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Airfix 1/72 Buffalo


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Hi Folks,

 

Here is another of my old Airfix stash props. Finally dragged out of hiding and cobbled together for fun.

 

I sanded down, not off, most of the surface details, and added the roll cage and armour head rest behind the pilot from scraps of stock plastic sheet, and stretched sprue.

 

Fit of the clear parts was iffy, and it took quite a bit of time to get them to comply, especially the rearmost section. However all was well in the end. I added gun ports in the leading edges of the wings too. Apart from that its OOTB. Still looks good built up (I think) even though its pretty basic by todays standards. Here's the pics:

 

 IMG_2421_zpsytzu9zyb.jpg

 

IMG_2422_zpsqp245rbv.jpg

 

IMG_2423_zpsloznozij.jpg

 

IMG_2424_zpsmrsc02no.jpg

 

IMG_2425_zpsvvrgpynp.jpg

 

IMG_2426_zpsfr3rrca5.jpg

 

All brush painted with Humbrol and aeromaster acrylics. Some limited weathering was applied to the main surfaces with very small amount of drybrushed matt white.

 

Kit decals shattered on impact with water so I used AM set by Printscale - Buffalo Aces. This aircraft is Sqdrn Leader Harper RAAF, 453 Sqdrn Singapore December 1941. I presume his kill markings are for other theatre of operations unless the Germans were helping out the Japanese at some point!

 

All comments welcolme, Cheers Greg

Edited by GREG DESTEC
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Very nice build and finish Greg. Love the Buffalo builds on BM at the moment.

 

I like that you've included the pilot, he looks great :).

:goodjob: 

TonyT

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42 minutes ago, Spookytooth said:

Nice one Greg, good to see another oldie but goldie Airfix kit being built.

As for the kill markings? who knows....?

 

Simon.

Hi Simon, 

 

I love these old kits. With a bit of TLC they can turn quite nice.

 

As for the victory marks, I guess he saw action in Europe before heading overseas.

 

Cheers Greg :thumbsup2:

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25 minutes ago, rob85 said:

She looks a treat Greg! Should crack on and finish mine, I only hope it turns out near yours.

 

Rob

Hi Rob, 

 

Finish it off mate. Yours will look great going by the nice builds you've posted lately. Just be careful of the kit transfers if it's an old boxing. What option are you building?

 

Cheers 

 

Greg :D

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24 minutes ago, John_W said:

WOW!

Extraordinary build of a kit that has gone beyond "classic".

Thanks John :clap2:I'm pleased you like it.

 

It's high time Airfix did a new tooling on the old dear.

 

All the best

 

Greg

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22 minutes ago, TonyTiger66 said:

Very nice build and finish Greg. Love the Buffalo builds on BM at the moment.

 

I like that you've included the pilot, he looks great :).

:goodjob: 

TonyT

 Hi Tony,

 

Gotta put the wee man in there, besides if he wasn't filling the space you'd see straight through the big empty space that is the cockpit! 

 

Thanks for the kind comments,

 

Cheers Greg 

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11 minutes ago, GREG DESTEC said:

Hi Rob, 

 

Finish it off mate. Yours will look great going by the nice builds you've posted lately. Just be careful of the kit transfers if it's an old boxing. What option are you building?

 

Cheers 

 

Greg :D

TD-V the newer boxing, transfers look brand new all in register and very nice! Well I may give myself a kick up the backside and start doing some work on it in the down time I have from my B-24.

 

cheers Greg

 

Rob

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Another nostalgic treat bringing back happy memories Greg. I remember seeing the Buffalo featured in the 1972 Airfix catalogue as a new kit for that year with that exciting Roy Cross artwork with the pilot fighting for his life in shirt sleeves against Zeros, and looking out for it everytime I went down into Whitby. Woolworths was always the place to look first for new Airfix kits and that is probably where I got mine from. Seem to remember being built, painted and decals on in a weekend. Fantastic pilot figure came with it and definately worth including. I do remember that the canopy was too narrow for the fuselage so did not sit properly, I would use PVA glue today for sticking canopies on where the fit is not great, PVA glue will fill the gaps and can be smoothed with a wet finger.

 

cheers, Adrian

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resized_937c0822-1415-4e8c-b3c0-ba212f56

 

And here is my actual header and instructions from 1972..............stirring stuff

 

It must have been bought from of a display peg at Woolworths judging by the intact display holes in the header............I remember that the man in Goodricks would tie string through the holes and just rip it away when he sold one...................I still have the old Airfix Lysander header with ripped holes from Goodricks..................

 

Adrian

Edited by adey m
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1 hour ago, adey m said:

resized_937c0822-1415-4e8c-b3c0-ba212f56

 

And here is my actual header and instructions from 1972..............stirring stuff

 

Adrian

Hi Adrian, 

 

My boxing had this artwork too, and its one of Roy Cross's best I think. Back in the day I was always disappointed my model looked nothing like the front of the box. 

 

Great stuff, cheers Greg :clap2:

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3 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

Nice work Greg, lovely little Buffalo you have there B)

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

 

Thanks Stew, 

 

I'm looking forward to seeing your two progress. The Airfix oldie Scrubs up well with a little effort. 

 

All the best

 

Greg :thumbsup2::thumbsup2:

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2 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

That look great.  I've never built this kit but, judging by its age, you must have put a lot of work in to it.  Anyway, it certainly paid off. 

Thanks Meatbox8. I have another two of the Airfix kit and plan to do at least one as a Finnish example. 

 

Cheers Greg

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2 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Nice Greg, I like the way you've treated this, you've turned an oldie into a goodie. :)

Steve.

Hi Steve.

 

thanks for that. I enjoy the oldies as much as the new stuff, and its good to see they can still command some attention amongst the plethora of more advanced modern kits.

 

All the best,

 

Greg

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