When my younger brother Tony (Snowbird3a in these parts) and I were little lads, we built lots of 1/72 scale models. We'd get 3-Packs of Revell's kit series, and Tony would build ones that I didn't want. We didn't even try to pronounce the names of some of them, Mitts-Bushy Zero, Kaz-Wacky Heen, and for the Polikarpov we just called it a "Pajamas plane". Tony got to build the Brewster Buffalo, I never did. But I always liked to play with that model - it looked so chunky and cool with it's big greenhouse canopy.
Fast forward 50 years later and I finally have my own to zoom around the house. This is Special Hobby's 1/48 scale F2A-3 Midway version. I figured I'd just build it out of the box, but later realized that it needed a bit of work to make it look respectable. Even though I added some extra detail to the cockpit, I closed the canopy since I like the overall look of a fastened-up aircraft. You can see plenty through the large glazing anyway.
Cheers,
Gary
Revell's 1/72 scale kit - the one I never got to make
Special Hobby 1/48 scale F2A-3
I added some push rods and ignition wires to the engine
The painted engine
There was PE detail for the cockpit and I added some styrene detail too
Left cockpit side detail
Cockpit floor and engine mount
Because the fuselage is longer than the kit's engine mounts were designed for (previous release, different version) I had to rip out the engine and mount it 4mm further forward. Reading a review (after the fact) told me that. Didn't do my homework
An ugly looking fix, but it's hidden.
F2A-3 of VMF-221 1942