Special Hobby – SH72503 – Defiant NF Mk.II “Radar Fighter”

Description:

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of a British Boulton Paul Defiant WWII interceptor introduced in 1939. The Boulton Paul Defiant had a 4 × 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns in hydraulically powered dorsal turret as only armament, designed to intercept unescorted bombers, but it lacks of forward firing armament proved to be a major odd for daylight operations once the German fighters started to operate from French bases, closer to United Kingdom than expected when requirements for the Boulton Paul Defiant were issued. This and other factores relegated soon its service to night operations, trainer aircraft and lastly as target tug aircraft.

MK.II variant was specifically produced as night fighter, with around 210 units built and equipped with the AI Mk IV aircraft interception radar.

This kit is an update of the MPM Productions kit originally tooled in 2003 (MPM Production – 72519 – B&P Defiant Mk. II “Night fighter”), updated with a new decal sheet. Kit include a small PE (photo-etched) sheet and resin parts.

Decal sheet include 3 British RAF markings, all dated 1942 and showing an all black paint schema, as used when the Boulton Paul Defiant was switched to night fighter role, due its inferior performance on daylight conditions versus the contemporary German fighters.