**** DONE: 1/48 F2A Buffalo - Pacific Theatre of Operations II

[fubar57]

Username: Fubar57
First name: George
Category: Advanced
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Tamiya
Extras: Decals from the spare box(I hope), I'll see what else I can stuff in the cockpit and wheel-wells.

My subject is actually an F2A - Dutch East Indies Model 339D captured by the Japanese in March '42 and tested at the Tachikawa Army Air Force base in Japan but I thought the title would be too long.

Geo

 

[vikingBerserker]

Awesome Geo!

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice one.

 

[Rogi]

Woooo if you need reference photos Geo I've got tons hehehehe

Are you thinking of doing the ones used in the testing center?

I started one of these Japanese Buffalos around 1 year ago and still havn't gone up to finishing it , should get to it this summer

 

[fubar57]

Igor, from the plans I have, the C and D models had the window on the bottom of the fuselage but I can't find any photos. I've got one photo of an aircraft without the Test Center tail marking which is something I definitely don't have and the one I plan to do. Also, according to Squadron "F2A Buffalo in action" it was discovered that the paint scheme wasn't in RAF colors but Olive Drab 41 and Medium Green 42 over Silver Lacquer.

Geo

 

[buffnut453]

Buffalo? Did somebody say Buffalo? I'm in!!!

Ok, I know...I'm pathetic. It's actually an illness, y'know. Treatment is possible...but life's much more fun if I don't take the meds. MUAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[fubar57]

Got some done in between trying to finish off the Mustang. Parts are nice and crisp with just a little flash, with enough parts to build either U.S, British, or Dutch aircraft...

I'm not going to use the decals and I'm not sure they would be good anyhow, however, I need the instrument panel decals as the I.P. is devoid of any detail. I clear coated those decals last night.

Improved the trim wheel by drilling out the holes...

There are two versions of tail cones for the aircraft and the instructions would have you join the two halves together and then join them to the finished fuselage but a test fit shows joining each half to the fuselage half first makes for a better fit...

Geo

 

[fubar57]

Did some digging around and from what I have so far read in my limited Buffalo references, not only were they painted in OD and Medium Green, the innards were a lightened version of RAF interior green. Kinda makes sense as I believe they were for an RAF order. Any thoughts before I put paint to model.

Geo

 

[buffnut453]

The Dutch Buffalos were never intended for the RAF. The interiors were painted aluminium lacquer with the upper third of the cockpit interior painted black.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks BN, like so....

Geo

 

[buffnut453]

Yep.

 

[Rogi]

There is a certain batch of Dutch Buffs which were re-painted in RAF colors for a war movie that the Japanese did as were a couple other aircraft, this might have been one of the reasons for the confusions on new color scheme etc.

I'll send some pictures when I get time after Exams (hopefully end of this week) for ya Geo

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Igor. This is the aircraft I want to do.(not sure if it's the same aircraft) Hard to tell if it's two tone camo or if the Japanese painted over the camo. If so, what would the color have been?

Geo

 

[vikingBerserker]

It looks 2 toned to me. The color profile I've seen was of "B-395" and she was 2 toned.

 

[buffnut453]

fubar57,

Those 2 pics are of the same aircraft - note the number "1" on the rear fuselage? At least 4 captured Buffalos were flown in Japan, numbered 1 thru 4 on the rear fuselage.

I agree that it probably wore 2-tone Dutch camo.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks David and BN. Would the wheel wells be silver as well?

Geo

 

[buffnut453]

Yep.

 

[Crimea_River]

Hey Geo, I'm going to send back the decals I didn't use. Anything you need? Unfortunately I don't have anything that will help with your build here.

 

[fubar57]

Thank you Andy, I'm fine for now. There will come a day when something will go royally wrong.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

Added a handle to the trim wheel. Not going to do much more with the interior as the canopy with it's bazillion frames can only be posed in the closed position.

Does anyone know the colors indicated by the two arrows for a dutch aircraft...

This is the last update for a week, gotta pack and start night shift tonight. Have a good rest of your week gentlemen.

Geo