.
Lol. Yes, even as a nipper I thought the Defiant aeroplane a rediculous aircraft, as had one as an Airfix kit which sat in the middle of my bedroom windowsill, flanked by an assortment of other 1:72nd scale WWII Airfix models (my fave being my Wellington Bomber and my MK.II Hurricane.
My dear old Dad, who had been a Lancaster wireless operator (he never used the term radio for the on-board broadcasting equipment in the Lancaster, as said that a radio was only a one way receiving devise for listening to the light show, and such) also thought the Defiant aircraft a little comical, but did endorse them as fine bomber command protectors, as they could accompany an incoming flight without having to break off to shoot at any ME-109 bandits that came within range.
Back to the Defiant pistol however, yes I have seen the 'Peaky Blinders' promotional pictures (which with BSA being Birmingham based, can well be argued to make some sence, although like you, Alistair, I question the aligned glorification of gang land violence being attached to an air pistol in these pathetically OTT politically correct times), and have flicked through the selection of inter-war years pistols it may be modelled on, but don't have a scooby which one it will represent.
All I do know, however, is that (a) the BSA Defiant won't be based on the Webley & Scott MK.VI Service pistol, as the company who bought the rights to use the old Brum Webley name have that particular avenue well and truly pegged with quite a fine selection of Co2 MK.VI look-a-likes, and (b), I am quite certain that I will want one (lol ).
So to close this post then, do we not have any industry spies on here who could spill the beans, PLEASE ??? Maybe I should ask our Terry ??? ... Terry old bean, yhpm in-bound.