Illustratedman
11-24-2008, 3:05 PM
Have decided to approach my next project in a slightly more organised manner although these good intentions are already starting to fall apart in the face of a dearth of reference.
My latest project is modelling a Boulton Paul Defiant mk1. At the moment I'm planning to make and render the early and ill fated daylight BOB/Dunkirk version rather than the later nightfighter variant.
I think I've possibly nabbed every available reference pic on the net but there are still big gaps in my knowledge. The best 4 views I've found so far came from www.airwar.ru and they are obviously from the out of print mushroom book - had this book on order until they discovered it was out of print and the only SH copies around seem to be way too pricey (considering people seem to have scanned and posted most of the images on the net already).
I've set up my basic subdivision box model with 4 views in cinema 4D and made a start at roughing out the fuse but its already apparent that the drawings and fuse profiles are not that accurate. The top of the engine cowling is obviously flatter in real life than in the drawings for example.
The major obstacle I've discovered is that I have nothing that shows me exactly how the rudder and elevators are distinguished from the rest of the tailplane, these 4 views seem to show panels but not the cut that seperates the control surfaces. I can't see where to cut them out. I was wandering if anyone knew of any decent blueprints or perhaps had seen a photo somehwere that showed the rudder/elevator well enough to ascertain the shape/where the moving parts are differentiated from the fixed parts. I think I've tried all the usual places but I'm hoping I've missed a hidden gem. Also looking in vain for wing profiles as I've pretty much had to guesstimate them so far. I was hoping I could buy some decent blueprints on cd but nobody seems to have the BPD - probably why you don't see many models of them. Doh! If anyone does know where I could buy some I'd be most grateful for the heads up.
On the plus side I have some great reference of the Boulton turret as I remembered that one of my clients once sent me a triple box set of DVDs 'The royal airforce at war - the unseen films' http://www.amazon.co.uk/ROYAL-AIR-FORCE-At-War/dp/B0002WYS7M which has a great little training film about how to use the turret on the BPD mk1 along with another film on using the rear turret in the wellington.
I will start and post pix to a WIP thread once I get a little further - a bit pointless at the moment as there's not much to see and what little progress I have made so far is undoubtably wrong.
My latest project is modelling a Boulton Paul Defiant mk1. At the moment I'm planning to make and render the early and ill fated daylight BOB/Dunkirk version rather than the later nightfighter variant.
I think I've possibly nabbed every available reference pic on the net but there are still big gaps in my knowledge. The best 4 views I've found so far came from www.airwar.ru and they are obviously from the out of print mushroom book - had this book on order until they discovered it was out of print and the only SH copies around seem to be way too pricey (considering people seem to have scanned and posted most of the images on the net already).
I've set up my basic subdivision box model with 4 views in cinema 4D and made a start at roughing out the fuse but its already apparent that the drawings and fuse profiles are not that accurate. The top of the engine cowling is obviously flatter in real life than in the drawings for example.
The major obstacle I've discovered is that I have nothing that shows me exactly how the rudder and elevators are distinguished from the rest of the tailplane, these 4 views seem to show panels but not the cut that seperates the control surfaces. I can't see where to cut them out. I was wandering if anyone knew of any decent blueprints or perhaps had seen a photo somehwere that showed the rudder/elevator well enough to ascertain the shape/where the moving parts are differentiated from the fixed parts. I think I've tried all the usual places but I'm hoping I've missed a hidden gem. Also looking in vain for wing profiles as I've pretty much had to guesstimate them so far. I was hoping I could buy some decent blueprints on cd but nobody seems to have the BPD - probably why you don't see many models of them. Doh! If anyone does know where I could buy some I'd be most grateful for the heads up.
On the plus side I have some great reference of the Boulton turret as I remembered that one of my clients once sent me a triple box set of DVDs 'The royal airforce at war - the unseen films' http://www.amazon.co.uk/ROYAL-AIR-FORCE-At-War/dp/B0002WYS7M which has a great little training film about how to use the turret on the BPD mk1 along with another film on using the rear turret in the wellington.
I will start and post pix to a WIP thread once I get a little further - a bit pointless at the moment as there's not much to see and what little progress I have made so far is undoubtably wrong.