I Heard You Like Rivets? Airfix Brewster Buffalo Plastic Model Kit in 1/72 Scale - Build & review

[@JoelMiller-ul9tf]

Really like the back to basics style it’s nice to see a mixture of airbrush and hand painted models on your channel 👍👍👍

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! I like building in different ways so like to share those builds :)

[@murewa31]

In a world of super polished model videos, being able to stay for the outtakes and sips of tea is a rare pleasure!

[@ModelMinutes]

I’m glad you enjoyed it, thanks for sitting through to the end 😂

[@Sturgeon_General92]

im supposed to be studying for algebra but i think this is better worth my time

[@ModelMinutes]

Hopefully you can catch up on studying after :)

[@jasonbevelA]

Trust me dont bother you probably will never use it!

[@MrKevinbrindle]

A very nice little build. It just shows you that a good finish can be achieved by brush painting. I've been modelling now for sixty years and have never used an airbrush or even a spray can in all those years!

[@ModelMinutes]

Yes, most of my early builds were completely hand painted, and whilst I have explored airbrushing in recent years, hand painting is still a technique I enjoy

[@supercededman]

Indeed, Kevin. I'm in my 60s now, and returning to the hobby after 30-odd years away, and will be brushing all my kits. As a kid I never used to sand seams, but will now, and use a few newer finishing products, but I want to revisit my boyhood so will not airbrush :-)

[@DutchDaveModels]

I could build a 100 of these. Such a cool little fighter. The item in the back of the cockpit is a life raft. Nice little kit 💥👍💥

[@markfranks1329]

......which British and Dutch aircraft omitted. They were only used by the US Navy,.....for obvious reasons.

[@ModelMinutes]

Very cool

[@NickAndrewsFaulkner]

I made it last year, went together as well as a 1972 kit would do and overall got a good result. Big error for me was trashing one set of the side code letters, so it's best viewed from the other side! Totally my error so didn't feel able to ask Airfix for another set. The Vintage Classic release of the CAC Boomerang is also a fun build, despite both being released in my first scale modelling period I didn't make either then. Thank you for another good video Best wishes, Nick

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for watching! I have the Boomerang to do as well at some point, not sure what scheme I want to do for that one yet

[@mrjockt]

That thing behind the pilots head is, I think, another hang over from the F2A Buffalo origins of the kit, it looks like the emergency dinghy used by the U.S. Navy.

[@ModelMinutes]

Yes, a life raft according to some other comments

[@grantm6514]

I love these retro kit builds because they really stir up old memories. I remember building a Buffalo kit in the '70s, but I don't remember all the rivets, so it was possibly the Matchbox version? Airfix and Matchbox were pretty much the only aircraft kit choices around here back then, though I did have a few others on my shelves, like Frog, Hasegawa, Italieri, Monogram and so on. Good times...

[@ModelMinutes]

I think the matchbox version has recessed panel lines in comparison to all the raised details on this one

[@MisterHampshire]

Would we really have trimmed parts away from their runners with cutters? Not in mine. I'd have twisted them off, at the very best use a pair of clunky scissors. Also, after mum had gone mad at that, as an air of sophistication I'd have used one of her clapped-out emery boards to do some sanding. Then the newspaper on the kitchen table would have had pools of tube cement all drying in various rates as I squeezed it out on to it. I think Matt had a far more sophisticated youth in modelling than the rest of us, or at least me lol.

[@ModelMinutes]

I never said I was doing it exactly as I did as a kid, but in a similar build method. I think I stopped twisting the parts off their sprues by my fourth kit as a kid though as I had some cutters by then

[@MisterHampshire]

@@ModelMinutes :-) Tongue in cheek, Matt. Any offence was unintentional.

[@evanhughes7609]

Ah, the heady scent of mineral turpentine and polystyrene cement... That takes me back!

[@neillowe8230]

A return to my modelling roots, a real 1970's build, very well done indeed. Great vid thankyou!!

