Brewster B-339 Buffalo "Pacific Theater"

Tamiya 1/48 Brewster B-339 Buffalo. No.448 Squadron RNZAF, Singapore 1942

No. 488 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) was one of the five Commonwealth squadrons that received the B-339E in the Far East . Together with other squadrons, they stationed at the British naval base of Singapore and on the adjacent Malayan Peninsula . These Commonwealth squadrons claimed at least eighty kills while some units might have achieved a 2 to 1 kill ratio.

The pilot of the " RNZAF NF-O W8138" was Flight Officer Noel C. Sharp . On 18 Jan.1942, a combined formation of 243 and 488 Squadrons met the escort to an incoming bomber raid. Sharp was one of the two Allied pilots who claimed a 'Navy O' shot down in the combat but his aircraft was badly damaged. Throughout his career, Sharp had downed 3 aircraft and damaged 2 bombers . He was killed in 1942 flying a Hurricane.