takes the place of the radiator - where to put it?) for a Lancaster Merlin, the canopy is new (vacu piece for a Nakajima torpedo bomber) and the propeller had to be scratched, too. The turret opening was covered at the flanks, and instead a second seat and the cannon were installed.
Anyway, I agree that this thing looks surprisingly un-defiantly. From certain angles the thing reminds of an early Ju-87, the new engine adds a Fairey Firefly look, too?

More to come, including WiP pics from the surgery table. 

[pyro-manic]

Cool. Stuka, Sturmovik and Fairey vibes all present. Nice!

[Dizzyfugu]

While browsing I also stumbled across this here...?

[Mossie]

Indian post-war?  Cool, if difficult to see the Defiant lasting that long outside the target tug role.

I do like that Defiant-ovik, chin intake gives it a powerful look.

[NARSES2]

Must admit that Defiant looks to have a French engine to me ? Built under licence with a Hispano Suiza ? Airfix Defiant meets Dweotine 520 ?

[PR19_Kit]

Must admit that Defiant looks to have a French engine to me ? Built under licence with a Hispano Suiza ? Airfix Defiant meets Dweotine 520 ?

Ahah, THAT'S what it's reminding me of!  

I've been looking at that pic for ages trying to work out what was bugging me about it.

[Dizzyfugu]

More about the Reliant in Dutch service has just been posted... 

And, BTW - it has a Merlin, but the chin radiator changes the look dramatically. Some Dewoitine-ish?

[zenrat]

I'm now thinking the other way round.

What if the Defiant had been a success?
Would other manufacturers have added turrets to Spitfires, Thunderbolts, Ta 152's...
Where would you put a turret on a P39?
Can I fit a Lancaster tail turret onto the front of my long planned FW 189 Tilt Fan?
Hmmmm...

[NARSES2]

What if the Defiant had been a success?
Would other manufacturers have added turrets to Spitfires, Thunderbolts, Ta 152's...

The Supermarine model 305 proposal for the F.9/35 design request was a Spitfire'ish turret fighter

[Army of One]

I haven't read this whole thread but what I'd like to do with one is a twin .50's turret.......although I think the guns themselves are physically to big for the turret.......