[Epapazian]

Don't get me wrong. I like the pictures of MF-15 posted on Hawk's site. But I'm sorely tempted to weather my HM model along the lines of this kit-make when it arrives.

[Epapazian]

I'm not sure I want to go this far, however:

[Cruver Collecter]

Kind of makes it tempting to maybe get two. One to leave as is and the other to do some weathering on.

[STARMAN 352ND]

I was starting to think the same way..I would do a lighter weathering job then that picture Epap posted.
JP

[Epapazian]

Here's a neat Buffalo weathering job by another kit-maker;

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

Here's a neat Buffalo weathering job by another kit-maker;

That one looks pretty good and might just be closer to something that could be done with the HM Midway Buffalo.

[STARMAN 352ND]

The weathering on that last picture looks about right...Like it.
JP

[ZS-VAN]

Those weathered birds look really cool.

[Cruver Collecter]

The canopy on this one could present a bit of a challenge in the weathering process.

[skysurfer808]

What's ironic about this to me is the fact that so many people complained that HM had too much panel line weathering when their line first showed up. I never complained about that, as military aircraft do tend to get a bit of weathering in between overhauls. HM has in my opinion done a fine job of its most of its releases. Maybe they took the criticism to heart and decided to make a factory fresh looking Buffalo.

Now in actual history, most of the Buffalos of VMF-221 were originally launched off Old Sara to Midway on Christmas Day, 1941, 14 out of 22 to be exact. They were reinforced by 8 more on March 28th, 1942 to make a total of 22. Now since the airplane that HM is releasing appears to be Buff black 15, it could be conceivable that this plane was part of the new batch. Still, when you think about it, a group of fighters sitting on an open ramp of a coral atoll with no hangar for 6 months isn't exactly going to be pristine. Neither would any reinforcements, for that matter. The reinforcement Buffs were likely stationed at MCAS Ewa prior to being sent to Midway, and though Ewa did have some fine covered revetments, it is on the drier leeward coast of the island of Oahu. Planes parked anywhere near there wouldn't stay new looking for long. As a native of Hawaii, I can personally attest to what the sun can do to car, boat or airplane finishes in a pretty short amount of time. F2A-3 production ended sometime in mid to late 1941, so there weren't any factory fresh models showing up in the combat zone in 1942.

As who has seen wartime photos ought to know, combat operations left aircraft rather ratty looking, especially during the early months of the war. There simply wasn't much time to spruce up airplanes, so they got grimy within a few months. I posed some pics awhile back on Midway era markings when the HM Dauntless came out and there was criticism of the painted out rudder stripes and red dots. Actually, this was how the airplanes appeared, the only thing HM got a bit off was keeping the non specular sea blue unfaded...though Corgi's Predator's Midway Dauntlesses are ironically enough a bit too light, considering they were relatively new SBD-3's coming from a Dauntless production line that was still open. One of the big aviation history magazines ran a cover with some brand new SBDs years ago, and this photo comes to mind when thinking about Midway era SBD's. HM is to be commended for its McClusky SBD-3, which looks pretty accurate, and even got the painted out red dots in the national insignia right.

Still, I'll probably be getting an HM Midway Buff, but I'll be looking for a bargain. The history of those planes is a pretty impressive example of sacrifice in the face of huge odds. And VMF-221 will always have a place even in Hollywood legend thank's to John Wayne's tough as nails CO in Flying Leathernecks.....remember Joe Malarky...."Yeah I knew him, I knew a whole Squadron of him at Midway."

Some info on Midway Buffs from Dan Ford's Warbird Forum
Brewster Buffalo: VMF-221 at Midway

Combat reports from same
Brewster Buffalo: USMC combat reports

Here are some actual color pics of a VMF-221 Midway Buff looking pretty pristine right before the War began on another forum.
VMF-221 color Buff pics/ The Holy Grail - Brewster Buffalo - All - the Warbird's Forum message board - Message Board - Yuku

Finally, something completely different, from the Warbird Forum. A brief clip of Dutch East Indies Buffs at around the 1 minute 15 second mark, in a color home movie from the Dutch Governor General of the East Indies. Pretty sad to contemplate what happened to him and his lovely family, but then again, when you look at those folks, you start to see how pathetically unprepared upper class colonial living can allow people to deal with the realities of modern warfare. Notice how the Dutch buffs are flying a 3 plane vic formation in their display...must have done them a whole lot of good against the Japanese...even though the IJN Zeros also flew a 3 plane shotai formation. Towards the end there is some civil defense practice, and it ends with some Dutch Tiger Moths boncing around the skies of the soon to be lost indies...sic transit gloria.
YouTube - Colonial Dutch-Indies (1938-39 in colour) [Part 2 of 4]

Skysurfer808