Airfix 1.72 scale Boulton Paul Defiant. Oldie but Goldie...

Robert E Shedd

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A classic old school Airfix kit with less parts than I've got fingers and toes, a pilot sat on 2 pins with no cockpit whatsoever, no wheel wells giving an excellent view right through the canopy to the floor and a handful of decals.
OK, maybe the shape is not quite right, the turret is a large misshaped lump and the canopy has no external framing; but the pleasure of building something so simple and uncomplicated is worth it in my opinion!
Other than wing alignment issues and a poorly fitting canopy everything else came together well. I jazzed up the cockpit area a bit and put floors in the wheel wells, other than that, the kit is built from the box.
Sadly the decals fell apart on contact with water so the ones on the kit are surviving bits mixed with spares.
If you want perfection from your "Daffy" then look no further than Airfix new moulding. If you want to reminisce on how kits used to be, this is the one for you!
 

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Steve-the-Duck

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Rivet fest! There is nothing wrong with a 'nostalgia' build, and just about any old kit can, with a bit (or a LOT) of work can get a fairly decent result. It's good to see them! I mean, I've got the OLD Airfix Battle, to do the prototype, so that's going to be a lot of work! Also, how many kits nowadays have 'workable' control surfaces?

BTW What transfers did you end up using, if the kit ones disintegrated?
 

rtfoe

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Well done, it looks good.
I did one a while back and spent time redoing the undercarriage, cockpit interior, opening the canopy, reshaped the turret well, also reshaped the chin and front nose. There's a build here some where if you'd like a look see. I must be some sadistic sod to go through all that but am satisfied non the less.

Cheers
Wabble
 

Steve-the-Duck

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Well done, it looks good.
I did one a while back and spent time redoing the undercarriage, cockpit interior, opening the canopy, reshaped the turret well, also reshaped the chin and front nose. There's a build here some where if you'd like a look see. I must be some sadistic sod to go through all that but am satisfied non the less.

Cheers
Wabble
There it is. Do you buy an old, cheap, kit, and put the work into it, or do you buy the newer all-singing all-dancing job, at five times the price, and save yourself the hard work (and heartache)? Some older kits are not worth the effort, true, but then some 'modern' kits might not be all they're cracked to be either
 

Robert E Shedd

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Rivet fest! There is nothing wrong with a 'nostalgia' build, and just about any old kit can, with a bit (or a LOT) of work can get a fairly decent result. It's good to see them! I mean, I've got the OLD Airfix Battle, to do the prototype, so that's going to be a lot of work! Also, how many kits nowadays have 'workable' control surfaces?

BTW What transfers did you end up using, if the kit ones disintegrated?
Not a clue, I've a pile of roundels, serial numbers and other odds and ends of decals left over from various kits... You're right, can't beat a nostalgia build. Modern kits are too perfect in my opinion. Not much scope for using your imagination!
Rivet fest! There is nothing wrong with a 'nostalgia' build, and just about any old kit can, with a bit (or a LOT) of work can get a fairly decent result. It's good to see them! I mean, I've got the OLD Airfix Battle, to do the prototype, so that's going to be a lot of work! Also, how many kits nowadays have 'workable' control surfaces?

BTW What transfers did you end up using, if the kit ones disintegrated?

Rivet fest! There is nothing wrong with a 'nostalgia' build, and just about any old kit can, with a bit (or a LOT) of work can get a fairly decent result. It's good to see them! I mean, I've got the OLD Airfix Battle, to do the prototype, so that's going to be a lot of work! Also, how many kits nowadays have 'workable' control surfaces?

BTW What transfers did you end up using, if the kit ones disintegrated
 

Robert E Shedd

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Well done, it looks good.
I did one a while back and spent time redoing the undercarriage, cockpit interior, opening the canopy, reshaped the turret well, also reshaped the chin and front nose. There's a build here some where if you'd like a look see. I must be some sadistic sod to go through all that but am satisfied non the less.

Cheers
Wabble
That's why older kits are so much more fun! I reshaped the intake under the engine as the original was too short and narrow. Did a bit in the turret and cockpit too but it's practically invisible once the canopy is on and painted!
 

rtfoe

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There it is. Do you buy an old, cheap, kit, and put the work into it, or do you buy the newer all-singing all-dancing job, at five times the price, and save yourself the hard work (and heartache)? Some older kits are not worth the effort, true, but then some 'modern' kits might not be all they're cracked to be either
Did mine before any of the new ones came out and usually always after you've done a make over of the old kit.
I've got the new 48th scale one and that's a beauty. Will find time to build that when I get into planes again.

Cheers,
Wabble
 

rtfoe

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That's why older kits are so much more fun! I reshaped the intake under the engine as the original was too short and narrow. Did a bit in the turret and cockpit too but it's practically invisible once the canopy is on and painted!
Yes it's fun when there aren't any newer molds appearing. Actually I seem to procrastinate at the thought of building the new kits and just look at the nice bits on the sprue. The only challenge is giving it a nice paint job I guess and covering seam lines.

Cheers,
Wabble
 

Steve-the-Duck

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Did mine before any of the new ones came out and usually always after you've done a make over of the old kit.
Oh, how many times have we dug out an old kit and gone 'well, no-one is ever going to do a new kit of THAT' and just as you put paint on plastic...

Well, I've almost finished my Fairey Fox, with absolutely no sign of a new one, and I need a second... Maybe I'll have better luck if I get to work on one of my Supermodel CANT Z.1007s
 

rtfoe

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Oh, how many times have we dug out an old kit and gone 'well, no-one is ever going to do a new kit of THAT' and just as you put paint on plastic...

Well, I've almost finished my Fairey Fox, with absolutely no sign of a new one, and I need a second... Maybe I'll have better luck if I get to work on one of my Supermodel CANT Z.1007s
The irony right? Well there is hope with all the new 3D printing going on and latest in tool making that becomes easier to produce in short runs.

Cheers,
Wabble
 

Steve-the-Duck

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The irony right? Well there is hope with all the new 3D printing going on and latest in tool making that becomes easier to produce in short runs.

Cheers,
Wabble
I live in hope... Westland Wapiti and Wallace, Avro Aldershot, Fiat CR.30...
 

Robert E Shedd

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Did mine before any of the new ones came out and usually always after you've done a make over of the old kit.
I've got the new 48th scale one and that's a beauty. Will find time to build that when I get into planes again.

Cheers,
Wabble
I actually wouldn't mind having a go at the 1.48 Daffy to be fair.
 

A_J_Rimmer

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Very cool - I built one a few years back with the resin nose conversion - it's a fun little kit.
 
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