PR Buffalo

[Magpie22]

3 hours ago, mhaselden said:

 

I doubt that there's a definitive answer to your question....but here's my take on it.  I strongly suspect that the camera lenses were completely inside the fuselage.  It's up to you whether you install camera windows or just leave the holes open....AFAIK, there's no solid evidence either way.

 

Per the image of A51-3 of 1 PRU below, it's clear there's something protruding beneath the fuselage where the cameras were mounted.  I suspect these are dams curved around the openings for the lenses to prevent oil from covering either the camera window (if such were fitted) or the lens itself.

 

 

 

I know that's far from a definitive answer to your questions but it's probably as good as it gets, I'm afraid.  

 

 

Hi Mark,

 

Those sections protruding under A51-3 are indeed shrouds in front of the fuselage cut outs for the cameras. There were no windows fitted. (I strongly suspect that the RAF conversions would not have had windows either).  The cut out for each camera was 6" dia with a reinforcing ring of 6" ID and 7" OD fitted on the inside of the fuselage skin. This was the same for all three of the F.24, with 20" lense, cameras. The shrouds were 1.125" deep angled at 75 deg to the fuselage skin. They were made from a rolled 105 deg angled section. Must have been fun to fabricate!!

 

Below is a sketch I did as an aid when I was building my model. It indicates the positioning of the cameras and extra fuel and oil tanks on the Aussie conversions. This was prepared from a set of drawings done by the RAAF Air Board Technical Staff in 1942. I am prepared to make sections of those drawings available if you want detail of the mounts etc. They are too big to post in total.

 

Of course this of of little use to Larry if he is doing an RAF SEA A/C, as they were quite different beasties. The RAAF version was based on the RAF conversion but differed considerably.

 

Cheers,

Peter M

 

[ReccePhreak]

Thanks Peter, for that detailed explanation and drawings. I am doing an RAAF bird, using the decals someone sent me from the Special Hobby kit. I was sent the resin bit (lens cones) for the cameras, but I may try to scratchbuild better representations of the cameras. It all depends on how much can be seen. At the least, I will make the lens cones from some spare clear sprue runners.

Larry  

[mhaselden]

4 hours ago, Magpie22 said:

 

Hi Mark,

 

Those sections protruding under A51-3 are indeed shrouds in front of the fuselage cut outs for the cameras. There were no windows fitted. (I strongly suspect that the RAF conversions would not have had windows either).  The cut out for each camera was 6" dia with a reinforcing ring of 6" ID and 7" OD fitted on the inside of the fuselage skin. This was the same for all three of the F.24, with 20" lense, cameras. The shrouds were 1.125" deep angled at 75 deg to the fuselage skin. They were made from a rolled 105 deg angled section. Must have been fun to fabricate!!

 

Below is a sketch I did as an aid when I was building my model. It indicates the positioning of the cameras and extra fuel and oil tanks on the Aussie conversions. This was prepared from a set of drawings done by the RAAF Air Board Technical Staff in 1942. I am prepared to make sections of those drawings available if you want detail of the mounts etc. They are too big to post in total.

 

Of course this of of little use to Larry if he is doing an RAF SEA A/C, as they were quite different beasties. The RAAF version was based on the RAF conversion but differed considerably.

 

Cheers,

Peter M

 

 

Hi Peter,

 

Thanks for the additional detail.  My previous post was based on distant memories (all my Buffalo research has been locked up in storage for the past 3 years....but I got it all back last week; I just haven't had time to dig through it yet).

 

I suspect the RAAF PR conversion was a combination of the Short Range (SR) and Long Range (LR) camera installations as installed in the 2 RAF recce Buffalos used by 4 PRU in Singapore.  The SR bird (W8136) had a single vertical camera probably located under the pilot's seat.  The LR bird (W8166) had extra fuel and oil tanks and a pair of cameras with overlap.  The longer nose of the RAAF Buffalos probably enabled both camera fits to be installed in a single airframe.  

[mhaselden]

7 hours ago, Antoine said:

I'll also have to find some barrels, or jerrycans, and at least a pilot standing in his tropical shirt and short.

 

The Tamiya Buffalo kit has a standing pilot figure wearing tropical shorts, flying helmet and parachute.  I'm sure someone will have a spare lying around somewhere.  

Edited December 17, 2021 by mhaselden

[Antoine]

On 12/17/2021 at 5:14 PM, mhaselden said:

 

The Tamiya Buffalo kit has a standing pilot figure wearing tropical shorts, flying helmet and parachute.  I'm sure someone will have a spare lying around somewhere.  

 

Thanks Mark, I did not already checked, but if there was one, I must have kept it, and for sure he is in the spare box.