[@ModelMinutes]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@Airman154]

Came out great!! Great tip with the masking👏👏

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! The CT masks made it easier for the clear parts, and adding the fuselage band masking made it a more consistent colour

[@jaws848]

​@@ModelMinutesi have been debating getting this but as a primarily jet modeller the amount of canopy framing is putting me off.lol

[@ModelMinutes]

I had a mask set which made it easier

[@jaws848]

@@ModelMinutes hi Mat...i assume uou mean the set from CT Masks....any good?

[@ModelMinutes]

@@jaws848 Yeah, works great!

[@stuff31]

A+ build! Still holds up to this day. I look forward to building this someday!

[@ModelMinutes]

I hope you enjoy!

[@crazylocha2515]

Looks like a fun build for an inexpensive kit. Always nice to see just simple basics applied and enjoyed. Well done Matt 👍☕🐢

[@ModelMinutes]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@aerofourq]

Back to our Roots, this video's a great mix, gives us Big souvenirs and smiles, as well as using modern added materials. Thanks for this great moment. Arnaud french modeler

[@ModelMinutes]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@GhostRider247]

what a lovely build Mat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks!

[@enderbeam8089]

This looks amazing! Great job with the build! 🎉❤

[@ModelMinutes]

Thank you!! 😊

[@ShuttleFactoryScaleModels]

Glad to see you doing a bit of scratch building on the tail. To make it correct for the RAF paint scheme. The advantage of older model kits is that they do offer a scale modeler, a chance to practice scratch building. Also well done for brush painting the model (in Humbrol enamel no less). Great Job Model Minutes, that is a good-looking model of The Buffalo.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks so much! I did consider not bothering with the tail but when I looked it it, it seemed like a simple enough fix

[@davidgroves1464]

Great video Matt, one that I particularly enjoyed, including the outtakes at the end!

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for getting to the end 🙏 I’m glad you enjoyed the video! More builds to come over the next few weeks 😊

[@ScreamingLordStokes]

Nice work Matt! I love the Buffalo, I built the Matchbox kit in the early 80s so it's nice to see the Airfix version. As you say, it's very odd that Airfix went to the trouble of deleting part of the original instruction sheet for what seems no good reason.

[@ModelMinutes]

Yeah that was a bit odd. Just threw me because I had the parts but no reference for them 😂

[@FiveLiver]

Nice to see hand painted camouflage. Good work.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks 👍

[@rogerboniface8086]

I love making brewster. It had a 42 to 1 kill rate. The highest of any prop aircraft.

[@birodude]

Great job, Matt. The bloopers at the end are a brilliant idea. You have asked in a recent survey for a choice of builds. I picked the Rotodyne. I want to give a tip that I picked up from Nigel's Modelling Bench. Use bits of sprue as tabs along the inside of the fuselage halves. I found that this will align the gluing surfaces perfectly, especially after these edges have been sanded flat. The result is that there's almost no filling of the seams. Whatever filling is needed can be done with Mr Surfacer or Plastic Putty as excess of both can be wiped away rather than sanding. The rivet details will be preserved.

[@ModelMinutes]

That is a fantastic tip! If only I had known about that a few months ago when I was building the model, maybe i'll keep it in mind for other similar kits though

[@brunocalico]

Lovely basic model. Nice to see some enamel brush painting.

[@ModelMinutes]

Glad you like it!

[@lpjmodels]

Excellent job !🎉

[@ModelMinutes]

Thank you! 😃

[@Win1forQuinn]

Nice build, Matt! Looks great. I also haven't used enamel paints in a long time (mostly due to the fumes), but they really do provide a nice finish for brush painting.

[@ModelMinutes]

I'm not sure I can even smell them anymore, having used them so much lol

[@StephenFarrow-gx6qu]

If this hasn't been mentioned before. The black cylinder/tube on the shelf behind the pilots head is in fact an inflatable liferaft, these were standard issue to US Navy aircraft in case of ditching in the sea. The Lend-Lease RAF version did not carry the liferaft. So if you plan to build the RAF version in Singapore then leave the black tube out. I still have a 1973 release of this kit which is very crisp with no flash and I was shocked at how much flash the old molds now have. This is one of my all time favourites which I built as a 12 year old in 1974.

