Oldie-but-goodie returns after a long time.  Fun for all modelers.  Slap it together for a quick-build or put some time and effort into it--you'll be happy either way.

Comet Models had an eclectic lineup of interesting kits.  We hope that Atlantis has more in their tooling stash that we’ll see in the future.  The journey of the “Stoof” to Atlantis Models has a number of twists and turns.  This kit traces its origins back to 1954.

The box for this kit is a little smaller; same as the recent P-3A and AH-56 Cheyenne kits.  That's original Aurora box art.

Comet threw in the towel on their plastic kits and Aurora took over their tooling with the S2F seeing a re-release by them in 1964.  It has not been available in over half-a-century, finally seeing the light of day after Atlantis Models took ownership of the Aurora tooling library that originally went to Monogram Models from Aurora in the late 1970’s, and then to Revell in the late 1980’s.
 
The S2F was a carrier-based, piston-engine sub-hunter aircraft that entered service in 1952.  The S2 was adapted into the C-1 Trader for COD duties (Carrier Onboard Delivery), and the E-1 Tracer long-range airborne radar plane also saw use of the S2 airframe.

1/54 scale is somewhat close to 1/48.  You could display this model with your 1/48 aircraft models and it would be only twelve percent too small, not really all that noticeable.  As a “box scale” kit, it will always look great displayed with your other classic box-scale Atlantis kits.

​This kit has good “bones” and will look great if built right out of the box.  Parts have a bit of flash, but it’s thin and should be simple to remove. 
 
Those windows are big and clear, and simple options there are to either paint the insides of the windows black, or paint the inside of the fuselage flat-black and leave the windows clear.  Don’t forget to use Testors Clear Parts Cement and Window Maker to glue the windows in.  This will keep them nice and clear! 
 
The small, square windows on my kit had some sinkholes.  Those windows are small enough that you could probably use some of the previously mentioned Testors Window Maker instead, or sand down the side with the sink mark until the window is thin enough for the sink mark to be gone. 

Parts include a stand.  Note that the outer wing joints coincide with the fold location.  You could scratchbuild wing folding hardware--right after you scratchbuild the landing gear!

​​You’ll need to have some sort of polishing option available to get the part transparent again.  Other niceties on that clear sprue include clear parts for the wingtip navigation lights and a clear aero-housing for the separate searchlight piece.

Wings and fuselage are worst offenders for some flash.  But it's thin and should be very easy to remove.

Most Comet kits I’ve seen have engraved decal locator markings, which will be easy to fill with putty, if you decide you don’t want to see them on your finished model.  I’d recommend puttying, sanding, priming, and repeating as needed since you’ll probably miss a few spots on your first round or two.

Engines, props, missiles, and horizontal stab.  There is also a retractable MAD-boom.  The round can-thing is a retractable radome (as it it retracts on the kit if you want!).  Sonobuoy dispensers (cool!) are right next door.

Windows on this kit are pretty big.  Spotlight fairing is on the right.  Those big, clear windows kinda beg for a scratchbuilt cockpit, so you could add a floor, back bulkhead, and seats for starters, and go from there.  You could probably scavenge some 1/48 cockpit bits from your spares-box and the size difference wouldn't be too noticeable. 

My kit had some sink marks on the missiles that will benefit from a few swipes of putty.  Some flight surfaces had swirling, but some sanding and maybe a little putty will fix this minor issue without too much trouble.

Decal sheet with options for a dark sea-blue aircraft or gray aircraft.

Note molded-in decal guide markings!

There are two decal options.  Late in WWII, the US Navy adopted a glossy dark blue paint; I believe it was called Sea Blue.  Early S2F’s were painted this color, and the white markings on the decal sheet are intended to go with this scheme. 
 
Later, the S2F adopted a light-gray and white scheme.  The most enduring incarnation of this is white-bottom gray-top, but photos can be seen of a version of this scheme with a white top and light-gray bottom!

Box sides - packed with information as usual with Atlantis!  Made in the USA - low MSRP of $21.99 makes it a bargain.

Instructions are on a folded 11X17-inch sheet.  The photo at left is on the bottom of the box.

Vintage-y drawings show you how to build the model.  With no landing gear and no cockpit, it'll go together easily and quickly.

Of course, other schemes are possible (high-visibility, for example) and common markings from various 1/48 decal sheets could be adapted.  In those cases, you’d want to fill those engraved decal marking guide lines.
 
This kit looks like another easygoing Atlantis build for quick, fun project, or you could spend more time adding enhancements.  Dem Brudders give it an enthusiastic four thumbs up!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ATLANTIS MODELS FOR PROVIDING THE KIT FOR THIS REVIEW

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BONUS MATERIAL:  MUSEUM PHOTOS
Enjoy these photos of the S2F.  These were taken during museum visits.

US-2B, BuNo 136691, undergoing restoration in the hangar bay of the USS Hornet Sea-Air-Space Museum (CV-12) in Alameda, CA, in 2011.

This aircraft does not have the big "football antenna."

Besides the neck antenna, the aircraft does not have the sonobuoy dispenser tubes at the back of the engine nacelles.  This detail is present on the Atlantis kit.  Note that fuselage top is white here with a gray bottom.  The restored aircraft carries this scheme.

S2F1 (S-2A), BuNo 136468, on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, AZ.  Note colors--gray top, white bottom.

You can see the sonobuoy dispenser at the end of the engine nacelle in this picture.

Starboard wing with the searchlight pod

Closeup view of the searchlight.

Cockpit in profile.

In this view, you can see the weapons pylons just to the right of the searchlight.  They're present on the Atlantis kit.

The E-1 Tracer, also at the Pima Air and Space Museum, is a derivative of the C-1 Trader, which is itself a derivative of the S-2.  The E-1 and C-1 have a more "pregnant-looking" fuselage than the S-2.  The C-1 needed more room for cargo, and this fuselage was carried over to provide more room for radar hardware and crew.  This E-1B has BuNo 147227.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MODEL ON AMAZON.COM

Check it out on Amazon!  Purchases made after clicking these links will provide DemBrudders.com with a small commission at no extra cost to you through the Amazon Associates program!  We're Amazon Affiliates.

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