2996 Victor Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Only a month late and here I am just starting on my first, but hopefully not my last, Matchbox 50 GB thread. I've always loved the tubby barrel that was the Brewster Buffalo, obsolescent when it first met combat but not actually the diabolical failure it is so often said to be. I haven't decided yet on which model or scheme it's going to carry, but that's a decision to be made fairly soon. I "built" the 488 Sqn version as a nipper, so that's tempting for nostalgia reasons while I also want to do an ML-KNIL version, although I've got a Hobby 2K Hasegawa re-pop for the definitive effort. Having said that, it may yet end up wearing orange triangles. Only time will tell..... So here it is: http:// http:// The box is a mere shadow of its former self but thankfully, except for the mildewed decals, its contents have survived the passage of the decades relatively intact. And for reference material: http:// For some mad reason, I thought that the H2K kit had an interior that I could copy, but its actually almost as bare as Matchbox's. And the Pavla set seems to acquired the status of Hens' Teeth. So I'll be poring over the In Action book deciding what bits on inners to scratch up and what to leave out. More soon! Mark 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Hi Mark Great choice and both you and the Buffalo are a very welcome addition to the GB. Best of luck with this one Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Good luck with this build Mark. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 Great to see you on here Mark and the Matchbox Buffalo is certainly a model I have built on a few occasions, with a mint original still in the stash. Let me know if you need spare decals, I should be able to help you if yours don't want to play ball. Cheers, welcome aboard and best of luck.. Dave 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 Thanks, Dave, that's very kind of you! I've made a start and separated the fuselage halves from the sprues. But that's as far as I've got I've also recently managed to find a mint original which, along with some other mint examples, will be carefully kept for posterity. Thanks also for the kind offer of the decals - I'll let you know how I get on..... Cheers, Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 I've always liked the Buffalo for some strange reason. Even when I was a little kid. So I'll be interested to see this one come together! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted February 13, 2022 Author Share Posted February 13, 2022 1 hour ago, opus999 said: I've always liked the Buffalo for some strange reason. Even when I was a little kid. So I'll be interested to see this one come together! Thanks, Opus, so have I always had a soft spot for the tubby little fighter. Always the underdog, but not the total disaster it's so often made out to be. I've got a Hobby 2K Hasegawa re-pop for a some-day "definitive" build, but I would like to do justice to this old warhorse, too! I've found an excellent build of the Airfix 1/72 kit here that gives some great clues to interior details - I know you shouldn't make a model of a model, but I have got the In Action book to refer to as well. I'm also debating whether to use one of my Aires Wright Cyclones to spruce up the engine. Its a bit on an odd kit in some respects as the fuselage panel lines are raised while those on the wings are engraved. Bizarre! Hoping to make a bit of progress soon. Cheers, Mark 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 Wow! That is one impressive model. That's not the first time I've seen car primer used on a model. I would think it would craze the plastic. In my youth I used krylon on a model and that didn't go well at all.... No runs, no drips, no errors.... no plastic! Well, not quite that bad, but it had the most fascinating "cracked glass" appearance on the surface. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted February 13, 2022 Author Share Posted February 13, 2022 2 minutes ago, opus999 said: Wow! That is one impressive model. That's not the first time I've seen car primer used on a model. I would think it would craze the plastic. In my youth I used krylon on a model and that didn't go well at all.... No runs, no drips, no errors.... no plastic! Well, not quite that bad, but it had the most fascinating "cracked glass" appearance on the surface. Its excellent, isn't it? Especially considering the base material! I've used car primer in the past - good ol' cellulose when misted on so it dried on contact worked a treat. Hard to find it in the UK now, though. I've never tried Krylon but it sounds even more aggressive than celly! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted February 22, 2022 Author Share Posted February 22, 2022 Some small progress to report, whereby I've scraped/sanded the fuselage to thin it down a bit and take out the worst of the wing recesses, and started adding a bit of framing detail in the cockpit area. The plastic scrapings are still turning up..... Not much point in adding a photo yet until I've a got further along, but here's one reason why I've been stalled this last week: http:// Cheers for now, Mark 5 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 Ha... time to move it along I say. I've got a somewhat similar problem with one of my cats always wanting to take a nap on my modelling chair. Thankfully we have two identical chairs not far away so I just carry her (chair and all) to the other spot and move the empty chair back to the bench where I want to sit. I do it gently so the lazy lump has no idea what's going on. We look forward to seeing your Buffalo progress when you get the chance. Cheers.. Dave 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted March 3, 2022 Author Share Posted March 3, 2022 Thanks, Dave, I do keep thinking about it (hangs head in shame!) and I'll be sure to make a bit of (documented!) progress soon - hopefully Sunday! Cheers, Mark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted March 3, 2022 Share Posted March 3, 2022 Time to put the FRA (Fluffy Research Assistant) to work, methinks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 