You can smell the rubber…
Photographs taken at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (NMUSAF) at Dayton, Ohio.
Boeing WB-50 Superfortress Walk Around Part I
Intermission – Boeing WB-50 Superfortress Walk Around Part I
Month: October 2022
Tamiya Brewster B-339 Buffalo
Day 249
Monday October 31, 2022
I have learned a lot about naval aviators who went missing in action in the Battle of Midway. A few years ago I met virtually Gerry Lawton who had composed over 400 biographies remembering the Fallen.
With his permission I thought it was important to share his research on a blog.
To learn more about Gerry Lawton and my interest in the Brewster Buffalo…
Learning about the courage of these aviators was the main reason I was looking desperately to find Tamiya’s Brewster Buffalo. It was always listed as out of stock on several online hobby shops except on Plaza Japan.
Finding it on Sunward Hobbies was like finding the Holy Grail.
Intermission – Resilience
Day 248
Sunday October 30, 2022
My forgotten hobby has been a learning experience I have been documenting since December 2013, and even more since February 24, 2022.
Sharing about what I have been building here was mostly about the fear of messing things up and taking bad decisions in a much smaller scale… 1/48 scale.
My forgotten hobby has been testing my resilience with ICM’s Bf 109F-4 since I wanted it to be a memorial for what has been happening in Ukraine since February 24, 2022.
One thing I haven’t learned is to get over mistakes I have accumulated and move on by building this model kit…
Wednesday the Bf 109F-4 had received its second coat of paint, and Thursday I wanted to see if the paint had effectively peeled off like it did a week ago.
I took this photo Thursday afternoon before removing the masking tape even if the last camouflage dark green coat had not been applied.
Taking photos helps remembering the decisions I make on the spur of the moment.
The paint didn’t peel off, but this is what happened… I saw that coming but I kept on removing the masking tape covering the landing gear.
I will never learn making bad decisions leads me eventually to mess things up again and again. However in this case I was able to fix that by drilling two holes and inserting a piece of stapple.
The landing gear was glued back and set aside for the glue to cure.
This is when I saw…
More yellow paint had peeled off under the wings and the engine…
Stay tuned.
Tamiya Brewster B-339 Buffalo – Out of stock
Day 247
Saturday October 29, 2022
Tamiya’s Brewster Buffalo has been around for quite a long time. My interest was piqued when I read about the Buffalo in the late 60s when my brother and I were playing Midway which was a simulation game from Avalon Hill.
If I remember correctly I always played the American side and won everytime. My brother could correct me on this.
I ran across the Buffalo several times after, but my curiosity was piqued again by this painting.
The story is down here if I have piqued your curiosity…
Fast forward to Wednesday October 25, 2022.
What? Thank you for your order!
After I had placed my order on Wednesday, the website posted Out of stock!
You don’t make that up!
Description
Following the release of a U.S. Navy version of the Brewster Buffalo in 1993, Tamiya now releases the B-339 export version of the Buffalo used by the Royal Air Force and Netherlands East Indies Army Air Corps during WWII. Kit comes with new parts such as canopy, propeller, seat and decals to accurately reproduce the Buffalo used throughout South East Asia. Also includes parts to reproduce the U.S. Navy version featuring gray fuselage.
The Buffalo was first developed in 1935 as a U.S. Navy carrier based fighter. Featuring a modern mid-wing monoplane design with enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear the first mass produced Buffalo was designated F2A-1, which was shortly followed by the improved F2A-2. Based on the U.S. Navy Buffalo, the B-339 Buffalo was for export only and was fitted with an export approved 1,100hp Wright Cyclone engine and redesigned for land use with navy equipment such as life raft and arrestor hook removed. The Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Netherlands East Indies Army Air Corps (ML-KNIL) used the B-339 to protect colonial outposts in Malaysia, Singapore and Java during WWII.
Highly detailed 1/48 scale assembly kit of the Brewster B-339 Buffalo
Overall length: 163mm, wing span: 223mm
Authentically reproduced large fuselage and unique landing gear.
Kit includes parts to accurately reproduce RAF, ML-KNIL or U.S. Navy aircraft.
New parts such as canopy, rear fuselage and propeller authentically reproduced in high-quality detail.
Includes a full range of accessories including two 100 pound bombs, one pilot figure sitting down and one figure standing, and markings to reproduce a choice of four different aircraft.
Assembly and painting required. Kit does not include model cement glue, paint, and tools. Adult supervision where required.
The price was right as well as the $9.99 shipping rates.
How could I resist the temptation since I had learned a lot about aviators who died while flying Brewster Buffaloes during the Battle of Midway?