[@ModelMinutes]

Yes, I think someone else mentioned it was a liferaft, but it is always good to have more info, thanks for sharing!

[@ww2Mollison]

This is a good channel! Thank you for the attention and pragmatic production... :).

[@ModelMinutes]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@emmabird9745]

Wow Matt, nice to see a model made like what we used to. Mind you I don't remember side cutters, spray primer, spray varnish (spray anything actually), setting solutions or masking sets. I tried masking (tape and liquid) back then but found, the same as you that the paint leaks under the edge so I gave up on that and relied on a steady hand. I don't remember having any bother with the transfers using just water, but maybe modern ones are more sensitive (?). I allways used good old Britfix 77 (became Humbrol poly cement after they took them over) even on the canopies and you used to have to be pretty clumsy to mess them up. Definitely a serious drop out with Airfix forgetting the wheels up in the instructions but I've come to think they've been corrupted by listenning too much to the YT clique who hate pilots and only want gear down on the ground. The window in the cabin floor dates from the original specification which required it to be a reconaisance aeroplane as well as a fighter so the USN required the window so that the pilot could have a good view below. The Wildcat, designed to the same spec (but lost the competiton !) also had the windows. In that case they were deleted in production. You've done a nice little build and nice to see it "flying". In the air is an aeroplanes true place.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts 😊

[@jameshoughton9319]

You no what I've been slowly realising as a hybrid painter sometimes airbrush if I can be bothered sometimes brush paint depending how I feel that enamel paints are far better than many of these acrylics I find you get a lot of surface tension with acrylics were as enamels just cover they bit the plastic better for health reasons I'd never spray enamels just no need for it but for brush painting they are so much better

[@ModelMinutes]

I think it depends on the flow medium the acrylics are using, if they have alcohol added to them the surface tension is greatly reduced

[@johnscarsandstuff]

That looks pretty good to me. I shouldn't be so shallow, but it's such an odd-looking aircraft that I'm unlikely to add one to my collection. Enamel paint is probably better if you're freehand painting the camouflage scheme, as it seems to flow better.

[@ModelMinutes]

I don't think I have ever airbrushed enamel, I much prefer acrylics and lacquers for that

[@andygorman858]

Another classic kit that I’ve always wanted in my stash but never seemed to get. Really nice finish on a love;y wee kit. Have to agree that the side decals might be a bit large, but still looks nice. Time to track one down at the local 😂

[@ModelMinutes]

Good luck!

[@JamesBlakey-ij3tf]

Still better than I could ever do with my current stuff ( I'm about to get a massive shipment of thinner, paints, clear coats and other stuff though )

[@ModelMinutes]

Stick with it :)

[@Payne2view]

You did a decent job with what you had. I'd have slightly sanded the rivets and sculpted the rear a bit more with filler but that's just me. Its more a £6.99 kit than £10.99 but the ex-Hasegawa kit from Hobby 2000 is going for £19.99 with Hannants. So unless someone really wants a newer tooled kit, the Classic Airfix edition from 1972 is value for money.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for sharing!

[@charlie418791]

Love the Buffalo. Nice work. Got ya subbed. Model on. 👍

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for the sub!

[@billmmckelvie5188]

The propeller can be powered by any micro motor available from Expo or Squires.

[@williamkoppos7039]

You are a very good brush painter, especially using Hunbrol enamel? Wow.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! It was almost my entire youth painting in this style

[@adamcotton1830]

Matt, great video! However, I should point out (in the interest of accuracy), that the cylinder behind the pilot is stowage for a dinghy. As such, it would have only been fitted to USN examples of the aircraft, If you look at the Roy cross box artwork, you''ll note that the aircraft featured has not got this component,. And nor has my model!

