Boulton Paul Valiant Mk.I PR (Airfix 1/48)

[2996 Victor]

Inspired by Fred @zenrat's Recce Group Build Defiant PR Mk.I, I felt the need to do something similar but in my preferred 1/48. One of Airfix's Defiant Mk.I kits has duly appeared at Victor Towers (its a bit like Fawlty Towers but without the Filigree Siberian Hamster or the Veal Substitute).

The Defiant prototype, K8310, was originally flown without a turret (it wasn't ready) and with the rear fuselage faired over and ballast added to simulate the weight of the turret and gunner. It was later fitted with an operational turret. Early in 1940, after production of the Defiant Mk.I had begun, K8310 was again modified by Boulton Paul, removing the turret and re-fairing the rear fuselage, and fitting a pair of .303" Brownings in each wing. In this form, having a performance roughly mid-way between those of the Hurricane and Spitfire, it was offered to the Air Ministry as a single-seat fighter. Production would have been relatively easy as most of the Defiant jigs and patterns could be used but (in the Real World) the Air Ministry could not be persuaded.

Backstory
However, in Whif World, the Air Ministry felt that having a third single-engined, single-seat fighter that could be in production quickly would be an excellent safeguard against interruptions to Hurricane and Spitfire production.

The single-seat Defiant, named Valiant Mk.I, was therefore ordered into production just prior to the beginning of the Battle of Britain. As production was to be alongside the Defiant, the Air Ministry initially signed off on 150 examples, now with six wing-mounted .303" guns, with an option to increase the order to 300 within three months should the need arise. The first Valiant flew in mid-August 1940; by that time the situation was becoming desperate and the Air Ministry felt moved to exercise its option on the additional 150 Valiants as well as ordering a further 200 under a new contract.

Initial deliveries were made to same No.264 Squadron who had pioneered the Defiant in combat. With their new aircraft, 264 decided to try new tactics: flying in mixed formations of three sections of four aircraft, each section comprising two Valiants and two Defiants, with the Valiants leading. Their first encounter in this formation with the Luftwaffe closely mirrored their successes of earlier that fateful summer. Due to the similarities of the two British types, the Luftwaffe pilots assumed the formation to by composed entirely of Defiants and attacked head-on as was their usual tactic. They were met with a hail of fire from the Valiants' guns while those that zoomed over the formation were also treated to a peppering from the Defiants' turret guns. 141 Squadron was similarly re-equipped, and having learned from their errors gladly took on board 264's hard-won experience.

As before, though, the lesson was quickly learned and "Defiant" formations were approached more circumspectly. The Jagdwaffe soon realised that their best option was to attack from below and astern thus breaking up the mixed Valiant/Defiant formations. The leading Bf109 Schwarms would then keep the Valiants occupied, leaving the following Schwarms to exploit the Defiant's weaknesses. Losses were again heavy among the two-seaters, which were subsequently reassigned to night duties. With the waning of the Battle of Britain and the improvements to the Spitfire, the remaining 153 Boulton Paul Valiants were withdrawn from Fighter Command in late October 1940, 80 being reassigned to overseas squadrons direly in need of a more modern fighter and 35 to Flying Training Schools, the remainder became ground instructional airframes. Further production was cancelled, a total of 287 Valiants having rolled off the production lines.

The 80 sent overseas were warmly welcomed by the Middle Eastern (35 aircraft), East African (17 aircraft) and Indian (28 aircraft) squadrons, who were largely flying biplanes at that point. No.2 PRU at Heliopolis eagerly snatched five of those slated to stay in the desert, and set about modifying them to suit their own unique purposes. Basing their calculations on the known weights and CofG of the Defiant, 2PRU removed the ballast weight and instead fitted a 125 gallon fuel tank where the turret would have been. This increased the effective range of the PRU Valiants from 465 miles to just over 1,000 miles, which was invaluable given the distances to be flown on reconnaissance missions. Cameras were installed in the rear fuselage, with a vertical split pair and an oblique in a similar manner to the PR Spitfires.

Most of the fighter Valiants were either lost to attrition or grounded due to lack of spares, the arrival of the Bf109E and F marking their demise as viable combat aircraft. The PR aircraft soldiered on, however, giving invaluable service until late 1942 when they were replaced with Spitfire PR.IVs

Back to reality! Sprues have been washed and are drying, and here are the usual box and sprue shots.

Thanks for looking in.

Cheers,
Mark

[NARSES2]

Looking forward to this

[2996 Victor]

Looking forward to this

 

[Old Wombat]

Looking forward to this

Same here!

I have this kit in the stash but I'm thinking of doing it as an unmodified Defiant but in RAAF service in Darwin/PNG ca. 1942.

[2996 Victor]

Same here!

I have this kit in the stash but I'm thinking of doing it as an unmodified Defiant but in RAAF service in Darwin/PNG ca. 1942.

That would look good - the RAAF camo would really suit the Defiant, I reckon. It looks like being a nice kit, some good detail particularly around the cockpit and turret but some brass gun barrels might be a good move! One thing I have noticed are some slight sink marks where the mouldings are thicker, in the wing surfaces for instance where the wheel bays are. I want to do a Real World Air-Sea Rescue Defiant at some point..... But back to this build, I need to source a tropical air filter from somewhere - its quite amazing how many there aren't.....