We Shall Not Forget, For to Forget is The Greatest Casualty
To be continued, but I don’t know when…
Intermission – Going back in time
Day 246
Friday October 28, 2022
Time to reflect on several things on Day 246…
I must admit I wanted to stop writing this diary after having completed the PBY Catalina…
However I got curious on Day 245 and I found what I was looking for…
These are photos I took in December 2013 of my “stash” of unbuilt model kits. Well not all because I had kept two empty boxes…
When I took those photos I was trying to jump start my forgotten hobby. Since 2013 many model kits have been built but those were eventually replaced with dozens more in 2019 and 2020…
I was tempted to add Tamiya’s Brewster Buffalo to my collection when I got an email from Plaza Japan a few days ago. However shipping rates were too expensive. Japan Post doesn’t ship to Canada anymore since December 2020 because of the pandemic. I don’t understand why since they ship almost everywhere now.
Yesterday I have completed the PBY Catalina display by using Clear Gorilla Glue.
In the background you will notice the Christmas gift I bought for my son in 2020 from Wholesale Hobbies in Edmonton, Alberta. The P-38 is still in its box.
Long overdue? I even have one I bought for myself!
I will finish ICM’s Bf 109F-4 first and then try to finish my son’s P-38 before Christmas time.
Next time…
As always things didn’t go as I had expected.
Monogram PBY Catalina – The Saviour of Ceylon
Day 245
Thursday October 27, 2022
Monogram’s PBY Catalina is now finished after almost 25 years in a box.
This is what was left to be glued.
Nothing except the landing gear which won’t be needed in my display remembering the Saviour of Ceylon.
One thing left to be done on Day 246…
Clear Gorilla Glue
Intermission – The Curator’s Choice 35
Always learning new things…
Convair Aircraft – Vultee Vanguard, Consoldated LB30 and Convair B-36 Here is the link to this post over at The Little Aviation Museum
The Curator’s Choice 35
Monogram PBY Catalina – Final step…
Day 244
Wednesday October 26, 2022
It wasn’t that complicated…
Antennae and the depth charges have been glued.
Propellers were added as well as the pitot tube and the front turret.
This is what’s left for tomorrow.
Intermission – The good old days – Part 3: Wright Brothers Kitty Hawk
I am sure most modelers have built at least one of Monogram’s model kits.
My Forgotten Hobby was my time machine reliving my youth’s innocence. And boy was I innocent back in the 60s!
And I am still innocent.
But I digress…
Fast forward…
Monogram Wright Brothers Kitty Hawk.
It was a gift from a WWII veteran I had met in 2010. I will probably never build it, but it will always be a memento for remembering not to believe everything people tell me…
That meeting led me to start a blog honoring 425 Alouette Squadron. Little did I know that the veteran had made up stories about his war service.
I couldn’t tell back then since I had never heard about 425 Alouette Squadron before.
425 Alouette Squadron was a French-Canadian bomber squadron in World War II. Even if it was not the first, it was the most celebrated.
Very few football fans knew the Montreal Alouettes football club was named after that squadron. Well I think very few knew….
So in 2010 I created a blog to document what I could find about that squadron and share my research. Little by little people would comment and that blog grew exponentially…
So much so that there are now three blogs honoring 425 Alouette Squadron which is now designated 425 ETAC.
When two 425 ETAC CF-18s flew over Percival Molson Stadium last Saturday, you could feel the awe in the crowd and the raw power of two 50 year-old CF-18s zooming overhead…
Je te plumerai is the squadron motto which can be translated as I shall pluck you.
On Saturday October 22, the Toronto Argonauts did the plucking.
Footnote
Taken from the Montreal Alouettes website
AUGUST 25, 2014
THE STORY BEHIND THE SIGNATURE UNIFORM
MONTREAL – Founded in 1942 in the Dishforth region of England, the 425 Squadron – the original birds of prey – was the first ever French Canadian unit as well as the 5th bombing unit in the Royal Canadian Air Force. The squad was quickly nicknamed named ’’Alouettes” in honor of the Gallic native bird known for its toughness and its high-altitude flights.
The unit’s legacy is steeped in courage, dedication, and professionalism, qualities which were on full display when they answered the call to defend Canada during the Second World War and subsequently were awarded over 190 decorations for their service and sacrifice to the country.
In 1946, shortly after the 425 squadron’s return from war, the Montreal Alouettes Football Club was founded as the successor to the teams of years past, thanks to the combined efforts of football coach Lew Hayman and businessman Léo Dandurand.
Hayman, a Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee as a player and coach, was, at one time, an officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force. His RCAF experience, the triumphant repatriation of the 425 Squadron, and the famous French song about plucking a lark inspired him to name Montréal’s team the “Alouettes”.
Since July 1962, the 425 Squadron’s aerial base has been located in the Saguenay area of Bagotville, QC. Still active today, the squadron remains the only francophone unit in all the Americas.
Monogram PBY Catalina – Painting and glueing…
Day 243
Tuesday October 25, 2022
I am almost there.
Waiting at the last minute to glue fragile and easily breakable parts is what I have learned since December 2013. Working too fast is another thing I have learned the hard way.
Antennae have been detached very carefully from the sprues. Olive Drab was added to the depth charges.
A few hours later… The antennae were glued to their supports and are waiting to be finally attached.
To be continued…
My Forgotten Hobby V 