RAF Brewster Buffalo MkI

[LDSModeller]

Hi All

I have read a few times in the forums (further back) questions about the RAF Buffalo.

This is my rendition, and I have thus far tried to keep it as authentic as possible to the real thing, using pilots' notes

and the marveless knowledge of some gents on the Brewster Forums.

My aircraft is being built after an aircraft of 488 Squadron (RNZAF) which took possession of their Buffalo's about October 1941.

They barely had a months training when Japan declared war on the Far East (as well as Pearl Harbor).

Luckily they had received as a CO a former 19 sqn BoB vertran by the name of Squadron Leader Wilfred Clouston (also a Kiwi)

My Aircraft is code NF-O serial W 8138 with a green dragon motif on forward cowling area flown by a PO Noel Sharp who almost made ace

before he was KIA in February 20 1942 and is interred in the Singapore Memorial gardens. I have seen a few models on the net of this aircraft,

and none displayed any kill markings. Mine will.

NF-O was lost in Jan 1942 after it's rudder was shot away and PO Sharp crash landed it. It was written off.

OK

The build

I have the Special hobby 1/32 F2A-2 Buffalo, the RAF version was basically a de-navalised version with some mods to British spec

The Engine: The RAF Buffalo had a R 1820 G105 engine (basically revamped airliner engines). These tended to throw a lot of oil, and

were maintenance heavy

The interior

The internal structure was a little to soft for my liking, so I added my own. I also added as per pilots notes a baggage compartment and the funny

T shaped thing is the flare shute

The Cockpit (Office)

The cockpit of the Buffalo MkI was similar but different to it's US counterpart

The pilots notes stated that the cockpit had a louvre under the pilots seat (aft)

The Instrument panel differed also, in that the compass was filled in to take the Mk II reflector sight,

and the port side panel was also different so I made a new one

The console under the instrument panel was also different as this had the RAF remote contact indicator (WWII IFF)

The Pilots seat was attached to two tubes as shown (Special hobby only has two posts and in the wrong position) the US Version had tubes also but different as the connected to an over hang, while the RAF version attached to a cross bar attached to the roll over pylons

Also (in the back ground) you can see the oxygen basket which sits port and aft of the pilot

Some paint

Now before anyone berates me for not painting it RAF cockpit green, I had some dialouge with one of the

afore mentioned gents who has done a lot of reaserch on these aircraft. He stated that the MAP people

had not specified the interiors to be painted RAF Grey Green. He believes the interiors were actually aluminum lacquer. whilst he is probaby right in some respects, The pictures I have, show a painted cockpit. Since my aircraft was eighth in production I beleive it was painted so here we go!!

I went for Bronze green which was one of the usual cockpit colours in that period

The cockpit going together

The kit part that the instrument panel attaches to, is too short as the intrument panel should

be flush with the cockpit coaming, I added about 3mm to lenghten it.

You may also notice I have repainted a lighter color as the Humbrol Bronze Green was in my opinion

far to dark

The Port Cockpit shelf was similar but different to the F2A-2, I have aded the extras as per the pilots notes.

Main changes being (from left to right) pliers for emergency landings, Turbo control, map case (with map)

TR9D radio control

Edited January 18, 2009 by LDSModeller

[LDSModeller]

Next small segment

These last few shots show a major problem- I had with my model, the holes for the .50 MG's did not line up (a bit late!!! )

So I had to fill in the bulkhead ones, so they can be re-drilled

Edited January 18, 2009 by LDSModeller

[Stuart]

Exceptional level of detail on this mate. Great stuff. I've always liked the stubbie little buffalo and to see one in RAF scheme will be great!

Stuart

[LDSModeller]

Hi all

It's been a while since I posted any thing on here- Note I have edited previous posts as well

Continuing with the cockpit

These next photos show the port shelf in place

Next shot show the TR9D radio transmitter/receiver, you can just make out the tele wires connecting the TR9D

control. On the real aircraft these would have continued on to connect to the Remote contacter located

below the instrument panel

Next photo shows the main pilot station in place, note the louvres below, the oxygen basket in place aft/strbd of pilot

(as per pilots notes)

If you look closely you can see the compass attached port side to pilots station

In the above photos, you will see the pilots seat armour attached to the seat support tubes.

