Brewster Buffalo 339-23 by Landlubber Mike - FINISHED - Special Hobby + AM - 1/48

[Landlubber Mike]

I'm at the very tail end of my Wildcat build, but can't seem to find the interest to finish it.  So, what better way to keep the modeling going than starting a new kit?  I was reminded that I hadn't started a build log here on it from @popeye the sailor, who is also working on a Special Hobby kit.  I'm doing my best to catch Popeye with the most in-process kits, but I have a feeling I'm still way short.  😬

 

I picked this kit up from John at UMM a year or so ago - it came with all the CMK aftermarket for it and was a good deal, so I figured I might as well get it as I like quirkier subjects.  I also added the Brengun controls and flaps set, a Pavla canopy (for Tamiya, but it might fit), and a few goodies from Master.

 

Background reference materials:

 

The Buffalo was an interesting aircraft that went through a number of variants before quickly becoming obsolete during WWII.  The Fins did really well with their version of the Buffalo against the Germans.  The model in this kit is one of the export versions, the 339-23.  It was the last set of Buffalos built.  Interestingly, the 20 of these planes were destined for Java, but when Java fell to the Japanese, they were diverted to Australia  where they served with the USAAF and the RAAF, and ultimately, transferred back to the USAAF.  With this kit, you can build two RAAF versions (one of which is a reconnaissance plane that was outfitted with three cameras), and two USAAF planes.  The two RAAF versions and one of the USAAF planes are in green/olive drab came as in the box picture, and the last USAAF, which served as the personal aircraft of the air base commander, is in silver.

Edited February 11, 2023 by Landlubber Mike

[Landlubber Mike]

With all the aftermarket, this has been a little bit of a Frankenstein's monster.  Five CMK sets (engine, cockpit, control surfaces, undercarriage, wing gun bays), along with the Brengun controls and flaps sets (which is a little better than the CMK set), means a lot of cutting away of the original model.  Not for the faint of heart for sure!  I didn't take many pictures along the way as I wasn't sure if I was going to be even partially successful, but things seemed to have worked out.  The instructions for the kit as well as the CMK and Brengun aftermarket can be less than helpful at times unfortunately, leading to a lot of head scratching.  

 

Here is one picture which shows how much was cut away.  It was very tricky with the wings because you had to thin down the plastic to almost hair width.  I used knives, my micromotor and sandpaper to thin things down, but in some cases I had to fix things with really thin plastic card.  

The CMK engine builds up really nicely - here it is pre-weathering:

This version of the Buffalo had an interesting large window right under the pilot.  Thankfully Montex makes a mask for all the little window parts:

Here is where I am at the moment.  Looks like a Buffalo I think.  I just need to fill and sand a bit more, add the pilot seat and lower window, and then re-scribe the panel lines and add rivets.  Then off to prime and hope that Mr. Surfacer makes things nice and smooth.

 

Thanks for looking in!

 

Edited August 23, 2022 by Landlubber Mike

[Dave_E]

Is this a card kit with all the extras? When you starting?

[Landlubber Mike]

Hey Dave, it's a plastic kit with some resin and PE included in the box.  The aftermarket is mostly resin with some PE as well.  I started it maybe two months ago.

[king derelict]

The engine is lovely

Alan

[Canute]

Like Alan said, the engine is lovely. All the aftermarket you added, along with the extras Special Hobby already throws in, makes for one busy a/c build. One of my uncles made parts for this plane in North jersey and they were shipped to Brewster's plant in Buffalo (?), NY during the war.

[ccoyle]

I love the Buffalo! I built a 1/72 scale kit as a kid, have the finished Kartonowa Kolekcja version in my display case, boogered the Halinski version (Finnish aircraft), and have a replacement Halinski kit in my stash.

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks guys!

 

Ken, this is perhaps a little overboard with all the aftermarket, but having things like the aircraft control surfaces as separate parts and in a different position makes for a more interesting model I think.  Also, showing off the engine with the panels off adds some more details on what is otherwise going to be a fairly uninteresting model (given the markings, camo scheme, shape, etc.).  I might try to build it as a diorama where it was being assembled, given that I believe the Americans put the planes together after the came off the boat.  That might be tough given how much is already on the model, so maybe I'll just put it in a diorama receiving routine maintenance.

 

Chris, I remember your card builds.  I'm hoping that I can build mine half as well you did yours!

[Egilman]

Your doing fine my friend.... Looks like you got the ideals of aftermarket down pat....

 

Nice job....

