1:32 F2A-2 Buffalo

A barrel-shaped fuselage and densely divided glazing

The Brewster F2A was the first monoplane with retractable landing gear in service with US naval aviation, and its stocky fuselage earned it the name Buffalo. It did not last long in the United States, but in Finnish colors it won a reputation that nobody would have granted it on the American experience. The cockpit sits high on a broad fuselage and its glazing is divided into a larger number of panes than on later machines.

Dense frames are a test of the accuracy of the cut

The more dividing frames there are, the more individual pieces of mask, and the more damage even a small inaccuracy does. That is exactly why a layer of parts for the inner face pays off on cockpits framed this way, as every trace of paint beyond the edge shows when you look through. The box carries both, and with them three masks for spraying the insignia. It is worth mentioning that on this machine there is a further separate glazed area behind the headrest, which neither decals nor sprayed insignia address in any way, but the mask does.

• A cut for the densely framed glazing of a naval fighter
• Parts for the outer and the inner face of the canopy
• Three parts for spraying the American roundels
• Takes the glazing behind the headrest into account as well
• Intended for large-scale moldings

With a larger number of small pieces it pays to work systematically from the windscreen backwards and to keep checking against the light. Apply the paint in several thin coats; on small panes any bleed shows up at once.