Easy Model Buffalos Arrive

[Epap]

My two Easy Model 1:72nd scale Buffalos just arrived from China. There are some good points and a few bad ones, but, over-all, I'd rate these models favorably.

Taking the USN bird----3-F-18----first, it looks rather nice, with some of the small lettering included. Missing, however, are the stripes on the props and, worse, the small windows under the fuselage that allowed the pilot a downward view while in flight. Also, the engine exhausts are very tiny and are painted yellow, like the engine cowl. Here's a picture:

[Epap]

Another topside shot:

[Epap]

The underside minus those small windows:

[Epap]

Turning to the Finnish version, the small underside windows are not there and this happens to be correct. However, the rub-off markings that I thought were there to cover up the blue swastikas----as was done on previous EM models-----are not rub-offs. I hope that EM will supply decals that complete the blue swastikas when applied over the crosses on the model----but no such decals were in my box. This may indicate that we are stuck with blue crosses on this model as a gesture to political correctness, which may turn off a lot of collectors. Also, there is show-through on the white areas of the insignias and EM also forgot to include the "BW" portion of the serials on the fuselage sides near the tail, which indicate a Brewster aircraft.

Here's a picture:

[Epap]

A second topside shot:

[Epap]

The underside:

[aferguson]

hm.....without the swastika markings that has pretty much killed it for me. I could track down proper sized decals i guess but that's a pain and expense. I'll probably just wait for Oxford to do an inevitable repaint of their Buffalo as a Finnish version....Oxford has no fear of doing swastikas.

Too bad. Thanks for the review Epap.

btw another error with the EM Finnish Buffalo is that the scheme showing under the white shouldn't be just green....it should be green and black green. EM was just being cheap by only making it green....but hey, if Corgi can do stuff like that on their hundred dollar winter heinkels and dorniers then i guess it's hard to criticize EM.

edit: and the canopy framing should probably be silver (natural metal) not green.

[jkinzel]

Very nice but where's THE PILOT??

[Dauntless]

Doesn't look that bad at all. I don't mind no pilot as long as the gear is down.

Might have to get the Navy one, but pass on the Finnish.
Like to see a couple of early WWII 1941, 42, US versions hopefully.

[Epap]

So I redid the Finnish one, making it look like a well worn plane that has seen lots of action. Here's a picture:

[Epap]

And the underside:

[aferguson]

looks much better Epap.....where did you get the swastika decals?

[Epap]

looks much better Epap.....where did you get the swastika decals?

They came from an Encore kit ( I-153 ) , AF.

[aferguson]

I see EM has released a couple more Finnish Buffalos....an all silver one and this one:

http://www.flyingmule.com/products/EM-36383

Looks pretty good except for the markings....I imagine they are incomplete as on the winter one. Very annoying.

[Dauntless]

Not much interest for me in the Finnish Buffalos. The PC insignias don't do them any favors with more work rounding up decals. I do like the dark camo one a little better though. The all silver version would be easier to make a code 3 of, particularly if you were making another US Navy version like the one already released. Bought that one a while back and like it a lot.

They should get on with the Wartime US Midway and RAF Burma versions already though.