Tamiya 1/48 Brewster F2A-2 Buffalo

Started by Bob Torres · 32 · 10 months ago
  • Profile Photo
    Bob Torres said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    I airbrushed Future for the gloss coats and later I applied the decals. Like I mentioned earlier, I used Microscale's, "Micro Liquid Decal Film" I sometimes call this decals maker and brushed it onto the decals , let it dry for at least 15 minutes and cut it out and then into the water and the decals behaved very well. In fact I was surprised how nice this decal applied and followed the contours. Later I looked to see it had settled into all of the recessed lines, I did not have to use Micro Sol. I was very impressed with this because these are the original decal set from this kit which might be at least 40 years old or more!

    Not shown in my shots, I drilled out holes on the forward left wing and vertical stabilizer to glue on a small piece of stretch sprue. This is where I attach the aerial wires, the kit had the option of either the big mast on the fuselage or on the wing but nothing was provided for the wing. And earlier I broke what was molded on the kit on the vertical stabilizer so I had to replace it. As you can see in this shot, the big mast was not used on 2-F-7...

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Excellent so far, my friend @v1pro! Great decal job!

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    This looks perfect, Bob @v1pro

  • Profile Photo
    Bob Torres said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Gary (@gwskat), sorry I missed your comment earlier, yes I finally got my act together. And thank you!

  • Profile Photo
    Bob Torres said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Thank you, Spiros @fiveten and John @johnb.

  • Profile Photo
    Bob Torres said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    This is Hangar 55 in Newark Airport where Brewster delivered Buffalo's made in Buffalo NY to be assembled at Newark and then shipped out to where it needed to be delivered. This is a view of bays 4, 5 and 6. Many years ago I knew a person who was an assembler for Brewster back then. He was impressed that I was working on the same hangar but at bay 1 and 2.

    I worked in aircraft maintenance from 1982 to 2022. I first worked in Curtiss Wright until the factory was closed, then in 1984 I worked in Newark Airport in Hangar 55 but in bays 1&2. By 1984, bay 3&4 was set up for storing aircraft parts for maintenance, and bays 5&6 was for ground equipment support (GSE). But in 1999 bays 3 to 6 were taken down and replaced with a larger Hangar 54 and building 101 for stores.

    Around 2002 a new building was made to where our new office space will exist and it was attached to the forward part of Hangar 55. The remaining hangar 55, bays 1 and 2 are still used today!

    My old work address was 58 Brewster Road, Newark, NJ.

    1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

  • Profile Photo
    Bob Torres said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    A view from the air of how this same area looked around 2010.

    1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Very interesting, Bob @v1pro
    Quite some different aircraft now around the hangars.

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Amazing, my friend @v1pro! Thanks for sharing!

  • Profile Photo
    gary sausmikat said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Bob! You are moving right along and doing a great job. That looks great!

  • Profile Photo
    Bill Koppos said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Testor's little glass jars still have their uses. Flat yellow and flat red (You need em for detailing anyway.) Use the yellow with a TINY touch of red. You will like. From a big Brewster fan and Long Islander.

  • Profile Photo
    gary sausmikat said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Bill. When I use MR. Color, 329, Yellow, I too will add a touch of red. I've had good luck with this.

  • Profile Photo
    Bob Torres said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Thank you all for following. This build actually took 3 weeks to make. I started this build pretty quickly but it slowed down after I made a few mistakes while painting. And writing the progress of this build this could have been easier if witten each day of the build.

    Still, this was a nice build, reminded me a lot of the Otaki kits that I built back in the later 70's and 80's.

    Some notes on the final finish:

    • This aircraft could have been painted in either silver or light grey. I decided to go with silver and I was happy with my choice.
    • I used the Tamiya Panel Line Accent to highlight most of the recessed lines. I also used a black pencil in a few sections.
    • I applied Testor's clear flat coat to tie everything together.
    • I sanded down the main wheels evenly to give it the weighted look.
    • I used EZ Line for the aerial calbes.

    I call this build done!

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Fantastic result, my friend @v1pro!
    Great final touches!

  • Profile Photo
    Bob Torres said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Thank you Spiros @fiveten. I kept the weathering to a minimum.