Tamiya Models Brewster B-339 Buffalo Model Kit

Typical Tamiya quality and value. It was prices around $42 when I purchased the kit. The canopy masking is included which I really appreciated.

An older Tamiya 1/48 scale aircraft, but still has the ease and good looks of Tamiyas more recent tooled kits. Not a lot of sprues for this one and completed within two weeks, building on and off as work allowed. Clean crisp moulds, virtually no flash to speak of, and the usual bug bear of wing to fuselage joining, and undercarriage issues for other aircraft were not evident in this model. Quite an easy build, not to many parts and would certainly suit a beginner, giving a great finished product. Painted as one of the options in the instruction leaflet and the decals behaved and went down well. Hopefully the attached photos will give an idea of what can be achieved with a little time and patience!

Great little model. I was glad Tamiya offered the U. S. Navy variant. I had built the Tamiya Grumman Wildcat previously and it was interesting to compare the two contemporaries. They were the U. S.'s early answers to the Japanese Zero's dominance. The kit fitted together perfectly with the exception of the joint between the fuselage and the tail cone. A little putty fixed that. I tried using the masking seal provided for the ventral window but was not happy with my result. A VERY fine sable brush and thinned paint work best for me. This was a fun build. As mentioned before, it is best to study the instructions carefully. With four variants offered, it can seem confusing at first. With a little patience it all falls together. Now that the Buffalo is on the shelf I think I'll take a try at the North American "Texan" trainer.

米海軍艦上戦闘機であるF2Aバッファローは、イギリスとオランダ空軍にも植民地防衛用戦闘機として導入されていました。バッファローが二流戦闘機なのは、英蘭共に認識していましたが、想定される相手の日本戦闘機にはこの程度の性能で充分と判断されたのです。しかし実際に戦端が開かれ、日本軍の零戦や隼と交戦してみると、英蘭の予想を超える日本戦闘機の高性能ぶりに、バッファローは全く性能不足である事が露呈してしまいました。元は1974年初版というこのシリーズでは初期にラインナップされたキットで、その後長い生産休止期間を経て2004年に定番商品として復帰したのが本製品です。古いながらもプロポーションやディテールに古臭さはあまり感じず、むしろこの時代にここまでのキットを開発したタミヤの技術力に驚きます。米海軍仕様のF2A-2とその輸出仕様のB-339のコンパチで、筋彫りは凸モールドですがあまり気になりません。コクピットの計器盤はデカール表現ですが、キャノピー越しに見る分には充分な出来でしょう。エンジンのパーツは秀逸で、プラグコードのモールドまであるのが驚きです。出来の良い立像と座像のパイロットフィギュアも付属します。マーキングはイギリス空軍二種、オランダ空軍とアメリカ海軍は各一種が付属しますが、派手な米海軍のイエローウイングのマーキングは入っていません。現在でもこのスケールのF2A-2/B-339のキットはこれしかなく貴重な存在なので、再び生産休止にならない事を願うばかりです。

Pretty good model, 4 different decal options with two pilots (one sitting one standing) comes with canopy mask that you have to cut out.