Reviewed by Steve Palffy

Kagero's Brewster F2A Buffalo is available online from Squadron.com

The Brewster Buffalo was one of a handful of modern fighter types available to the United States at the outbreak of the Pacific War. The Pacific and Asian chapter of the story was inglorious, being swiftly dispatched by Japanese forces while the Buffalo was under the colours of the US Navy, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Only in Finnish service did the Buffalo turn the tables on its adversaries, inflicting notable victories over Soviet aircraft and even serving into the post-war period.

Disregarding its patchy record, the Buffalo was certainly one of the more colourful US built aircraft of the Second World War, wearing the yellow wings of the pre-war US Navy; Dark Earth and Dark Green of the Commonwealth, and the winter tones so essential on the Russian Front. In wartime US Navy service the Buffalo was also seen in the more traditional Blue-Grey and Light Grey. It was in these colours that the Buffalo appeared over the skies of Midway Island.

Kagero has recently released a title on this stubby little aircraft. This A4 sized title has 104 pages printed on glossy paper between cardboard covers.

The book is presented in typical Kagero style. The left hand column is printed in Polish and the right hand column in English. The captions and colour artwork receive a similar approach with the Polish language first followed by the English translation. Some of the English text is a bit quirky in grammar and choice of words, but it is certainly readable.

18 pages of the book are devoted to technical drawings. There are 1/48 scale drawings and larger scrap views detailing specific parts of interest. These are all very well done. In addition to these, though, Kagero includes a series of drawings that point out the specific differences between Buffalo variants. I found this incredibly helpful as I had been somewhat confused until now about the distinguishing factors on the cowls, fuselage, tail and canopies for each variant. These drawings clearly illustrate the differences with shading and in text form, for both Navy and USAAF variants.

A decal sheet is also included with the book. The decals are in 1/72 and 1/48 scales and are printed by Techmod.

Markings are offered for four different aircraft each in 1/72 and 1/48.

The decal sheet is packed into a sealed plastic bag that is slipped into a plastic sleeve on the inside corner of the front cover.

Tamiya has recently re-released their short-fuselage Brewster Model 339C/D / F2A-2 Buffalo in 1/48 scale, but it is a shame that we do not have the option of the F2A-3 / Model 339/23 kit to depict the Midway aircraft; or even a kit with some of the unique attributes of the Finnish Buffalos; or an early US Navy version.

Kagero's Monograph series continues to impress. This is an excellent one-stop modellers' reference source on the Brewster F2A Buffalo.

Recommended.