11 hours ago, alt-92 said: Time to put the FRA (Fluffy Research Assistant) to work, methinks! I fear the consequences.....Arthur is one of life's amblers - a good-natured, gentle, loving, well-meaning, blundering menace Cheers, Mark 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted May 31, 2022 Author Share Posted May 31, 2022 Well, it looks like I've left it far too late as usual to start doing something. What a berk! So far, I've assembled the stand as the intention was/is to have it in flying pose, something I never did as a nipper. The wing panels have been snipped from their sprues and a fettled. My plan is to make a false spar running through the fuselage to support the wings rather than relying on the moulded-on tabs, which will be trimmed off. The interior of the fuselage has been scraped down and sanded as smooth as possible without going through into the wing root sockets. A few bits arrived t'other day from the Big H, namely and Eduard etch set (meant for the Hasegawa kit), together with a Falcon canopy and Montex mask set, while the goodies box contains an Aires Wright Cyclone that I may or may not use. The etch has begun to be applied to the interior, with one of the minuscule throttle quadrants pinging onto the floor. Score One for the Carpet Monster, thought I, but a hands and knees search actually found it! So the Final Score for today was Mark and Daisy 1, Carpet Monster 0. Although Daisy wasn't actually that much help, to be honest..... So this is the state of play: Thanks for looking in. Cheers, Mark 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 Great to see this one progressing Mark Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 9 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Great to see this one progressing Mark Cheers Pat Thanks, Pat, but I fear I've left it way too late to finish in time. I know others could open a box today and finish by Sunday, but I'm afraid I don't move quickly enough! I had it fixed in my mind that the closing date was at the end of June. Perhaps an impassioned plea to Enzo to extend the deadline..... Cheers, Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 A little more progress today Wing panels are assembled - boy was that tricky stuff and some more Eduard etchy goodness added to the fuse halves. I think that's finished now, apart from some paint. The etched seat was a pain in the, well, in the seat actually, but mostly due to my clumsiness, while the IP and rudder pedals were a bit of a fiddle but went together moderately well. Arthur passed through the modelling zone while this was going on, but thankfully none of the parts attached themselves to his fluffiness As mentioned, the Eduard etch is meant for the Hasegawa kit, and its really rather nice. I'm not sure how you're supposed to add the printed film bits to the IP and consoles, though, as the instructions would have you add them during the rest of construction. But then, how do you paint it all? I suppose before assembly...... Ah well! It'll be reet! The wing panels lines/canals and sink marks are going to be filled in as I'm going to use @opus999's pencil panel line method. I've got the Hobby 2K Hasegawa re-pop in my stash to use as a guide. For the rest of the interior, I'll see how I get on. I've scored a Pavla resin set on eBay the other day, which I may keep for the H2K kit, meaning that I can use the floor bits from that for this old chap. We'll see which is best when that turns up. Time for dinner! Cheers and thanks for stopping by, Mark 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted June 1, 2022 Share Posted June 1, 2022 Great stuff Mark, keep going mate Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 9 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Great stuff Mark, keep going mate Cheers Pat I will! Cheers, Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Looking good with the PE additions Mark Great job . You should be okay now after making your sacrifice to the carpet monster, luckily they don't get hungry too often!!! Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 3 hours ago, bigbadbadge said: Looking good with the PE additions Mark Great job . You should be okay now after making your sacrifice to the carpet monster, luckily they don't get hungry too often!!! Chris Thanks, Chris, I hope so! I was dreading what else might have needed to be surrendered to the CM..... I just need to check on what the interior colour should be, and I'll add a little paint - aluminium rings a bell. Cheers, Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 31 minutes ago, 2996 Victor said: Thanks, Chris, I hope so! I was dreading what else might have needed to be surrendered to the CM..... I just need to check on what the interior colour should be, and I'll add a little paint - aluminium rings a bell. Cheers, Mark There are some cracking threads on here re those, when I did mine I used LDS modellers excellent thread on the Buffalo. I did the 32nd Special Hobby kit, which is a cracking kit. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 Just now, bigbadbadge said: There are some cracking threads on here re those, when I did mine I used LDS modellers excellent thread on the Buffalo. I did the 32nd Special Hobby kit, which is a cracking kit. Chris Thanks, Chris, I've just been going back through my "saved" threads and found yours and LDS's builds - unfortunately, most of LDS's photos aren't showing on my laptop for some reason. Anyway, yours is the ideal template! Its supposed to be a B339E, so Interior Grey-Green it is! Cheers, Mark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 3 hours ago, 2996 Victor said: Thanks, Chris, I've just been going back through my "saved" threads and found yours and LDS's builds - unfortunately, most of LDS's photos aren't showing on my laptop for some reason. Anyway, yours is the ideal template! Its supposed to be a B339E, so Interior Grey-Green it is! Cheers, Mark Thanks Mark good to know it's of use, I got most info from Alan along with a few others and used his colour call outs. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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