Brewster Buffalo
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| Brewster F2A Buffalo | ||
|---|---|---|
| Image:Brewsterbuffalo.jpg Brewster Buffalo | ||
| Description | ||
| Role | Single seat carrier-based fighter | |
| Crew | One pilot | |
| First flight | January 1938 | |
| Entered service | April 1939 | |
| Manufacturer | Brewster Aeronautical Corporation | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 26 ft | 7.9 m |
| Wingspan | 35 ft | 10.7 m |
| Height | 11 ft 11 in | 3.6 m |
| Wing area | ft² | m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 3785 lb | 1717 kg |
| Loaded | lb | kg |
| Maximum takeoff | 5040 lb | 2286 kg |
| Capacity | ||
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | Wright Cyclone R-1820-34 | |
| Power | 950 hp | 708 kW |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 311 mph at 18000 ft | 500 km/h at 5500 m |
| Combat range | 1000 miles | 1600 km |
| Ferry range | miles | km |
| Service ceiling | 33000 ft | 10100 m |
| Rate of climb | ft/min | m/min |
| Avionics | ||
| Avionics | ||
| Armament | ||
| Guns | 1 x 0.30 cal (7.62 mm) machine gun + 1 x 0.50 cal (12.7 mm) machine gun in the fuselage plus optional 2 x 0.50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns in the wings. In Finnish service: 4 x 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. | |
| Bombs | ||
| Missiles | ||
| Rockets | ||
| Other | ||
The Brewster Buffalo, or Brewster F2A, was the first monoplane fighter aircraft used by the United States Navy. It also served in other air forces around the world and — in spite of undeserved reputation for poor performance — was relatively successful in air combat.
Contents |
Origins
The aircraft originated with a U.S. Navy request in 1936 for a new generation of aircraft carrier-based fighters. The requirements included a monoplane configuration, wing flaps, arresting gear, retractable landing gear and an enclosed cockpit. The Brewster Aeronautical Corporation made a proposal, along with Grumman for the F4F Wildcat, and Seversky.
Brewster's XF2A-1 prototype first flew in December 1937. Service testing of the prototype began a month later, and in June the Navy ordered 54 of the F2A-1 production model.
Operational history
Of the first deliveries, beginning in June 1939, nine went to Squadron VF-3 on the USS Saratoga (CV-3). The balance of 44 were declared surplus and sold to Finland, where they were successfully employed into 1944.
An improved version F2A-2, of which 43 were ordered, included a more powerful engine, a better propellor, and integral flotation gear, and was followed by the F2A-3. Unfortunately, the improvements added weight that adversely affected the fighter's performance and caused perennial problems with its landing gear, especially in shipboard service.
US Marine Corps
The US Marine Corps flew F2As at the Battle of Midway. The grim outcome was the primary source for the myth of the Brewster being one of the worst fighters flown in combat. However, the main reasons for the losses (15 of 25 planes) included inexperience of USMC pilots, who attempted to enter into a World War I-style dogfight with experienced Japanese Mitsubishi Zero fighters, and the fact that the Buffalos were outnumbered and caught at a tactical disadvantage.
Commonwealth squadrons
Although it was becoming clear that the F2A was already becoming inadequate compared to the latest German fighters, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands purchased several hundred of the land-based versions. The Royal Air Force, liking alliterative names and no doubt being struck by the stocky appearance, dubbed it the Brewster Buffalo. However, the Buffalo was clearly not going to survive against Messerschmitts, so they were sent to the Far East, equipping RAF, Royal Australian Air Force, and Royal New Zealand Air Force squadrons in Singapore, Malaya, and Burma shortly before the outbreak of war with Japan. The Buffaloes supplied to these squadrons proved to be poor in quality, for example some had second hand engines, others had been damaged in shipment. They claimed a 2:1 kill ratio against Japanese.
Netherlands East Indies
The Royal Netherlands Air Force had ordered 144 Brewster B-339C and 339-D models, the former with used engines supplied by the Dutch and the latter with new and more powerful engines that Brewster purchased from Wright. Only 71 had arrived in the Netherlands East Indies by the time war began, and not all were in service. Some served briefly at Singapore before being withdrawn for the defense of Java. They were reportedly used as dive bombers against Japanese troopships. Though reinforced by the Commonwealth Buffaloes, retreating from Malaya, the Dutch squadrons were unable to stem or even slow the superiority of Japanese forces at ground level, and they flew their last mission on March 7. Altogether 17 Dutch pilots were killed, 30 Buffaloes were shot down, 15 were destroyed on the ground, and several were lost to misadventure; the Dutch pilots claimed 55 enemy aircraft destroyed.
For example, on the aerial battle intercepting Japanese bomber raid on 19th February 1942 eight Brewster took off to intercept a formation of about 35 Japanese bombers, with about 20 Mitsubishi Zero fighters as escort. After the battle 11 destroyed Japanese plane wrecks were counted against four losses.
