Dutch Buffalo Armour?

[dalea]

Since the topic of the Brewster Buffalo in the 'Far East' has raised its head again, the Hobby 2000 re-boxing of the Hasegawa kit includes a part E1 which is supposed to represent an additional plate of armour attached to the pilot's seat. I'm unconvinced that it should be there for the Dutch version, the well-photographed B-3100. The other choices, by the way. are AX815 and AX820  both FAA Western Desert. I personally think it's a left over from the Hasegawa Finnish version but I wouldn't know. Does someone else  know?

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello, dalea

Unfortunately I cannot say for certain, but I would agree with your assumption. However, take a look at this very informative webpage about NEI Buffalos:

https://warbirdforum.com/casius.htm

It has been stated in the article above, that while installation of armour protection, bullet-proof windshield and self-sealing tanks had been ordered by Dutch, it is questionable if any of aircraft had been so modified on the production line. Probably some aircraft had been modified in units (some Buffalos certainly had been retrofitted with bullet-proof glass), but in most cases modifications went the opposite way. According to the webpage above:

 

The weight problem of the RAF Buffaloes had been recognized in Singapore and efforts were made to remedy it, although it was restricted to efforts; there was insufficient time to remedy a large number of aircraft. End December 1941 (the war had been going for three weeks) a modified Buffalo took to the air and amazed everybody. Two of the four Colt machine guns had been removed and the other two replaced by .303 Brownings and the quantity of ammunition was halved. That saved 400 kg. The external radio aerial was removed and replaced by an internal antenna. Flares, the Very signal pistol and cockpit heating had been removed and the radio equipment reduced to a minimum. Moreover, the quantity of fuel had been reduced from 130 to 80 gallons. The modified Buffalo flew 30 miles faster and was better maneuverable. The pilots referred to their hotted-up Brewster as the SSS--Super Sport Special.

 

I hope it helps. Cheers

Jure

[FatFlyHalf]

I read the subject line and thought to myself  ... 'thick skin'.

       🤪 😜 🤨

But I don't think that's any help at all.

 

I'll get my coat ....

[alt-92]

6 hours ago, Jure Miljevic said:

It has been stated in the article above, that while installation of armour protection, bullet-proof windshield and self-sealing tanks had been ordered by Dutch, it is questionable if any of aircraft had been so modified on the production line.

Those modifications (Self-sealing tanks with Goodyear Linatex coating,  7mm steel plating on the wing beam, and quarter inch armour plates behind the seat) were at least done to the B-339Cs at the TD in Semplak and Andir, for 2-Vl.G-V. 

The late October 1941 arrivals, all 339D  ( B-3150, B-3151, B-3154 and B3159) had pilot seat armour installed from the factory.  339Ds not equipped at the time received their updates during the war period (January 1942).

 

(source: P.C. Boer - Aircraft of the Netherlands East Indies Army Air Corps in crisis and war times, February 1937 - June 1942, section 3.1 on the B-339)

 

 

Note that the same article mentioned above also quotes the 488(NZ) crew and pilots remarking on the differences:

Quote

(....) Their planes are much faster than ours and have self-sealing fuel tanks”, reported a mechanic of the New Zealand 488 Squadron who was loaned to the NEI squadron. Another New Zealander, Pilot Officer Pettit, who, for a short time, was assigned to the NEI Buffalo squadron in Singapore as a liaison officer: “(....) I can’t remember anything specific, except discussing with them the relative performance of their aircraft and ours. Our Buffalo’s had 1100 hp, while they had 1200 hp motor (.....) Their aircraft were slightly better than ours (.....)

 

[leyreynolds]

Try Jim Mass on Hyperscale.

[stevehnz]

or even @jimmaas on here, Jim has been imparting useful info in this thread very recently.

Steve.

[jimmaas]

I've been following this topic but don't think I have anything beyond what Alt92 said earlier.  The factory shoots of the ML-KNIL Brewsters don't show seat armor ( in fact, don't show seats). I'll look in the manual later today.

[jimmaas]

Here's the head armor on B-3151.  I'm sure there's back armor but I don't have anything on that.