[@ModelMinutes]

yes, I have been informed by previous commenters that it should not be there. Perhaps the cylinder now contains tea for the pilot to enjoy during the mission :)

[@rogerboniface8086]

I used to play in a Buffalo wreck at Seletar Air Base in Singapore as a nipper.

[@muchasgracias6976]

Hey there! This is a fun kit build, but just wondering why have you put your name on your paints, as seen at 11:00?

[@ModelMinutes]

Just in case someone tries to take them 😂

[@SRaven1]

I always hated the Buffalo but you have changed my mind :) Also my dad has the exact same Buffalo that he made over 20 years ago (but with a little worse painting finish)

[@ModelMinutes]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing :)

[@williamjohnbedford5776]

NICE ONE MATE.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks!

[@Ken-kl4ym]

Well tidy model.The RAF version did not have the life raft behind the pilot and I think they painted over the glass underneath the fuselage.

[@ModelMinutes]

Ah so it’s a life raft, I guess Airfix made no reference to what it is in the instructions. Some buffalo’s did have the floor windows blanked out but I think this aircraft was one that did not

[@larrycoldwater1964]

I wish Airfix would include the display stand in these kits - these kits are fun to build but expensive

[@ModelMinutes]

me too, the only kit I have seen it in is the Fokker Dr1 and Bristol F2B set

[@SCIGS30]

Nice video and thank you for posting. What size round brush are you using for the enamels to paint the large surface areas? Also, what was the dry time between the first and second coat of enamel paint?

[@ModelMinutes]

I think the brush was a 7, or at least in that area. I think the drying time can vary a little but it was probably a minimum of 4 hours before putting another layer on, but as I did this around work and family commitments the time between coats was larger, usually taking place the next day

[@jonpullar3364]

Lot of work

[@ModelMinutes]

It did take a bit of work, but it was generally fun to do

[@barrybautista4781]

That came out nice. I have always brush painted my kits never got round to airbrushing. I have got the Gloster Gladiator to build that has the skis to attach but not in the instructions. I am also looking for a Supermarine Sb6 I have asked Airfix if they might release the kit again but can't get a reply. Did find an old kit on line but to pricey.

[@ModelMinutes]

I think the S6B has been asked for a number of times. The last time it was seen was 2006 as a special edition kit, but I wonder if the toolings are still in a useable condition since then

[@yereverluvinuncleber]

The rivets DO give the model some depth and character that more modern releases lack. They may be oversize but if they were actually there in real life then it is a reasonable representation for the time. Even the current day recessed panel lines on kits from the 2020s, the real depth would be about an inch and a half.

[@Robin-fp6sx]

Lovely!

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks!

[@RMillerism]

Having just completed the Tamiya 1/48 version, my personal view is to save up your money if you want an older kit as it originally came out in 1974 and has FAR more detail and is a very satisfying build. And you get the right parts. A$20+ seems a bit offensive and cynical of Airfix to me.

[@ModelMinutes]

I would like to try the Tamiya 1/48 Buffalo in the future

[@martinB68]

Just because you do not use a Airbrush does not mean back to Basics. Most channels always think that,but there is enough of us out there that do not use one. And with good results.

[@ModelMinutes]

Hey, I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear in this video, this is in no way a "bash" at people who build without airbrushing, in fact I love building without one! I'm pretty sure I did mention my love of hand painting at the beginning of the video. In case you missed it, back to basics in the context of this video (and the ones i make in this series) are builds where I use techniques and products that I would have had access to in my youth, not using anything overly complicated. This is not about "just not using an airbrush", it's about looking back to a simpler time when I used to build models on my wooden tray in the living room watching the telly, in the same kind of style with the same kinds of products, attempting to rekindle the joy and wonder I felt at building a model I could hang from the ceiling and looking through the model catalogue to see what I might be able to get at the shops next time I had the pocket money to buy a new kit. I just want to have some fun and possibly help inspire someone new to the hobby to "just have a go" if they want to :)

[@martinB68]

All good,but most channels do tend to put brush painting into a basic model building group. That was my point.

