Building a vintage BREWSTER BUFFALO

[wonwinglo]

This little gem was a scratch built vintage build,all I needed was a wartime Aeromodeller magazine and a plan within that magazine to build a Brewster Buffalo,this is another nostalgia build,a replica of a model that I first built over 60 years ago from scraps of balsa and tissue from the wrappings on oranges.



A yellowed plan,treasure from the past and worth more than gold to me,my tiny Buffalo will evolve from this,lets get started.











Vintage plan in 'Aircraft of the Fighting Powers'






















I finished it with Dutch East Indies markings with simple tissue home made decals.

 

[stillp]

What is "sheet substitute?
Pete

 

[wonwinglo]

What is "sheet substitute?
Pete

Obech,a balsa substitute used during WW2,Balsa was used in full sized aircraft such as the Mosquito,kits could only be purchased if you were a member of the armed forces.

 

[stillp]

Thanks Barry. I always preferred using obeche, it's not much heavier than balsa, and a lot easier to get a good finish as it doesn't go 'fluffy' when sanded like balsa does.
Pete

 

[wonwinglo]

Thanks Barry. I always preferred using obeche, it's not much heavier than balsa, and a lot easier to get a good finish as it doesn't go 'fluffy' when sanded like balsa does.
Pete

At one time it used to be available in model shops in all the sizes available in balsa but these days it seems to be used more for model boats and dolls houses,however a lot of ARTF models produced in places like the Phillipines use a local wood very similar to Obeche.
I still have some vintage kits made from obeche that will be built and done as build-A-Longs here,I am not a kit collector and build them as that was what they were made for in the first place,I have no time for kit hoarders or those who collect boxes ! models need building to enjoy both in the build and finished form.