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Brewster F2A-3 Buffalo


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The new Gitner book on the Buffalo, by Rich Dann, just came out (European seller here).  It has a spectacular photo on page 74, showing VF-2 aircraft in January 1942, with blue-gray over light gray camouflage, , rudder stripes, white fuselage codes,  The unusual part is that the photo shows that the light gray wraps around the lip of the upper cowling AND the leading edges of the wings and tail surfaces.  That's something seen on anti-submarines schemes, not fighters.

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Thanks for the information. Can you tell me what is the individual code of that subject?

I would like to ask if is correct the dull dark green for the cockpit , except for the black IP?

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The side code, in 12 inch white characters, is 2-F-6.  The individual aircraft number is repeated on the top of the wing and also in 5 inch characters on the cowl ring, at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock position.  In this case, there must have been some re-numbering since the side code shows as 6 but the number over the wings shows as 8.  I'll assume the nose number is 6, since that's easier to get to for repainting.

 

The interior is all dull dark green (or bronze green) except for the instrument panels.  See here

Edited by jimmaas
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There are a few mistakes in the instructions , especially for the clear parts , maybe because they come from different versions.
For example they say to fit a solid piece instead of the clear window under the belly and to mount a fuel tank under the seat that I'm not sure because i've never seen it 

The tank should be mounted?

 

thanks in advance and sorry for my bad english

Edited by Pierpaolo
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Both of those instructions are correct for the F2A-3 (only).  The F2A-3 had an extra fuel tank, so the pilot couldn't see down through the window anyway.

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There are no clear window under the cockpit? So, many of the F2A-3 profiles (included on the SH instructions) are wrong..

 

Thank you, you have been very kind , I noticed now that you are the author of the "buffalo in action" .. I hope to return your advice by making a nice model

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I don't have the 1/72 kit so I can't comment on the instructions.  Yes, many drawings are wrong (including mine in the In Action book).  We keep learning new things all the time.   Here's another item I  just learned, which applies to your F2A-3.  On each wing, there are two bumps, a larger one and a smaller one.  The larger one is to cover the rear end of the machine gun.  The smaller one, I discovered several years ago, is a blister with a clear window on the inside face, toward the cockpit.  This bump covered a machine gun round counter, so the pilot could see how many rounds he had left.  But for the F2A-3, that smaller bump is not there!  So clip it off and sand the surface smooth.  Brewster must have found a way to relocate the round counter inside the cockpit.

 

Here is a link to some artwork by Gerry Asher, which are pretty accurate.  most are F2A-3's but some F2A-2's and 1's show up also.  Be glad to help if I can - my email address is [email protected].

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Hi

My intention was to paint black that part after the assembly of the fuselage halves

I would like to ask you what's the color of the little tank (fire extinguisher or oxygen tank?) on the rear right of the seat

Thanks again

 

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Waiting to define the right color of the wheel wells I finished the engine, the Wright Cyclone R1820

 

36497158531_5dd58e2324_b.jpg

 

Edited by Pierpaolo
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Hi Pierpalo,

 

You're progressing well with the kit. I built this kit a few years ago and I recall the major issues I had was closing up the fuselage as the cockpit parts (especially the cowling combing) were too large for the fuselage. I ended up shaving heaps of plastic off bulkheads, cockpit parts and combing to get everything to fit. Here's my completed one -

 

http://z15.invisionfree.com/72nd_Aircraft/index.php?showtopic=2988&hl=

 

I noticed you're building the Navy version so I was wondering if I could bother you for some of the parts not required for this version. I've managed to lose my spinner from my Hasegawa kit (It was a combo so I robbed the second kit) and some of the props and tail cone are required for RAAF versions but not in the Hasegawa kit. I'll send you a PM

 

Cheers

 

Michael

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