Andwil Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 (edited) With the Panther now finished I have time for another entry in the GB. Special Hobby’s Brewster F2A-3, which I will build as the machine flown by 2lt Charles Kunz to shoot down two D3A Vals. The box: What’s inside: One sprue of injected parts, typical short run fare, hard shiny plastic, no locating tabs and wings and tail planes butt jointed to the fuselage. Ejection pins! Two small bags with the clear parts and resin engine, wheels and cockpit components: So far all the parts have been given a wash in warm soapy water. First item of business will be to separate the resin parts from the pouring blocks and to remove those massive ejector pins. Wish me luck! AW Edited May 28, 2020 by Andwil 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Good look, but I'm sure you will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Got to love the buffalo! Don’t remember ever seeing this kit built so will be a good lesson for me. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Hi AW, I was intending to build a Midway F2 last year but could only find the F2A-2 which would have been wrong - did not know this kit existed! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 Spent a fair bit of time on the Buffalo with not a lot to show for it. I glued in the cockpit side walls and have done a lot of dry fitting, filing, sanding and fettling to get the forward bulkhead to fit. I finally glued it into the starboard fuselage half but will have to do it more sanding. The problem I find is that dry fitting requires at least three hands as the fuselage halves have no location pins and the bulkhead location point is only vaguely moulded. There are several parts that make up the cockpit that need to be fitted and my plan is to tackle them one at a time to get the right fit. I also assembled the wings. It’s not a quick or easy build, but the cockpit detail is very good and should look great under paint, if I don’t stuff it up. AW 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lloyd Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 I built this in the Singapore incarnation a few years ago. It seems to be, ahem, 'inspired' by the Hasegawa kit so it builds quite well, once you get those short run parts to fit. The detailing is superior. I have this kit in my stash and it's the one by girlfriend always suggests I build when I ask her what I should build next. I am uncertain as to the significance of this. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share Posted March 26, 2020 On 3/22/2020 at 8:27 PM, rob85 said: Don’t remember ever seeing this kit built I think what follows offers some clue as to why this might be! More fettling today and we get to this: Two more parts glued in, the rear deck and the seat support. The fuel tank and IP are dry fitted only in this photo. I think this is where the tank goes, the instructions are not clear, but it’s the only place it fits. This is taking some time as so far not one single part has fitted without a fair amount of sanding or filing. The resin parts are crisply cast and beautifully detailed but are, without exception, too big. It would seem that the designer has made no allowance for the quite thick plastic of the injected parts. I would strongly recommend to anyone contemplating building this kit that they thin the fuselage walls before attaching the resin sidewalls. The instructions don’t say to do this and I didn’t which I think is the root cause of some f my fit issues. Still, we live and learn and I will persevere and should hopefully get a good result. AW 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 Hi I built the same model for a group build 3 years ago, if it can help you 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 10 hours ago, Andwil said: I think this is where the tank goes Hi AW, Yes there is an additional fuel tank under the Pilots Seat (not a savoury thought there ) Looking good thus far, yes, unfortunately the plastic is very thick, and parts fit not exactly perfection. But with some elbow grease you can make it work (Alan a previous SH Brewster Buffalo builder) Regards Alan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 Thanks @LDSModeller and @Pierpaolo good information guys. Sanded down the blanking plate that replaces the window in the bottom of the fuselage (it easy too big of course) and following information in Pierpaolo’s excellent build, removed the round counter blisters from the top wing. I also ordered some dark dull green for the cockpit. Cockpit and other sundry parts given a shot of primer: AW 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Looks like you've got it on the run now, smart job 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share Posted March 28, 2020 Gave the non cockpit interior areas a shot of Vallejo Aluminium: The engine was sprayed with Vallejo Magnesium, the crankcase (?) painted engine grey and a dry brush of silver overall to pick out the detail: Now a question that I hope someone will know the answer to. The kit provides a choice of two tail wheels: The instructions call for the lower one in the photo, but that doesn’t seem right to me for a land based machine. It is not clear to me from the photos I have seen of Marine F2A-3s on a Midway what kind of tail wheel was fitted. Anyway, work on this model will have to wait for the green paint ordered for the cockpit to arrive, hopefully early next week. In the meantime I shall ponder how to pin the wings to the fuselage, as the kits but joint is not going to be very strong and there is a big chunk of resin directly behind the wing roots. I may be able to drill into this. AW 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 Well that seems like a tricky kit AW, and you're tackling it very well, the interior looks great. Sorry, I have no idea about the tail wheel, but like you, I associate the small one with being carrier based. