Hobby 2000 72012 - 1:72 Brewster 339 B/C Buffalo

1:72 plastic model kit of the Brewster 339 B/C Buffalo fighter

Hobby 2000 72012 is a self-assembly model of the export versions of the Brewster Buffalo – the B-339B and B-339C used by the British and by the Dutch colonial air arm. It is the most comprehensively equipped Buffalo release in this catalogue series.

The basis is Hasegawa plastic supplemented with new parts appropriate to the versions covered. What sets this kit apart from the other Buffalo releases is the brass photo-etched fret and the resin parts, which raise the level of detail. Self-adhesive canopy masks are also included.

The waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf covers three options: 339B aircraft serials AX815 and AX820 of No. 805 Squadron RAF operating in Egypt (in the spring of 1941 and from Dekheila in 1941 respectively), and the 339C flown in 1942 by Lt Guus Deibel of 2-VlG.V of the Dutch colonial air arm ML-KNIL at Semplak on Java.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues (Hasegawa tooling with new parts)
• Brass photo-etched fret
• Resin parts
• Self-adhesive masks for the canopy glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf for 3 marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72012
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Assembled model length: approx. 112 mm
• Assembled wingspan: approx. 148 mm
• Skill level: intermediate (photo-etched and resin parts)

Note: The kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Assembly:

The airframe itself is simple, but the photo-etched and resin parts raise the demands – hence the higher skill level than the other Buffalo releases. Photo-etched parts are easiest to fold using a dedicated bending tool or a metal ruler and are attached with cyanoacrylate glue. Resin parts should be separated from their casting blocks with a razor saw and their mating surfaces sanded flat before assembly. The cockpit interior is best finished before the fuselage halves are joined.

The marking options are strikingly varied: the British aircraft from Egypt wear desert camouflage, while the Dutch machine carries the scheme used in the Netherlands East Indies. Applying the decals over a gloss coat limits the risk of silvering, and a satin varnish suits the final finish. Dust deposits on the landing gear and lower fuselage are worth attention – these aircraft operated from improvised field airstrips.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for the resin and photo-etched parts
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Panel wash to bring out surface detail
• Gloss varnish for the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal softening solution

About the aircraft – Brewster Buffalo:

The Brewster F2A Buffalo went down in history as the first monoplane carrier fighter accepted into US Navy service. Designed in the second half of the 1930s, it had a distinctive barrel-shaped silhouette resulting from the combination of a short fuselage, a Wright Cyclone radial engine and retractable landing gear. When it appeared it was a modern design: all-metal, with an enclosed cockpit and retractable gear, clearly ahead of the biplanes it replaced.

The manufacturer quickly developed export versions. The B-239 went to Finland, while the B-339 was ordered by Britain, by the Netherlands for the Netherlands East Indies and by Belgium. Each successive version grew heavier – armour, extra equipment and armament robbed the aircraft of the agility on which its effectiveness depended. The export B-339 had a very different history. Some of the aircraft originally ordered by Belgium were taken over by the British and sent to theatres including the Middle East, where their Buffalos operated with No. 805 Squadron over Egypt. Further examples went to the defence of Malaya, Singapore and the Netherlands East Indies, where they were flown by pilots of the Dutch colonial air arm, the ML-KNIL. Heavier and less capable than the Finnish version, they suffered heavy losses against Japanese A6M Zero and Ki-43 fighters, although some pilots did score victories on them.

Original aircraft specifications (Brewster B-339 Buffalo):

• Length: 8.03 m
• Wingspan: 10.67 m
• Height: 3.68 m
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: Wright R-1820-G105 Cyclone radial engine, approx. 1100 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 480 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 9000 m
• Armament: 4 x 12.7 mm machine guns
• Production: 1938-1941, approx. 500 aircraft of all versions

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that specialises in themed releases of plastic model kits. Its business model is built on cooperation with established kit manufacturers – the Hobby 2000 catalogue features plastic originating from Hasegawa, Fujimi, Dragon, Academy and Revell moulds, among others. This particular kit uses Hasegawa plastic. The added value of a Hobby 2000 release comes from newly researched decal sheets, its own assembly instructions and – in most aircraft kits – self-adhesive canopy masks included in the box as standard. The company is known for consistently choosing subjects that are poorly covered by the large manufacturers, with a particular focus on Polish and Eastern European stories. Releases are produced in limited runs, so sold-out items can be hard to find later on. For the modeller this means proven, well-developed tooling combined with carefully researched history and a generous choice of markings.