Brewster F2-A3 Buffalo – 1:72 – Part 1

221th Marine Fighter Squadron Brewster F2-A3 Buffalo

Marine Fighter Squadron 221 (VMF-221) was based on June 4, 1942 on Eastern Island, Midway. They’re equipped with twenty-one F2-A3 Buffalo and seven Grumman F4-F3 Wildcat, under the command of Major Floyd B. Parks. That day the squadron flew twenty F2-A3 Buffalo and five F4-F3 to defend the islands from Japanese air attack. During the combat thirteen Buffalos and two Wildcats were shot down.

When I saw the cover of the book that Squadron / Signal Publications dedicates to this plane, I wanted to make the model present in the Battle of Midway. By a long time I did not finish encouraging myself to undertake the assembly. That happened because I did not have the Brewster F2-A3 Buffalo version and I did not feel like making the transformation.

So as soon as Special Hobby released its 1/72 edition of the model present at Midway, I didn’t think twice and bought the model.

The Model

At the first glance at the staples I could see that they had used the Hasegawa mold, adding some new parts, integrating others that the Japanese brand has separately and modifying the front area of ​​the fuselage to adapt it to this version.

It also provides us with a series of resin pieces, of which I have to highlight the side consoles of the cabin, the set of pedals and the instrument panel that will make our work much easier when detailing the interior.

Click on the image below to see the first part of the article