[AJohnson]

Many years ago I had the Tamiya 1/48 version which was pretty basic.  The after market parts will lift your build to a different level, nicely painted engine! 👏

[popeye the sailor]

now that would be an interesting thought to check out.  it's known that biplanes had their wings removed during shipment {or most of them}.  we had the foldable wing planes.......does make one wonder     resin gun bays......yup you picked a unique one.  very nice job so far  

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks guys, it's been an interesting adventure with all the aftermarket.  I ended up adding brass gun barrels and a pitot from Master - a bit of a splurge, especially when you can barely see the guns, but the profiles look much more to scale and with better definition than the kit parts.

 

I added rivets using my 0.75mm Rosie the Riveter wheel, and re-scribed some of the panel lines.  I've also had to do a few other fixes as well.  Apparently all Buffalos except the 339E only had one landing light on the port wing, so I went ahead and filled the starboard side (used my RP Toolz punch set and the 4.5mm punch filled the hole perfectly).  It's not in the pictures here, but I also scratch built the radar antenna that goes on the starboard side of the cowl.  The kit piece just glues to the side of the cowl, and wasn't a very robust piece of plastic, so I figured it was only a matter of time before I knocked it off.  So, I drilled a hole into the cowl, and epoxied in a longer antenna where the base is inserted a few millimeters into the cowl.  Seems a lot more robust and will be harder to break off.

 

I'm now in the middle of priming everything with Mr. Surfacer 1500.  I had some fit issues which Special Hobby is known for, so it's been prime, fill and sand, prime, and repeat.  But getting closer to throwing some colors on it.  Building into a nice kit I think.  Thanks for looking in! 

[Landlubber Mike]

Well, I'm trying to wrap up my builds so that I can start an upcoming 2023 group build on MSW's sister site.  After a bunch of rounds of filling and sanding, I have the camo scheme painted on the model using Mr. Color paints.  Was quite a tricky time getting to this point with all the AM but I'm pretty happy with where things are.  The wing gun panels are just blue-tacked in place to take on the camo scheme as they will be removed and put next to the model to show it under maintenance along with the engine.

 

I found a Montex set of stencils to paint the insignia and numbering, so those will go on next.  The landing gear and wheels are also painted, so hopefully this will get wrapped up by the end of the year.  

Thanks for looking in!

[Javlin]

1 hour ago, Landlubber Mike said:

hopefully this will get wrapped up by the end of the year.  

Looking good Mike.

[mtaylor]

2 hours ago, Landlubber Mike said:

Well, I'm trying to wrap up my builds so that I can start an upcoming 2023 group build on MSW's sister site. 

 

Sister site?  I didn't know we had one.

[Jack12477]

2 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

Sister site?  I didn't know we had one.

Me either ? 

[Landlubber Mike]

https://forum.largescalemodeller.com

 

I believe James runs that site as well.  Good group of people, though maybe a little less active than folks here.  Great skills on display if plastic (and the occasional metal) models are of interest.

[Danstream]

Fine result, Mike. although the edges are a bit 'soft', you got a very good feathered camouflage. Also the smoothness of the surfaces looks very good. I see you are getting constantly improved results. It will look great when finished.

Best regards,

Dan

[Egilman]

13 hours ago, Danstream said:

although the edges are a bit 'soft', you got a very good feathered camouflage

Just a historical note Brewster Buffaloes were delivered in bare metal, they were in some cases the front line aircraft where they were stationed although they were essentially obsolete at the start of the war... all of them were painted in the field with makeshift sprayers, anything they could adapt and the usual panel masks for doing such were unavailable... Hence the "Soft/Wide Edge" look.... Probably a little too soft but close to what they really were before they were all shot down....

 

I agree, he's getting better and better each one he does Dan....

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks guys, really appreciate it!  Funny thing is I thought I didn't make the lines soft enough - shows what I know!

 

EG thanks for that info.  Didn't realize that.  The 339-23 that I'm modeling I believe was first intended for the Dutch, then ended up going to Australia (where I believe they were actually assembled).  Some stayed in Australian service, and a few made it back into American service.  I'm planning to do this one as a US 339-23.

 

I'm still learning on the painting - the techniques and skills of people are way advanced from where things were when I did plastic models as a kid.  It's been fun, even with all the bad words trying to work with a limited run kit and all the aftermarket.

Edited December 24, 2022 by Landlubber Mike

[Landlubber Mike]

Painted on the insignia and the numbers.  The Montex set of stencils worked really nicely.  I was a bit worried about the numbers but they came out great with minimal touchup needed.  Was hoping to get this one wrapped up before the end of the year, but don't want to rush the clear coating, weathering, etc.

