Build thread of a Brewster Buffalo F2A-2
Design by Richard Crossley:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/upload_2025-2-5_13-0-28-jpeg.609023/)
I bought the very nice digital PDF drawings and build article via his beautiful website:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/upload_2025-2-5_13-0-42-jpeg.609024/)
I printed the very beautiful set of drawings at work:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/upload_2025-2-5_13-0-51-jpeg.609025/)
The Buffalo plans taped on my work table and transparent film stretched over them:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/upload_2025-2-6_11-4-36-jpeg.609083/)
The very complete set consists of three plans, a detailed and clear build description, construction photos, etc.
And strips of paper with the parts to be cut out printed on them.
Richard advises temporarily attaching these to the balsa with a low-tack glue.
After cutting out the parts, you peel the paper off again.
That is a very effective method; a West Wings kit I build also uses this method.
Personally, I prefer using a different method: transferring the ink onto the balsa itself without using glue (making real printwood).
This only works with a laser printer, not with an inkjet printer!
I printed the strips on 80g paper; not thicker because then you have to heat the soldering iron too much, and not thinner because then you have the risk of distortion.
What is important are a few print settings, including high contrast, black and white of course, and especially maximum saturation; the result:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__008.274080/full?d=1739033479)
I rub the balsa plate very lightly a few times with 800 grit sandpaper and then wipe it off thoroughly with a tack cloth.
Place paper with the ink side up on the balsa board and slowly wipe over the strip of paper with plenty of pressure.
The iron must be very hot! My foil iron doesn't get hot enough for this; an old iron on the "*** linen" setting works well.
Here are a few parts on a 3mm balsa plate:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__009.274081/full?d=1739033479)
... and here on a 1.5mm balsa plate:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__010.274082/full?d=1739033479)
The self made printwood:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__011.274083/full?d=1739033479)
The parts cut out with a scalpel, I do the "notches" with small files:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__012.274084/full?d=1739033479)
Ready for start of the build:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__013.274085/full?d=1739033479)
Cheers, Ramses
First, the parts of the four longerons were glued together and fixed to the drawing with pins. The fuselage formers were laid out and everything was test fitted before gluing, and everything fits perfectly; very good plans!
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__015.274245/full?d=1740335837)
The half formers of the left fuselage half glued to the longerons:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__016.274246/full?d=1740335837)
Next, i removed the fuselage half from the plans and glued the right fuselage formers onto the right half:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__017.274247/full?d=1740335837)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__018.274248/full?d=1740335837)
Cowl made according to the plans and roughly sanded:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__019.274249/full?d=1740335837)
It's already starting to look a bit like a Brewster Buffalo:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/media/brewster_buffalo__020.274250/full?d=1740335837)
I made a cockpit floor from 0.5mm balsa:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745391945563-webp.615942/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745595560187-png.616215/)
Cheers, Ramses
The tailpieces are made of lightweight balsa and are hollowed out as much as possible:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745594669695-png.616201/)
The leading edge, tips, and trailing edge of the tail surfaces are laminated from 3 strips of 0.8mm thick balsa.
I made the molds for this from hard 4mm balsa:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745594701979-png.616204/)
Cut out along the inner line of the front, tip, and trailing edges:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745594716664-png.616205/)
This time I laminated the balsa frames with aliphatic glue; that works very well!
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745594729015-png.616206/)
Started with the trailing adges and tips of the wings:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745594760543-png.616207/)
Cheers, Ramses
Continuing with the wings and tail surfaces.
The ribs in the tail surfaces are made of light 1.5mm balsa strips, and the wing ribs are glued to the lower stringers.
The wingtip slopes upwards and is temporarily raised with a 3mm strip:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745841546476-jpeg.616571/)
Upper stringers glued into the wing ribs.
At the root rib, the shape gets thinner; this is to make room for the rubber motor in the fuselage:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745841557350-jpeg.616572/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745841564557-jpeg.616573/)
The parts for the Brewster Buffalo:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745841571436-jpeg.616574/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1745841583599-jpeg.616576/)
Cheers, Ramses
I gave the Brewster a light sanding overall and the Brewster Buffalo is now ready for the tissue:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1767116281296-png.639922/)
I have used VMC natural domestic tissue applied with a glue stick:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1767116301517-png.639923/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1767116309385-png.639924/)
damped the right wing half with water and left to dry in a fixed position.
Continue with the fuselage:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1767116317267-png.639925/)
After the right wing half was dry, the left half was damped with water and fixed on the workbench:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1767116326315-png.639926/)
Everything is covered now and the engine cowling is glued to the fuselage.
