Figure 1.-- Here the Marines are fueling a F2A-3 Nrewster Buffalo in a camouflaged reventment at Ewa Beach on Ohahu (May 1942). You can tell this by the early markings. This was just before the climatic Battle of Midway. The Americans after Midwat withdrew the Buffalo froim active service. The only country to have any luck with the Buffalo during the War was the Finns on the Eastern Front.

The Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was an important defense contractor which operated in the 1930s and during World War II. It was founded as an aircraft division of Brewster & Co., a carriage company that shifted to automobile bodies and airplane parts. James Work, an aeronautical engineer, bought the division for a mere $30,000 during the Depression (1932). He created the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation. Brewster began at a time that the United States had very limited defense budgets thus at first they primarily focused on commercial aviation. They began by making seaplane floats and wing panels. Seaplanes were very important in the inter-War era for long-distance airline routes. The rise of Adolf Hitler and German rearmament (1933) shifted thinking about military spending, although at first only slightly. After engaging chief engineer Dayton Brown, Brewster began designing its own planes. Brewster opened three aircraft plants, at the Brewster Building in Long Island City, New York, Newark, New Jersey, and, in 1941, in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania--NAS Johnsville. The company's first plane was a two-seat scout-bomber, the Brewster SBA (1934) which first flew (1936). the Naval Aircraft Factory built them, with the designation SBN-1. Brewster followed up with the SB2A Buccaneer (1941). The British Royal Air Force operated it as the Bermuda. Brewster might have played a major role in the Pacific War. The Navy was impressed with a Brewster design for a carrier-capable monoplane (1936). The U.S. Navy chose the Brewster F2A Buffalo over an early version of the Grumman F4F Wildcat. The F2A prototype performed well in tests (1938). The Navy ordered 54, but because of production problems, the Navy ended up ordering Wildcats which Grumman had greatly improved. The European countries threatened by Hitler placed orders for Brewster aircraft, but production problems and mismanagement plagued the company. None of their designs met the needs of the U.S. military as a result of poor performance and the advanced German and Japanese aircraft. Brewster did, however, have a substantial manufacturing capability. Its primary contribution to the war effort was thus as a sub-contractor for Vought, manufacturing the magnificent Corsair fighter.

History

The Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was an important defense contractor which operated in the 1930s and during World War II. It was founded as an aircraft division of Brewster & Co., a carriage company that shifted to automobile bodies and airplane parts. James Work, an aeronautical engineer, bought the division for a mere $30,000 during the Depression (1932). He created the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation. Brewster began at a time that the United States had very limited defense budgets thus at first they primarily focused on commercial aviation. They began by making seaplane floats and wing panels. Seaplanes were very important in the inter-War era for long-distance airline routes as they could landed in places without developed air fields--rare on tyhe early days of aviation. A contributor adds, "Brewster is fascinating in that it was located in that same small space on Long Island as Grumman, Republic, Sperry, and a short hop from Vought. In the area known as 'The Cradle of Aviation'. Yet it is almost completely forgotten even by the locals." [Taylor]

Military Aircraft

The rise of Adolf Hitler and German rearmament (1933) shifted thinking about military spending, although at first only slightly. After engaging chief engineer Dayton Brown, Brewster began designing its own planes. Brewster opened three aircraft plants, at the Brewster Building in Long Island City, New York, Newark, New Jersey, and, in 1941, in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania--NAS Johnsville. The company's first plane was a two-seat scout-bomber, the Brewster SBA (1934) which first flew (1936). the Naval Aircraft Factory built them, with the designation SBN-1. Brewster followed up with the SB2A Buccaneer (1941). The British Royal Air Force operated it as the Bermuda. Brewster might have played a major role in the Pacific War. The Navy was impressed with a Brewster design for a carrier-capable monoplane (1936). The European countries threatened by Hitler placed orders for Brewster aircraft, but production problems and mismanagement plagued the company. None of their designs met the needs of the U.S. military as a result of poor performance and the advanced German and Japanese aircraft.

Brewster F2A Buffalo

The U.S. Navy chose the Brewster F2A Buffalo over an early version of the Grumman F4F Wildcat. The F2A prototype performed well in tests (1938). The Navy ordered 54, but because of production problems, the Navy ended up ordering Wildcats which Grumman had greatly improved. The Navy at the onset of the War, fobbed off the few Buffalos in service to the Marines--which is why they were on Midway when the Japanese struck (June 1942). They valiant Marine pilots with their obsolete Buffalos rose to defend the base, but did no damage to the Japanese strike group led by Lt. Joichi Tomonaga. The escorting Japanese Zeroes shot them all down. The Navy withdrew all the remaining Buffalos from service after its disaterous performance at Midway. While the Buffaloes did not damage to the Tomonaga's strilke group, the Marine AA gunners caused heavy damage which is why Tomonaga requested a second strike--a decision on which the outcome of the battle turned. A contributor objected to our description of the Buffalo as 'obsolete'. He believes it was not an effective fighter to begin with. He writes, "It wasn’t so much that the Buffalo was obsolete, it was technically the same age/vintage as the Wildcat. It’s that it was underpowered, under armed, poorly designed, poorly made with no Quality Assurance, and largely sold to the government on a bed of lies, stuffed full of criminally corrupt company mismanagement. A Brewster Pilots greatest enemy, the one most likely to kill him, was his plane and the shady excuse for a company that built it. The biggest issue with the Buffalo was manufacturing Quality Control (QC). Especially the engines. The mechanical failure rates of Buffalo’s in normal peacetime operations was appalling. Which is also why it was designated as hand me down crap to be given to the Marines. Probably the most time worn tradition in the Navy. The Buffalo was the equal of the initial Mark 1 Wildcats. But Grumman got the bugs out quickly and evolved the Wildcat into a tank with wings. The Wildcat may not have been the best performer, but it was incredibly reliable. And would keep flying even when you only had half a plane left. Brewster was never able to solve the QC issues with the Buffalo. Even late into production. One plane might be perfect, the next the engine blows oil 2 minutes after takeoff. The Buffalo might have thrived in a different environment, but against the Zero it had no chance. The Wildcat could at least rely on its insane durability and survivability to somewhat counter the Zero’s performance and agility. To shoot down a Wildcat often took all of the Zero’s 7 seconds of cannon ammo. And their machine guns mostly just annoyed the Grumman’s. Whereas the Buffalo’s took a lot less ammo to shoot down." [Taylor]

Brewster SB2A Buccaneer

The Brewster SB2A Buccaneer was a single-engined mid-wing monoplane scout/bomber aircraft built for the bRITISH Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Navy between (1942-44). It was also supplied to the United States Army Air Forces and United States Marine Corps. There were calso orders from the Dutch, French, and Austrlians. The Buccaneer was not only underpowered as were many early American aircradt, but poorly constructed. Pilots operators considered it to be inadequate fir combat. The planes actually constructed were used as target tugs by the RAF and U.S. Navy, trainers by the USMC, and 'hacks' by the USAAF. As a result, many of the aircraft actually delivered were scrapped without entering service. The Buccaneer has acqyired the subious duistiunction as the worst combat aircradt of World War II. Our contributor also comments this Brewstrer's plane. "The Buffalo was a vast improvement over Brewster’s Other Navy plane--the Buccaneer. This was a dive bomber so dangerously bad that it was kept out of combat entirely." [Taylor]

Importance

Sources

Taylor, Andrew. Personal communications (November 29, 2010).

Created: 2:48 PM 11/29/2020
Last updated: 2:48 PM 11/29/2020