In other news, I had a useful book arrive today! MMP Yellow Series 6117 - I've been meaning to get it for a while for the ASR info in it, but it also has a great profile of K8310 as a single-seat demonstrator. Definitely not classed as "pretty"

Cheers,
Mark

[Wardukw]

I've always liked the Defiant because of that 4 gun turret but when you loose that turret the coolness factor goes bye-bye 
It's not a pretty plane now as a single..ok I'm not saying it looks good with the turret either 

[2996 Victor]

I've always liked the Defiant because of that 4 gun turret but when you loose that turret the coolness factor goes bye-bye 
It's not a pretty plane now as a single..ok I'm not saying it looks good with the turret either 

You're absolutely right - it becomes a bit like a hunchback. A quasi (modo) fighter, if you like Sorry, that was dreadful

I've always liked the Defiant, for its looks and for it's achievements in the face of adversity. Photos of the crews, smiling for the cameras, always brings a tear to my eyes and a lump to my throat. The Defiant somehow sums up the bulldog spirit in a way the svelte Spitfire and rugged Hurricane don't quite manage.

I've made a start on the cockpit. The kit is so well engineered that it pretty much fits together without the need for glue - painting the parts first would cause all sorts of fit issues! Photos soon.....

I can see a couple of Real World Defiants - the ASR one I've already mentioned and a nightfighter in Special Night.

Cheers,
Mark

[SPINNERS]

Nice project! I was unaware of the single-seat Defiant and I quite like it.

[2996 Victor]

Nice project! I was unaware of the single-seat Defiant and I quite like it.

Thanks Although the prototype flew in that form, the single seater was only really a proposal that wasn't pursued.

Boulton Paul took the idea forward with the P.94, which was projected to have a Merlin XX and be armed with either 12 x .303" Brownings or 4 x 20mm Hispano cannon. The P.94 proposal also allowed for the guns to depress by 17 degrees for ground attack. But again, the Air Ministry weren't keen.

Cheers,
Mark

[Wardukw]

I've looked at Airfix's Defiant in 48th and I'm getting bloody tempted Mark ..im not having ideas for a up gunned version  ..no 303s anywhere 

[2996 Victor]

I've looked at Airfix's Defiant in 48th and I'm getting bloody tempted Mark ..im not having ideas for a up gunned version  ..no 303s anywhere 

I'm intrigued! A TT Mk.I, perhaps, with yellow and black striped undersides? Its a great-looking kit, and the fit of the cockpit parts is nothing short of superb - I hope the rest is as good.....The slight sink marks are a bit of a shame but hopefully they'll be easy to sort out.

I've had a bit of a "mental block" with Airfix since I returned to the hobby, but the "problem" kits were all 1/72nd and the massive panel lines really put me off - I tried various methods to reduce them, but somehow it just "spoiled" the builds and took out the enjoyment. The rag-wing Mk.I Hurricane was the final straw for me - I never found one that didn't have a seriously distorted lower wing! The 1/48 kits I've looked at so far are a different ball game: the panel lines are refined and the quality of the moulding seems much better, more "stable" somehow. Definitely worth a punt, I'd say

All the best,
Mark

[Wardukw]

I've got a 72nd Airfix Lancaster and mate I know exactly what you mean..early Airfix kits were total junk and I've never seen a model company change as much as Airfix did.
The Lancaster is a beautiful kit..ive also got a MK24 Spitfire in 48th and I had a idea to use the 24 as the starting point for a build..after seeing the model that's not going to happen..it's to beautiful a model to cut up ..so I'm using a Seafang instead 
As for the Defiant..once I find one which won't be for a we while ..got a new hard drive this week ..it's getting a firepower upgrade for one thing ..as for that..no other ideas at all 

[2996 Victor]

I've got a 72nd Airfix Lancaster and mate I know exactly what you mean..early Airfix kits were total junk and I've never seen a model company change as much as Airfix did.
The Lancaster is a beautiful kit..ive also got a MK24 Spitfire in 48th and I had a idea to use the 24 as the starting point for a build..after seeing the model that's not going to happen..it's to beautiful a model to cut up ..so I'm using a Seafang instead 
As for the Defiant..once I find one which won't be for a we while ..got a new hard drive this week ..it's getting a firepower upgrade for one thing ..as for that..no other ideas at all 

Sorry, I misread your previous post I read the "no .303"s" anywhere and the brain assumed "no guns at all", not up-gunned! d'oh! I think there may have been a proposal for a cannon turret.....

Cheers!

[Wardukw]

Hahaha..that's just age getting a ya ..im turning 55 tomorrow and already there   
I'm not going for cannons...rate of fire is to slow...so  Twin aircraft 50cals for the turret..1000rds per minute..that will do four 20mms for the wings..at the moment 

[Wardukw]

I just brought a 1/48th Defiant matey 
Just decided to have a little looksie and I was very happy with what I found.
Scored it for $35 nz ..(£ 18 or € 19.50 )