 

Thanks for looking in, and happy new year!

[AJohnson]

7 hours ago, Landlubber Mike said:

 

Thanks for looking in, and happy new year!

Nice work on the Stencils and airbrush camouflage. Happy New Year to you also Mike! 🎉🥳

 

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks Andrew!

 

I managed to get everything pretty much painted and assembled pre-clear coat/weathering over the weekend.  Stayed up way too late last night to get to this point, but things were going well and I wanted to go with the good mojo.  Looking back, I'm not sure that at my experience level hacking up a Special Hobby kit to add in half a dozen plus aftermarket items was a smart decision, but I'm pretty happy how this is turning out.  It probably doesn't look like it, but getting the engine mounts, engine, cowl, bracket, etc. were hours of work!  Lots of dry fitting, sanding, filling, etc.  The CMK parts are very nice, but the instructions are not always the clearest at times.

 

I almost cried when I accidentally snapped one of the V-shaped landing gears in half trying to drill in holes for the hydraulic cables, but somehow the modeling gods were with me and I managed to get it put back together without much trouble.  

 

Anyway, here are some pictures.  Clear coat tonight, weathering later in the week, and hopefully done with this and the Wildcat by the end of the long weekend.  Thanks for looking in!

 

 

[king derelict]

Simply beautiful Mike

Alan

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks Alan!  I'm using Mr. Color paints.  I find they go down and level really nicely with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner.  I did paint the blue in the insignia using Vallejo, but in part that was to be able to use a toothpick to scratch off any amounts that bled under the masks.  Can't scratch off the Mr. Color paint, so using the two in combination like that makes things easier, especially since having to cover any bleeding of the blue with white would be difficult.  Would probably lean towards sanding the blue off down to the white layer, and then respraying the white to touch it up.  Using Vallejo on top of the Mr. Color avoids that.

[FriedClams]

Beautiful work Mike and what a great looking craft.  I look forward to seeing her all done.  I've heard nothing but good things about the Mr. Color line of paints and I must try them sometime soon.

 

Gary  

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks very much Gary.  This is the first model I've done using predominantly Mr. Color products - Mr. Surfacer for primer, Mr. Color for paints, Mr. Color Leveling Thinner, their clear coats, etc.  The products have a strong odor, but spray and clean up fairly easily.  What's really impressive is how well they level with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner.  Also, so far I haven't encountered issues taping the painted surfaces, unlike my experience with Vallejo.  If you're looking for a paint that will need to be masked, they are certainly worth a look.  One caution is that their clear coats are very thick - in my limited experience, you need to go with a minimum of 2:1 ratio of thinner to paint to get it to spray the right way.

 

The Special Hobby instructions had color call-outs using the Mr. Color line which made picking paints very easy.  I bought a couple of similar colors as I wasn't sure how these particular colors would render in person, but I was very pleased - the three colors on this build all harmonized very nicely I think.  Oh, also worth noting that they have a lot of paints made according to Federal Standard colors in the colors for aircraft, etc., so if you're looking for a particular FS number, they are a good place to start.  

[king derelict]

Thanks Mike

I will try the Mr Color series of paints. I am not a fan of Vallejo apart from their black primer. I seem to have drifted from Tamiya to Mig Ammo which i do like a lot. They spray very well even heavily diluted.

Alan

[Old Collingwood]

That's  a  rally  nice finish  you  have  achieved  really nice.

 

OC.

[Landlubber Mike]

2 hours ago, king derelict said:

Thanks Mike

I will try the Mr Color series of paints. I am not a fan of Vallejo apart from their black primer. I seem to have drifted from Tamiya to Mig Ammo which i do like a lot. They spray very well even heavily diluted.

Alan

Alan, if you're going to go with Mr. Color, try their primer if you haven't already.  They make the standard gray, but also black and other colors.  I have used Vallejo primer in the past, but I find Mr. Surfacer much better.  They come in both rattle can and jars to be thinned like their paints.  If you go with the latter, thin it with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner (as opposed to Mr. Color Thinner, which is also good, but I don't think it has the leveling properties of the former).  People aren't far enough when they refer to it as "unicorn tears" for thinning.

 

I do use Vallejo's Gloss Black as an undercoat for their Metal Color range.  It works really nicely.  But, I find Vallejo primers can be prone to lifting when taped, so I only use it when I'm not looking to tape (as with aircraft interiors, chrome parts on cars, etc.).  I also have some All-Clad black for undercoating their metal line, but so far I've only used it once (and liked it).