Hey folks,
Finally finished this project of one of the much maligned aircraft of WW2. It is the Brewster Buffalo, of the 488 RNZAF Squadron stationed in Kallang during the defense of Singapore from November 1941.
Squadron motto> "Ka ngarue ratau" (Kiwi) = "We shake them"
As the first monoplane fighter of the US Navy, it was touted to be the only allied fighter that can actually out-turn a Zero, given the proper configuration and pilot. Unfortunately, the British/RNZAF version considered to be was underpowered, overweight and very much outclassed by the more modern fighters of the IJN and IJA like the Mitsubishi Zero and the Nakajima Oscar of that time.
The kit is an old Matchbox 1982 release of the Brewster Buffalo that came with the typical two-color sprue set, which needed a few modifications;
> Scrathbuilt a new cockpit, seat, dashboard and roll bar;
> Added front fuselage engine slits;
> Wider wheels;
> Modified prop and spinner;
> Added brass pitot tube;
> Added Aviation lights and wing camera;
> Added aerial antenna;
> Added gun and ejector ports for the engine cowling and wings;
> Added details for the wings;
> Re-scribed panel lines;
> Replaced landing gear doors with thinner styrene sheets;
> DIY markings and buzz numbers;
> Modified exhaust ports;
> Printed underside glazing;
> Filled wing roots and canopy gaps;
Colors were Gunze Sangyo acrylics of dark earth, dark green, midnight blue and a home brew of sky blue for the underside. Weathering was done with an oil wash, brush painted light grey paint for chipping and Mr Hobby weathering pastels and a final coat of Mr hobby flat coat. A graphite and silver colored pencil was used for scratches and smaller chipping effects.
The original decals were already flaking off and was not completely accurate, so DIY roundels and tail markings were printed. The grey color serials were masked and airbrushed on. Some stencils were from the spares box.
A 0.15mm fishing line was used for the aerials, while styrene sheets were used to fill-up gaps for the canopy and wing roots.
The canopy was a tad thick and had wide gaps if left alone, but was remedied by using styrene sheets, melted with thin liquid glue, then trimmed and sanded off.
The underside color scheme was the typical RAF two tone black and sky blue color and an underside glazing represented by a printed version.
Aviation lights and wing camera glazings were from spare clear sprues.
It didn't take much self-convincing to consider this project, as it comes with much significance related to Fortress Singapore's history in WW2, and how it's ill-fated defense and inevitable capitulation came to be.
Hope I did justice to this most interesting subject, and hopefully I could do the whole flight line of this particular battle.
Finally finished this project of one of the much maligned aircraft of WW2. It is the Brewster Buffalo, of the 488 RNZAF Squadron stationed in Kallang during the defense of Singapore from November 1941.
Squadron motto> "Ka ngarue ratau" (Kiwi) = "We shake them"
As the first monoplane fighter of the US Navy, it was touted to be the only allied fighter that can actually out-turn a Zero, given the proper configuration and pilot. Unfortunately, the British/RNZAF version considered to be was underpowered, overweight and very much outclassed by the more modern fighters of the IJN and IJA like the Mitsubishi Zero and the Nakajima Oscar of that time.
The kit is an old Matchbox 1982 release of the Brewster Buffalo that came with the typical two-color sprue set, which needed a few modifications;
> Scrathbuilt a new cockpit, seat, dashboard and roll bar;
> Added front fuselage engine slits;
> Wider wheels;
> Modified prop and spinner;
> Added brass pitot tube;
> Added Aviation lights and wing camera;
> Added aerial antenna;
> Added gun and ejector ports for the engine cowling and wings;
> Added details for the wings;
> Re-scribed panel lines;
> Replaced landing gear doors with thinner styrene sheets;
> DIY markings and buzz numbers;
> Modified exhaust ports;
> Printed underside glazing;
> Filled wing roots and canopy gaps;
Colors were Gunze Sangyo acrylics of dark earth, dark green, midnight blue and a home brew of sky blue for the underside. Weathering was done with an oil wash, brush painted light grey paint for chipping and Mr Hobby weathering pastels and a final coat of Mr hobby flat coat. A graphite and silver colored pencil was used for scratches and smaller chipping effects.
The original decals were already flaking off and was not completely accurate, so DIY roundels and tail markings were printed. The grey color serials were masked and airbrushed on. Some stencils were from the spares box.
A 0.15mm fishing line was used for the aerials, while styrene sheets were used to fill-up gaps for the canopy and wing roots.
The canopy was a tad thick and had wide gaps if left alone, but was remedied by using styrene sheets, melted with thin liquid glue, then trimmed and sanded off.
The underside color scheme was the typical RAF two tone black and sky blue color and an underside glazing represented by a printed version.
Aviation lights and wing camera glazings were from spare clear sprues.
It didn't take much self-convincing to consider this project, as it comes with much significance related to Fortress Singapore's history in WW2, and how it's ill-fated defense and inevitable capitulation came to be.
Hope I did justice to this most interesting subject, and hopefully I could do the whole flight line of this particular battle.
Not often we see RNZAF birds here