A first light coat of banana oil over the entire plane:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1767116336369-png.639927/)
All parts fixed on the building board and left to dry:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1767116350865-png.639928/)
Cheers, Ramses
After a second coat of banana oil all parts are assembled:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1767376093788-png.640231/)
I made two canopy formers from 1mm thin-walled aluminium tubing and glued them into the fuselage. Also painted a strip of thin aluminium tape in Tamiya XF-16 colour:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776016136539-png.648605/)
For this Brewster Buffalo, the canopy is again made from Evergreen 0.005" clear styrene, this time in three parts:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776016196095-png.648606/)
I made the cockpitframe from thin strips of the alu tape:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776016222382-png.648608/)
Small strips of paper to form the wing and empenage fairings:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776016230947-png.648609/)
Cheers, Ramses
This Brewster Buffalo will be an F2A-2 NAVY version.
Hence the cockpit frame, which is already in Tamiya XF-16 color.
I used an airbrush to color the Brewster with XF-16b overall:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776016247976-png.648611/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776016255633-png.648612/)
Masked the cowling and the banner around the fuselage with Tamyia masking tape and painted it in multiple thin layers with Tamyia XF-58:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776237634472-png.648796/)
The flaps, ailerons, and elevators were cut out of the plans and used as a template to transfer onto the Buffalo with a fineliner:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776237649037-png.648797/)
Ready for the self made decals:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776237658012-png.648798/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776237668321-png.648799/)
Cheers, Ramses
After all the decals were applied, I realized I forgot the wingwalks...
I still had a misprint decal sheet of the 1:5.5 Wedell Williams; I was able to cut two wingwalks for the Buffalo from the letter 'N':
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776237678016-png.648800/)
Simulating the hinge lines:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776237686411-png.648801/)
The Brewster Buffalo now weighs 48.8 grams:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776237694984-png.648802/)
Cheers, Ramses
I searched the internet for a straight frontal photo of a Wright R-1820-40 Cyclone radial engine. The F2A-2 flew with this engine and I found this amazing photo, and in high resolution too:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776358185938-png.648886/)
I made the image of the engine in the scale of my Buffalo in Photoshop:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776358289590-png.648887/)
Printed, cut out, and test fitted:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776358305454-png.648888/)
The image of the engine will be the base of my motor plug:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776358316077-png.648889/)
Cheers, Ramses
I used the print as a template to make the balsa backplate for the motor plug.
Cut out and test fitted:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776448098666-png.648947/)
I am going to use eight small magnets to hold the motor plug tight in the fuselage; the extra weight is desired:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776448110662-png.648948/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776448130160-png.648950/)
Making the balsa spinner:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776448629873-png.648956/)
Hollowed out spinner:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776448640300-png.648957/)
Cutting, fitting, sanding, etc., until it all fits well.
I use a VMC 8 1/4 inch Plastic Propeller for this Buffalo:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776448652320-png.648958/)
All parts glued together:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776448661963-png.648959/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776448672325-png.648960/)
Cheers, Ramses
The gun sight and antenna on the nose, including the antenna wire are fitted, but the thin antenna is hard to see in the photos:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776449149428-png.648963/)
Painted the prop tips:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776449158668-png.648964/)
Almost ready for the test flights:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776449197505-png.648968/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776522320398-png.649003/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776522332038-png.649004/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776522340433-png.649005/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776522356531-png.649007/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776522365089-png.649008/)
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776522373084-png.649009/)
Cheers, Ramses
The day after finishing the Buffalo was a day with very little wind... and no rain!
So i knotted a test motor for the Brewster Buffalo, three loops of 1/8" Tan:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776522411428-png.649010/)
... and drove to my FF field:
(https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/attachments/1776522442607-png.649011/)
I made a short video of the first test- and trim flights of the Brewster Buffalo:
Cheers, Ramses
I already marked "like" on your posts, but a "very well done" is also necessary!
Beautiful work Ramses and the first flights look quite promising.
Thanks for posting this...
George
Like what George said!
Ron
Very impressive build! Build quality to rival the designer himself! I like his plans since the stringer slots all line-up.
I appreciate the tip about transfering laser ink to balsa.
Can I enquire about the cowling. Is it moulded or printed plastic?
Reviewing the thread more carefully; I see that it is balsa. Very nice indeed
That is such a beautiful job on your part, Ramses - and she flies so well.
Beautiful work Ramses.
QuoteI rub the balsa plate very lightly a few times with 800 grit sandpaper and then wipe it off thoroughly with a tack cloth.
Place paper with the ink side up on the balsa board and slowly wipe over the strip of paper with plenty of pressure.
Thanks for the detailed description Ramses. The ink side of the print is not facing the balsa sheet?
John
Outstanding Craftsmanship!!! Well Done.