Special Hobby 1/32 scale F2A-2 Buffalo

Kit: SH 32010
Scale: 1/32
Manufacturer:: Special Hobby from Czech Republic, available from Squadron Mail Order, 972-242-8663, www.squadron.com
Price: $54
Comments: Mixed media, 233 parts (injection-molded plastic, photoetched metal, film, and cast resin), decals
Pros: Great detail, excellent parts fit, decals, and canopy parts
Cons: Tricky assembly drawings, many mold seams

Brewster once made horse carriages and, later, automobile bodies. As early as 1936, the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was working on the development of the F2A series of Navy fighters. Due to poor company management and government interference, this promising design never reached its full potential. However, MPM/Special Hobby's new kit in 1/32 scale gives us a chance to view the details of this stubby little fighter.
A sheet of decals, plus more than 230 plastic, cast-resin, photoetched-metal, and clear parts come in separate, clear plastic bags. The kit has finely scribed panel lines, thin, clear canopy sections, film-backed, photoetched-metal instrument panels, a complete landing-gear bay, and an accurately replicated Wright Cyclone 1820-40 engine. The nose-mounted .50-caliber guns are full length, including breeches and blast tubes.
The frameable box art shows a pre-1941, over-the-water view of a USS Lexington-based "dash-2" of VF-2. The five-color decals are thin and stick like they were glued on, needing only mild solvent to ensure panel-line conformance. Markings for two "Yellow Wing" aircraft are provided. Individual squadron colors must be painted.
The 33-step assembly instruction booklet has 14 pages that include a brief history, an extensive parts map, 3/4 view exploded parts drawings with colors called out for each part, and four-view drawings for exterior colors and markings. Federal Standard and Gunze Sangyo paint colors are listed.
Assembly begins with the cockpit instrument panel and rudder pedals. Referring to a cockpit photo, I found that mounting parts C2 and C3 correctly requires adding stubs to the bottom outside edges of the rudder pedals; these stubs are not in the kit. In Step 12, still in the cockpit, the placement of parts PP8 and C32 or C33 on the right fuselage half is unclear.
During assembly of the motor-mount system in Steps 14, 15, and 16, I discovered that holes in formers (parts A4 and A8) needed to install the tubular motor mounts (parts C39 & C40) were missing. I took a guess at the general location of these holes and drilled them out oversize to compensate for missing the exact locations.
During engine assembly, I could not determine the exact location of part E8 in Step 18. After matching the top seams of the fuselage, I needed a tiny bit of filler along the bottom seam in front of the tail wheel well. All panel lines matched perfectly. Location stubs on the assembled horizontal stabilizers were thick and had to be filed down.
I used a slow-setting plastic solvent installing the main landing gear, giving me time to get the struts aligned properly.
A missing tab on the life-raft container (part D11) did not interfere with installation in Step 32. The design of the propeller assembly makes the blades lock into the spinner in perfect alignment. The long portion of the telescopic gunsight should go inside the windshield; the short panel in the canopy goes forward.
My model is painted with unbuffed SnJ Aluminum and various Testors Model Master colors. The tires are Floquil RR grimy black.
The decals were easy to handle and went on with just a drop of Micro Set to ensure they settled into the panel lines. The decals' adhesive is weak when dry; do not mask over them. A little white paint corrected the black fuselage code letter F.
Squadron/Signal's F2A In Action reports VF-2 Buffalos had antenna masts shortened and moved to the left wing. This change, made early in 1941, eliminated the drag and vibration caused by the taller mast. That reference also shows Buffalos with bare-metal propellers.
Dressing ejector-pin marks and mold seam lines in preparation for paint added time - more than 50 hours to this project. Measurements indicate the model is slightly smaller than scale. However, the proportions are right; the model sits like the prototypes. A high level of detail and good parts fit makes this a very desirable model for fans of the "Yellow Wing" era.
- Al Jones