Profile image

Boulton-Paul Defiant P.38 (Below 100 Part Challenge)

5,192 AntiAirNuri  3.0 years ago
Auto Credit Based on Homemade1's Bellow 100 part Challange [CLOSED]

P.38 Boulton-Paul Defiant. Possibly the worst fighter of WW2

The BPD is my favorite aircraft, honestly. I have always been a fan of these turreted fighter designs and it's really sad to only see so few prototypes to be built, except for the Defiant's large numbers.

Alt Text

The Defiant was built with the idea of a "bomber-destroyer", fitting four .303 caliber machine guns in an electrically powered turret-mounted behind the cockpit. The aircraft had no forward-firing machine guns, and the turret could not face forward. This lead to its doom against more maneuverable opponents, like the BF-109 who only engaged this fighter frontally, and only finding success when engaged from the rear, mistaken for a Hurricane. However, as a Bomber destroyer and Night fighter, it found great success but was later replaced by a better-performing airplane, the Beaufighter, and the Mosquito.

Alt Text

(Okay, enough History talk. Go read a book if you want to know more.)

Characteristics and Controls of the build.

The Defiant I built is very ugly, I know. It's 99 parts, and I could only make so many details.
It performs moderately fine, with decent turn-rate and a similar engine power to the original model. The turret has a 140° range horizontally, and a 75° vertical range. This may not be an accurate turret at all or an accurate gunnery system, but it has to do with this one.

Alt Text

Ag-1 activates the turret
Ag-7 activates stabilizer
Ag-8 disables the wings

Vtol for flaps, trim, and regular controls
Turret is operated by Pitch and Roll

Landing must be very soft, as it is front heavy.

A good strategy to attack bombers is to dive from above, get below the enemy aircraft, and fire with the Defiant in front and below of an enemy bomber. Let fighters get behind you, and avoid head-ons.

Alt Text

General Characteristics

  • Predecessor Bellow 100 part Challange [CLOSED]
  • Created On Android
  • Wingspan 108.4ft (33.1m)
  • Length 42.9ft (13.1m)
  • Height 14.4ft (4.4m)
  • Empty Weight 6,346lbs (2,878kg)
  • Loaded Weight 8,659lbs (3,927kg)

Performance

  • Horse Power/Weight Ratio 0.259
  • Wing Loading 11.5lbs/ft2 (56.1kg/m2)
  • Wing Area 753.9ft2 (70.0m2)
  • Drag Points 4884

Parts

  • Number of Parts 99
  • Control Surfaces 10
  • Performance Cost 527