Finland
In Finland, the Brewsters enjoyed their highest successes. The planes did not arrive in time to be used in the Winter War, but their impact at the Continuation War was remarkable. The plane, never called as "Buffalo" in Finland, was known simply as the "Brewster" fighter, or sometimes nicknamed as the "Sky Pearl" (Taivaan helmi) or "Pearl of the Northern Skies" (Pohjoisten taivaiden helmi), as the Finnish Brewster pilots affectionally call the plane. The 44 Brewsters FinnAF received got matricle codes (serials) BW-351...394
Brewster was regarded as being very easy to fly and many pilots commented it was the "gentleman's plane", while their later ride the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was "a killing machine". Brewsters were especially liked because of their long range and endurance, and good maintenance record. The Finnish Air Force mechanics eventually solved the problem plaguing with Wright Cyclone enginge by inverting one of the piston rings in each cylinder, thus decisively enhancing the engine reliability.
In the end, the Brewster gained reputation as one of the most successful fighting aircraft ever flown. In Finnish service between 1941-1945 the Brewsters were credited with 496 enemy aircraft destroyed (Soviet & German) against the loss of nineteen Buffalos, for a victory ratio of 26:1.
During the Continuation War Lentolaivue 24 (fighter squadron 24) was equipped with the B-239s until May 1944 when the Brewsters were transferred to Hävittäjälentolaivue 26 (fighter squadron 26). Most of the pilots of the Lentolaivue 24 were Winter War combat veterans and the squadron achieved total of 459 kills with B-239s while losing fifteen Brewsters in combat. For example, between 25.6.1941 and 31.12.1941 LeLv 24 scored 135 kills with BW's with the cost of two BW's and two pilots.
The top scoring Brewster B-239 pilot was Hans Wind with 39 kills in B-239s. Wind scored 26 of his kills while flying B-239 designated BW-393 and Eino Luukkanen scored 7 more kills with the same plane. BW-393 is credited with 41 kills in total making it possibly the single aircraft with most air victories in the history of air warfare.
The top scoring Finnish ace Ilmari Juutilainen scored 34 of his 94 and half kills while flying B-239s (28 kills with BW-364).
Although the Brewster was clearly obsolete in 1944 and could barely hold its own against the Soviet fighters, and most airframes were worn out, the quality in pilot material made the difference, and the LeLv 26 pilots could still score some 35 victories against the Soviets in the summer 1944. The last aerial victory by a Brewster against the Soviet Union was scored over the Karelian Isthmus on June 17, 1944. After Finland agreed to a truce, it was obliged to turn against its former ally, Germany, and a Brewster pilot Lt. Erik Teromaa (11 kills) claimed a Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 87 on October 3, 1944, during the Lapland War. (German records do not substantiate this claim.)
There were a lot of other little fixes, changes and improvements to the B-239 that were made locally in Finland during its career. Some of these were the installation of pilot seat armor and replacing the single 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun with a 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine gun. By 1943 all except one Finnish B-239 had four 0.50" machine guns. The wing guns had 400 rounds and fuselage guns 200 rounds each. The 0.30 in (7.62 mm) had 600 rounds. In the spring of 1941 before reflector sights (Finnish Väisäla T.h.m.40 sights which were based on Revi 3c) were installed in the Finnish Brewsters, metric instruments were installed. During the war a new aircraft based on the Brewster design was planned. A single prototype called "Humu" was constructed. The last flight made by the Brewster in Finnish service was in 14.9.1948.
Variants
- XF2A-1: Prototype
- F2A-1: 54 ordered, 53 built, 44 to Finland (as B-239)
- F2A-2: 43 built
- F2A-3: 108 built, more armor, bulletproof windshield
- B-339: 40 to Belgium, about half ended up in Fleet Air Arm
- B-339D: Netherlands
- B-339E: 170 to the United Kingdom
- B-439: Netherlands
Units using the F2A
Finnish Air Force
- LentoLaivue 24 / HävittäjäLentoLaivue 24 (1941-1944)
- HävittäjäLentoLaivue 26 (1944-1945)
United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
- VMF-221, who saw action during the Battle of Midway
Royal Air Force
- No. 60 Squadron RAF (Buffaloes to 67 Sq October 1941)
- No. 67 Squadron RAF (most pilots were RNZAF)
- No. 71 Squadron RAF
- No. 146 Squadron RAF
- No. 243 Squadron RAF (most pilots were RNZAF)
Fleet Air Arm
- No. 759 Squadron FAA
- No. 760 Squadron FAA
- No. 804 Squadron FAA
- No. 805 Squadron FAA
- No. 813 Squadron FAA
- No. 885 Squadron FAA
Royal Australian Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
Netherlands East Indies
Japan
At least one captured Buffalo (possible ex-Netherlands) was repaired and flown, both in Japanese markings, and, (starring in recreated combat footage), in incorrect RAF markings.
References
- Jim Maas. F2A Buffalo in Action (Squadron/Signal publications, 1988). ISBN 0897471962
On Finnish use:
- Brewster Model 239 by Kalevi Keskinen, Kari Stenman and Klaus Niska. - Suomen Ilmavoimien Historia 1. Apali Oy.
- Lentäjän näkökulma 2 = Pilot's viewpoint 2 by Jukka Raunio [Jukka Raunio]. 1993. - 255 p. ISBN 9519686606
External links
- Navy photos of Brewster F2A in flight
- Navy photos of Brewster F2A on the ground
- J. Baugher's Brewster F2A article
- "Annals of the Brewster Buffalo" by Daniel Ford
- "The Sorry Saga of the Brewster Buffalo" by Daniel Ford
- http://www.virtualpilots.fi/feature/articles/bw372lecture/
- http://www.virtualpilots.fi/feature/photoreports/bw-372_photos/
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