Army Rumour Service

Register a free account today to join our community
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site, connect with other members through your own private inbox and will receive smaller adverts!

Kit Reviews 1:48 scale Boulton Paul Defiant F1 by Trumpeter Post build review

Daz

LE
1/48th Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.1 post match review….well, as close to a review as you’ll get from me
E1.jpg


Ok, this kit normally retails around the £30 - £35 mark in the UK, the question is, is it worth it? The answer to that is verging on no.


Now there’s a couple of reasons for that, the first being the cost, it’s around £10 to £15 more expensive than the 1/48 scale Airfix version, the Airfix version is also supposed to have the edge in the accuracy stakes, for instance, in regards to the placement of the rivet lines, there’s also the matter of the fixed rear deck whereby the real (and the Airfix) version move up and down depending on where the gun turret is aimed while the kit is locked in place.
E6.jpg


You also need to factor in the cost of replacement decals, the kit supplied ones are….well, wank to be honest, incredibly thick and almost imposable to apply even with decal solution, this is not a one off, I had the same problem with the decals for a Wildcat from their sister company, so there’s another £8/9 on top of the purchase price.


Come to think of it, there’s also not enough decals in the box – there are no kit decals for the side instruments, or the gun turret position, clearly there is a need for them, otherwise you are left with empty dial positions in place, so if you dont apply any decals it’s quite obvious there’s something missing.
E2.jpg


Ideally, you should also grab a replacement canopy set, partly because the kit canopy only comes in the closed position, but also because mine came with a flaw in the pilots center section, in addition to the flaw, the bottom frame on the gun turret cracked while trying to get it in place, if you contrast that offering with Airfix’s, Airfix comes out ahead – they offer two canopy sets, open and closed…..so if anyone’s got a unused one, I’ve got a good home for it.
E4.jpg


On the plus side, the kit is in the main, an easy build with some nice touches, you get a small fret of etched brass, the exhausts ends are cast hollow, ditto for the guns, there’s no flash to found on the spurs and the spur gates are very manageable, the only fit issue if the turret, the fit is rather tight, so the back end of the slot does need to be cut back a bit to enable it to fit, even then you really are restricted to having the turret face forward.

E5.jpg

Would I build another one? Yes, but only if the price was right, mine come of Fleabay for around a tenner, soon as you get to the RRP I’d opt for the Airfix version.
E7.jpg



E8.jpg
 
Top