This amour in reality was designed by Brewster and manufactured at the Naval yards in Singapore,

apperently quality control was not so good.... the holes in the armour did not line up with the seat

supports, so had to tied on by wire.

The armour is painted RAF dark green to keep in line with the cockpit colours (the real armour apparently had a dark colour)

This next photo show the amour atached and if you look closely you can just see the wire!!

I modeled the armour after the Revell Spitfire armour, I had no pictures of the real armour. Now my reasoning for this

is that the RAF would have at this time had some experience in pilot protection so this shape armour seemed logical

Note the Brass fire extinguisher also (as per pilots notes) During WWII one of the main suppliers of extinguishers was a company called Graviner

For those who have never seen a real brass extinguisher!

Edited January 18, 2009 by LDSModeller

[LDSModeller]

Hi all again

Continuing with the cockpit starboard this time

In this photo notice the now painted flare chute, the light brown item is a first aid kit (as per pilots notes)

Next picture showe the RAF Mk VIIIa oxygen regulator, this is normally found in the

upper LHS quadrant of the instrument panel of the likes of a Mk Ia/Ib/II Spitfire,

and the associated "plumbing" circuited near the pilots right side.

On the RAF 339E Buffalo this device was literally next to the pilot.

The actual plumbing was done post delivery to the RAF in the Far east. I have

not come across any actual photos of how the "plumbing" went, so this is

an educated guess

The Brass coloured spigot is the bayonet plug for the pilot to attach his oxygen hose to

The silver coloured box upper is a electric Junction box

The red "eye" looking dot (midway down) is the electrical distribution panel light, the top one

is the strbd cockpit lamp

Moving on

These photos show the electrical distribution panel, Special Hobby got this wrong,

Next couple of photos show the electical distribution panel prior to attaching to cockpit wall.

Special Hobby actually got this wrong,(the Tamiya kit is close) as they had far to many little bumps

(replicate switches) should be from right to left 10 switches space 1 switch (Gun camera)

Gun switches (red) then 1 switch for "generator-battery volt-ammeter.

left of this are three rheosat switches and above the gun switches a dial for Volt-Ammeter (by the way

don't let the Squadron flight Sgt see it but the Volt-Ammeter is showing full- I put the dial the wrong

way around

Note also the angular profile, again Special Hobby got it wrong. A note here though if you decide to

put an agular profile then make the angle narrow or the little item for the flap/undercart won't fit (has two handles)

and you'll have trouble closing the fuselage

Check out this shot of a USN F2A-2 panel looking forward Strbd side

Next shot show the panel in place, note also the strbd cockpit light under the sill

Next photos deal with the strbd auxilary panel Note this differs from

the one shown above in the F2A-2 cockpit.

On the LHS of the panel there are two button type protrusions (they are a little oversize, made from

filed down pin heads) they represent the prt/stbd side fuel gauge pump handles.

The T type handle top RHS is the manuel control for fire extinguisher (again from a pin head)

Also note cables etc

[LDSModeller]

Hi all it's me again!!!

Final part of the cockpit saga for now

Finally, some shots of the cockpit heating tubes and their locations. For anyone who has F2A Buffalo in Action

on page 27 there is a picture of an RAF buffalo sans ventral window, you can see the tubing against the rear

bulkhead

The tubes length ways represent the pipes to the wing guns, the curved one under the overhang is for the

windshield

The blue pipe on RHS is the pipe from O2 bottle to Regulator (will be attached once fuselage is closed up)

Those tubes/pipes are connected to a vent control which is attached to a pipe that runs through the

forward cockpit bulkhead

This attached to a collar on the engine thus suppling heated air for the guns/demist windsheild

this next photos show the tube the "other side" (as you can tell these are out of sequence from the previous photos)

Now a really important ommision by Special Hobby and even Tamiya

The fluted aluminum coloured item at the top of the forward side of the bulkhead are the spent round collecters

for the upper .5 Mgs.

These rounds are then gravity feed through another chute through to the ejection chute in the stbd wing.

this is quite prominant, if you have a copy of the book F2A Buffalo in Action on page 27, you can see

the very end of the chute heading into the wing

(this shot shows cross section through fuselage)

The lower colour is my attempt to paint a WWII US equivalant Sky/Duck Egg blue, it has a greenish tinge to it

(not really evident in photos) so I will repaint, watch this space!

Regards

Alan

Edited January 19, 2009 by LDSModeller

[Antoine]