Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series HA7006 Brewster Buffalo, USN F2A-2 , VF-2, 2-F-1 USS Lexington, 1940 Limited Edition

Accurate 1/48 scale Professionally painted Pad applied markings Opening canopy Movable rudder For the first time Retractable Landing Gear

Power plant: One Wright R-1820-40 Cyclone nine-cylinder single row air-cooled radial, rated at 1200 hp Performance: Maximum speed - 285 mph at sea level 323 mph at 16,500 ft. 344 mph at 26,500 ft. Cruising speed 157mph Landing speed 73 mph Initial climb rate 2500 ft/min. Service ceiling 34,000 ft. Maximum range 1670 miles Weight: 4576 lbs. Empty 5942 lbs. Gross 6890 lbs. Maximum take-off Dimensions: Wingspan - 35 ft. Length - 26 ft. Height - 11 ft. 8 ins. Wing area - 209 sq. ft Armament: Four Browning 0.50 in. Machine guns, two in the upper engine cowling, one in each wing. Bomb racks for 100-lb.-bombs could be mounted under each wing just outboard of the main landing gear.

VF 2 Flying Chiefs The second VF-2 was equipped with Brewster F2A2-2 Buffaloes in 1940 and called the USS Lexington home. In spite of Brewster’s engineers’ efforts weak landing gear remained a problem in this newer version. The “Fighting Two” was composed entirely of Chief Petty Officers so they became known as the “Flying Chiefs”. This squadron was considered the “hottest US squadron in the Pacific” but they were still disestablished mid- 1942. The last US combat for the Brewsters came at the Battle of Midway being replaced with F4F Wildcats.

Brewster, a company with absolutely no prior experience building fighters, produced the F2A-2. Management promised more than the plane could deliver and it was over sold worldwide and production fell extremely far behind. Finally the U.S. Government stepped in and took control of the company and production. The first mono-winged fighter for the Navy the F2A-2 was underpowered and plagued by landing gear problems that never did short in the performance department.

USS Lexington VF-2 Buffalo didn’t have the large antenna mast on the front right cowling. Their antennae ran to a point on the left wing approximately just above where the landing gear hinged.

THESE ARE PRE-PRODUCTION PICTURES, NOT THE FINAL PRODUCT