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 13 hours ago, Andwil said: It is not clear to me from the photos I have seen of Marine F2A-3s on a Midway what kind of tail wheel was fitted. Hi AW, Have a look at this link below, reading through it, and looking at the associated photos, it would appear the that the Marine F2A-3's were wearing the larger Pneumatic tail wheel at Midway. USMC F2A-3 - MCAS Ewa Hawaii 1942 Hope that helps? Regards Alan 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 28, 2020 Author Share Posted March 28, 2020 Thanks Alan, a good read. Confirms my suspicion that the kit instructions are wrong with respect to the tail wheel. However, it looks like the F2A-3s on Midway were fitted with a fixed tail wheel, which the kit does not provide. So I will have to have a look through my spares box to see what I have that can form the basis of the fixed wheel. AW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 While waiting for my paint to arrive did a couple of small things today. Prop made up and tips painted yellow: The black thingummy attached to the rear of the engine bulkhead and given a dry brushing of grey to highlight the detail and a black wash put in the oil cooler: AW 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 You're doing a fine job with this one AW. It's nice (occasionally!), to build a kit that needs to be tamed Cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 Real progress on this build still stalled awaiting the dull dark green for the cockpit. Ordered and shipped from BNA in Melbourne on Friday, according to Australia Post tracker still in Melbourne this morning. If I’m lucky I’ll get it tomorrow but more likely Thursday. Amused myself finishing the propellor. Painted the boss in dull aluminium and then given a black wash. A light dry brush of silver on the blade edges for chipping and all sealed in with Matt varnish. AW 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 Never too early to get the prop painted up, always takes more care than expected, and I usually end rushing it at the end, it's looking great AW. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 Thanks Cookie. If I get desperate today I might paint the wheels, something I really don’t enjoy! AW 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 Paint arrived, cockpit and IP finished: Starboard side. the peg in the background shows how small this is. Port side. Instrument panel and rudder pedals: Pilot’s seat, lap belt still to be added: Close up photos are unforgiving, but I’m happy with this. Now I can set about the tubular framework in the U/C bay and closing up the fuselage. AW 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 What a difference 24 hours makes. Yesterday I was feeling fairly pleased with myself, today the model nearly went in the bin. I attached the engine to the front bulkhead, fixed the IP into the cockpit, both without problem and glued in the fuel tank after a fight and a lot of filing - it fitted fine when I dry fitted it previously but today I had to file off about 2mm underneath in order for the fus to close up without a massive gap. Then I started on the framework in the wheel well trying to work out how the fiddly pieces go together and where exactly they fit as the instructions are so unclear as to be useless. After much swearing and rising frustration I decided it would be best if I put it aside for a while. I put the small parts in one of the plastic containers I use so as not to lose them, when putting on the lid the lid broke, my finger went straight through and broke the propeller. It was at this point that it all nearly went in the bin. I was so p****d off I forgot to take any photos. AW 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 @Navy Bird built this kit a few years back and had trouble closing up the fuselage - here's the link: Maybe it could help - sorry I didn't bring it to your attention earlier! I'm impressed with your self control, it'll look better after some time away from the bench. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 (edited) 22 hours ago, Andwil said: Then I started on the framework in the wheel well trying to work out how the fiddly pieces go together and where exactly they fit as the instructions are so unclear as to be useless. Hi AW, Sorry to hear of your troubles with your build. SH Kits are not the easiest to build (fit wise etc). I have the 1/32 scale kit of your model, tomorrow I'll have a look at the instruction and see if it shows the frame work, on how to assemble Kind regards Alan Edited April 4, 2020 by LDSModeller 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted April 4, 2020 Author Share Posted April 4, 2020 Thanks for the link Cookie, it’s really helpful. Navy Bird must be some kind of genius to work out that framework from Special Hobby’s “instructions”. Had I known what I was letting myself in for I might never have started this kit, still I don’t give up easily so will plough on. I’d better test fit the canopy sections too before I get much further...... No work done today, torrential rain stopped me from getting down to the studio. AW 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now