[@ModelMinutes]

Oh I see! Some of my best builds (in my opinion) were hand painted, and it’s a skill I swing back to when I’m struggling with the airbrush

[@brucejack606]

Im going to do mine as a Fleet Air Arm plane based on Crete but wonder if they had the hook

[@ModelMinutes]

Hmm, not sure. I would assume that because it is FAA it would have - but you know what they say when you assume lol

[@Jelly-B]

Hi matt. What's your go-to panel line wash? I'm struggling to find one that is easy to use like the tamiya accent ones

[@ModelMinutes]

I usually make my own using white spirit and enamel paints, however I have been enjoying the SMS oil based dark brown wash that I have recently

[@mrjockt]

I'm surprised that when Airfix re-released this kit they didn't include an option to build one from the most successful user of the type, the Finnish Air Force.

[@markfranks1329]

Wrong version for Finnish a/c. They used de-navalised F2A-1s. Dutch and British machines used export and, therefore, modified versions of the F2A-2.

[@ModelMinutes]

I would imagine it was also easier for them just to regurgitate previous schemes that they had records of rather than creating new ones

[@goforitpainting]

Cool 🛩

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks :D

[@henkvermeer8652]

I think the ''flying'' option was omitted in the insructions because there was no flying stand.

[@ModelMinutes]

other kits in the airfix range dont come with stands but still have the option in the instructions

[@anjkovo2138]

👍👍

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for watching!

[@SteveBlethyn]

Noticed that the transfers are not only too big, but wrong in the placing. One side say RD🎯B yet the other side it's B🎯RD Was this something RAF did or an Airfix error??? Otherwise, I like the back to basics style. Especially as I'm only just returning to modelling after a 45+ year break 😊

[@ModelMinutes]

The squadron codes on the side of the aircraft are correct - that was indeed how the RAF would have displayed them. The 2 letters (RD) signify the squadron or unit, whilst the single letter (B) indicates the specific aircraft. Typically, the squadron codes would have been placed tail-side of the roundel and the aircraft identifier placed on the cockpit side of the roundel. Whilst there would have undoubtedly been exceptions to this rule at various times, in this case the decal letter sequence is correct

[@SteveBlethyn]

@@ModelMinutes Thanks for the info

[@giulianolodola6331]

Good morning, sorry but how do you dilute the colors so well???? I keep trying but I can't.... Help

[@ModelMinutes]

I think part of it is experience with the colours and having done it before. I start out roughly at 2:1 paint to thinner, and then vary it from there if I need to. Add more paint if not thick enough, add more thinner if too thick

[@MartinsTrainsAdventures]

can we see some warhammer builds ?

[@ModelMinutes]

I've got some Warhammer to do in the near future

[@evanhughes7609]

Brewster Buffalo, the original 'Top Gnu'.

[@ModelMinutes]

I would have thought that could have been the Wildcat

[@evanhughes7609]

@@ModelMinutes A gnu is more like a buffalo than a wildcat 😉

[@WilliamMaddock-uw1qp]

I have an idea. If you can contact me, I would like to send you a model kit. I think the plane I could send you, you could try painting it in black and white, so it looks like it comes from an old war photo! Sound good?

[@ModelMinutes]

that is a cool idea, but I'm not currently looking to take on any more projects for the moment, thanks for the offer though

[@THETRIBALCHIEFOTC]

Like this comment if airfix is cool.

[@iangascoigne8231]

I didn’t have a tray, I had a card table.

[@ModelMinutes]

The benefit of the tray was that i could set it up wherever I wanted. But then I had a whole lot less stuff back then

[@iangascoigne8231]

@@ModelMinutes It was a similar thing with the card table, with the added advantage it was foldable.

[@Titaniclover95]

Looks like a buffalo lol

[@ModelMinutes]

That's a relief :)