Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>F2A>HA7001

General Background

The Brewster F2A Buffalo was USN's first mono-wing fighter. The status of the "Buffalo" is somewhat controversial in the history of aviation. It is designed by US but saw its real success only in Finland , a co-belligerent of Germany during WWII. It is designed as a carrier based fighter but only saw combat from land bases.

The most distinctive feature of the Buffalo was the retractable landing gear. With the right pilot the plane was quite capable in combat. Some historians believe that some units of the Commonwealth squadrons may have achieved a 2 to 1 kill ratio in the Far East .

The Aircraft

The U.S. Government started to receive the first of their 235 F2A-2s in September 1940 . In early 1941 VF-2 and VF-3 (Felix the Cat squadron) were being equipped with the planes . During the service with VF-3, the F2A-2 was plagued with landing gear problems as well the Wright Cyclone engine flaws in the bearings . VF-3 flew the F2A-2 for eight months before being re-equipped with the F2A-3. Because of slow delivery and increment of overseas sales of the aircraft, the USN finally turned to choose the F-4 Wildcat. Nether less, the F-2A was considered by many Navy pilots to be the best Buffalo variant.

Specifications :

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.
	Under each wing bomb racks that could carry one 100-lb. bomb just outboard of the main landing gear.