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Pavla’s 1/72 Defiant NF Mk. II/TT Mk. I

By Chris Banyai-Riepl

History

Following the decision by the RAF to use the Defiant in a night Fighter role, the new and secret AI radar was installed in many of the Mk.1s which improved combat performance. Designated the Defiant NF. MkIA, they were invaluable to Britain's defence in the winter of 1940-1. Installation of the Merlin XX engine, increased fuel capacity, larger rudder as well as modification to the engine and cooling systems however, saw the birth of the Defiant Mk.II. A total of 210 Mk II's were built and many of these were converted for use as target tugs as well as the by now, accustomed role of nightfighter.

The Kit

This is the second kit put out by Pavla of the Defiant and this one covers the later marks, including the target tug. To get all these variants there’s lots of extra parts included here, including whole new fuselage. The parts are molded in a medium gray plastic with recessed panel lines throughout, and you also get a handful of resin parts, vacuformed canopies, and a small fret of photoetch details. A decal sheet with four options rounds out the package.

Early on in the construction you’ll have to decide on which variant you want to build as you’ll need to pick the right fuselage. Once that decision is made you can jump into the interior. The insides are made up from plastic, resin and brass and should really look good once it’s done. If you’re doing the night fighter, you also get to build up a very nice turret that will look great under the vacuformed turret piece.

The nose is a separate piece, as this is one area that is different between the Mk. I and Mk. II Defiants. There are individual resin exhaust stubs and separate scoops for the underside. The propeller has separate blades and matches up to a two-piece hub. Once you have this together it’s time to join the fuselage halves, trapping the various innards in place. The wings and tailplanes come next, with the wings being made up of a one-piece lower wing and two pieces for the upper halves. There is a resin wheelwell insert for the main gear, and if you’re building the night fighter you get to add a bunch of photoetch antennae on the wings.

The landing gear looks to be sturdy enough and has plenty of extra bits to detail it out. The gear doors might best be replaced with thin card or brass stock, but other than that things should be fine here. The final steps include the canopies and the target towing apparatus for the TT Mk. I.

The decal sheet, while small, offers several interesting examples. Two night fighters and two target tugs are included. Both of the night fighters are finished in overall black, with one coded DZ-V and the other ZJ-M. These two are the plain examples in this kit, but if night fighters are your cup of tea you can’t do without these. The first target tug example is finished in US markings over the original British. The second example is a British example based in Ceylon. Both of these are painted in dark earth and dark green on the upper surfaces, while the lower surfaces are painted trainer yellow with black diagonal bands running along the wings. The British example is actually an FAA bird, coded R8S and features the small style of roundels typically found in Southeast Asia. The decals are well printed and are in excellent register.

Conclusion

To finally have a decent Defiant kit is great, especially having multiple variants available. This kit offers a pair of types that have some of the most interesting markings, especially the target tugs, and while the construction might not be for beginning modelers with time and a bit of effort this kit will turn into a great model.