re: Vader’s Model Desk: F2A Brewster Buffalo

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unstable and overweight

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The Fat Gnat

Aircraft, my favorite of your builds.

Paint scheme is as usual excellent.

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Fantastic job! Now that is an obscure aircraft

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Yeah. While the Finns used some against the Soviets, most Buffaloes were used in the opening months of the Pacific War, where it was quickly identified as being wholly obsolete against Japanese fighters. The one I finished today is actually the second Buffalo I’ve done. I did a pre-war US Navy Buffalo about a year ago:



The livery I used on this one was the late 1930s VF-3 from the USS Saratoga.

Ugly plane, great model

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it cannot be ruled out that some palms were greased

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Yeah I've read how politics and greasing palms lead to our torpedoes being worthless. The torpedo squadron that was wiped out at midway were basically dropping spitballs.

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Darth, love your finished model. Looks great! Thanks for sharing! Believe it or not, one of my simple pleasures in life is viewing your 2 or 3 finished kits per month. Take care!

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Thanks! That means a lot to me. Its for folks like you that I created the Vader’s Model Desk series.

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Yeah I've read how politics and greasing palms lead to our torpedoes being worthless. The torpedo squadron that was wiped out at midway were basically dropping spitballs

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Yep. The Navy’s aerial torpedo, the Mk. 13 tended to either run too deep and pass under their target, or hit the water and just sink because their motor failed.

The torpedo used by subs (Mk.14) and destroyers (Mk. 15) both used the same virtually worthless magnetic trigger mechanism.

It wasn’t until well into 1943 that they finally started to address these issues.

There ya go.. Thanks...





I found this interesting and may take a chance on it. You usually don't see too many Lufty Piths and first I have seen with any camo style to it.

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Awesome, awesome job!!! Man you did it again.

That kit has been around for a while, hasn't it? How was the fit and all?

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Thanks! As for the kit, I think it’s been around for a while. Maybe since the 90s or 2000s? Not really sure. But, like all Tamiya kits, it’s great. Zero issues, fit is virtually perfect, clear instructions, and they even give you a pre-marked masking sheet for the canopy.

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Unrelated question - I was looking at my last armor build (the M48) and my current build (Tiger) and wondered, how would the Tiger fare against the M48?

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Great question. The original M48’s 90mm main gun could handle the Tiger’s armor, and later versions of the M48 with the 105mm could definitely do the trick. The M48 had the advantage from armor and fire control standpoints as well. So, I’d say the M48 would have a significantly better chance at beating a Tiger I than the other way around. Basically, the Tiger would have to fight an M48 the same way Shermans in WWII had to fight Tigers, namely it would have to try to flank the M48 and hit it from the side or rear.

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When the Buffalo went up against more skilled Japanese pilots flying the nimble Mitsubishi A6M Zero, didn’t matter if the Buffalo was piloted by American, British, New Zealand, Australian, or Dutch pilots, it usually didn’t end well for the Buffalo.

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If I recall correctly, Claire Lee Chennault flew a Buffalo when he was training the Chinese Army Air Force to fight against the Japanese in the few months prior to his creation of the American Volunteer Group. I think he even had one kill credited to him in that aircraft (although it was probably one of their bombers rather than a "Zero" fighter).