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

[Gnomey]

Looks good so far Geo!

 

[fubar57]

Many thanks gentlemen. First camo coats are on. I'm trying to get it finished tonight so I can gloss coat it before I leave for camp tomorrow.

Geo

 

[dneid]

Looking very nice, George. BTW, what is that base you set your models on? That and clamps are damned enticing.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Dale. I purchased the stand here...UMM-USA all sorts of good stuff here.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

Top colors are done with the inevitable touch-ups. I'm going to put off clear coating until I get home next week to concentrate on said touch-ups tomorrow before I catch the bus.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

With regards to the propeller tip markings. What I have found is big as your head, normal sized and none existent...

The last photo and the one below are of the aircraft I'm modeling and it doesn't look like there are any tip marks.

Any thoughts?

Geo

 

[Wurger]

There weren't yellow tips rather methinks..

However this one seems to have them..

and that one doesn't ...

 

[fubar57]

Yep, them Dutch guys didn't exactly conform to regulations.

Geo

 

[buffnut453]

The yellow prop tips may have been added to the Brewsters that operated from Kallang, Singapore, in December 1941. They did have a light-toned (white or perhaps Sky Blue) fuselage band added as a recognition marketing so adding yellow prop tips as a safety measure for RAF groundcrew accustomed to seeing such markings would make sense. That said, it seems that the airframes flown by the Japanese lacked any such markings (at least on available evidence).

 

[Airframes]

Although I'd agree that it looks like there weren't any yellow prop tips, in at least two of the posted photos there are very slight tonal differences visible, which might indeed be yellow(?) tips.
The first pic in post #67 by Wojtek is an example, where the lower, vertical blade seems to exhibit a possible tip colour. Either way, lack of yellow tips on the model wouldn't look out of place.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks for the input gentlemen. It doesn't look like my subject has colored tip so the easy way every time. I noticed Wojtek's photo of my aircraft is much clearer than those I have seen and when I get home, I'm going to have to move the camo demarcation on the starboard cowling down a tad. As for the hinomarus, the fuselage and underwing markings are straight forward. Would the upper wing markings have the white outline or are they plain? I'm leaning to outlined but I know as much about Japanese markings as Andy knows about snipe hunting.

Geo

 

[buffnut453]

White outline on the upper wing hinomaru.

 

[Wayne Little]

yes most likely are white matching the fuselage marking.

 

[Rogi]

Looking Great I think you have most of the photos of the buff, Excellent work so far, please excuse me from me adsence as I've been having exams this week

 

[Crimea_River]

Good paint job Geo.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks for the info BN and Wayne and thanks Igor and Andy. With regards to the size of the hinomarus, would they have used standard sizes on the wings? I'm going steal the decals from one of my Japanese aircraft; ki-43, ki-84, George and Zero.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

Geo, here you are an enlarged and made a little bit brighter with the Gamma correction pic of the kite you want to replicte. The Hinomaru on the undersides appears quite nice. No white outline and the diameter can be easy estimated.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far Geo!

 

[Rogi]

Thanks for the info BN and Wayne and thanks Igor and Andy. With regards to the size of the hinomarus, would they have used standard sizes on the wings? I'm going steal the decals from one of my Japanese aircraft; ki-43, ki-84, George and Zero.

Geo

It would be a bit of a larger size Hinomaru, if you check the Dutch markings try and compare and see if it fits the regular size. I know that on some of the Dutch aircraft they just did an over paint of them. On others (like the ones used for the Japanese movie, they striped and re-did in different RAF markings)

 

[Wayne Little]

The Hinomaru for the top wing should be the same size as noted on the lower wing, with the addition of the 75mm White surround as noted on the fuselage marking...