G'day Folk's,

Here is the Tamiya re-boxed "Pacific Theatre' 48 scale B.Buffalo, built 99% OOB the two changes I made are hollow tube exhausts and a piece of BMF for the landing light. This kit came with 4 decal options in which 3 are for Malayasia x 2 [RAF and RNZAF] and a Dutch East Indies Sqn, with a U.S.Navy option as the 4th decal set, this kit also has masks for the canopy and under floor windows, the later I painted over.

I built my option as the 448 Sqn RNZAF, using AeroMaster 'Warbird' RAF Sky /Humbrol #33 for the split undersurface, while Humbrol #155 and Humbrol's Authentic Medium Green 42 are used on the upper cammo, pastels where used for the exhaust, gun flash and cordite staining, I chose to leave the spinner in the grey.

Nice build. Got one of them in my stash. Did you have any problems with it?

Ho Robert!

Nice Buffalo we have here! I like the camo! it's the one on the boxart I think... the decals have worked very well! Did you use them for the sky fuselage band or was it painted?
You did overall a great job but I've noticed two things:
Some pictures are showing that the canopy has fooged a little bit... did you use cyano for this? I personaly use white glue (PVA used for wood). It's water based and won't fog clear parts! Once dry, the white glue even becomes transparent and is almost invisible!
The second thing is the aerial wire. It has not enough tension. Maybe you should use fishing line (0,14) or even long human hair! Yours is a bit too thick in my opinion! Someone here also used a technique in wich he heated stretched sprue! I hope he will read this thread and give us some additional tips!

Below are pictures of the same Tamiya kit modified (front fuselage is longer) to depict a F2A-3 during the Battle of Midway. I build the kit just before Special Hobby released this version shortly! Doh!





Jean-Luc

Hi Foxtrot,

Looks good. I am tempted to buil;d one--30 years ago I built mine as RAAF. Still have some of the parts.

I haven't tried it yet, but a thought--can you paint some Future over the fogging, perhaps it will attenuate the fogging?

G'day Robert

Great to see a Kiwi subject, nicely done.

Hi all!

Fred, I don't think that will work... the fogging is INSIDE the canopy! In fact the glue vapors are what makes the clear plastic become white! it's even worse with vacuformed canopies! On my first attempt to build a short run kit (MPM 109T) I glued the canopy with cyanoacrylate glue! DON'T EVER DO THIS! The clear part fogged immediatly due to the vapors! Below is a picture! See the mess!



At least I can say the plane was used in winter time and the windshield was frozen! Didn't I achieve a perfect iced glass effect! :-)

Jean-Luc

Robert thanks for posting- I actually have a very close attachment to these planes- My Uncle " Jack" was a ground crewman on them just before Malaysa fell - was stationed at Penang and he worked on The brewster-they were hated and hopelessly out of date and actually got away with a best friend stole a fishing boat and sailed by dead reconing to india where they were conviently arrested by the UK mps for desertion - great out of the pan into the fire - Luckily no one was shot and he went on to serve back in aussie i think he was injured at the time and it was his mate joe ord who got him out
Just a little something to go with such a beautiful model
Ian

I have heard that coating the transparency with Klear/Future before gluing with super glue stops fogging.