The Brewster Buffalo, or Brewster F2A, is a fighter aircraft that was the first monoplane to equip a U.S. Navy squadron.

The aircraft originated with a Navy request of 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. 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 supplied 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.

Although it was becoming clear that the F2A was already becoming inadequate against the latest German and Japanese fighters, the United Kingdom, Netherlands purchased several hundred of land-based versions. The RAF, 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, RAAF, and RNZAF squadrons in Singapore and Malaya, where they proved equally incapable of surviving against the Japanese Zero.

The Dutch had ordered 72 Brewster B-339 models, but not all had arrived as there were a total of 72 Buffaloes in the service, B-339's as well as B-439's. Unlike the Brits or Australians, the Dutch pilots were equally matched with their Brewster fighters and though losing most of their strenght in the fighting, they managed roughly 1:1 victory ratio against the Japanese. 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.

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). The plane 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".

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. In aerial combat the Brewsters ended up with 32:1 victory ratio, possibly a world record.

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 Eino Juutilainen scored 34 of his 94 and half kills while flying B_239s (28 kills with BW_364).

The last aerial victory by a Brewster at the Karelian Isthmus against Soviet Union was scored on 17.6.1944. The last aerial victory was a Junkers_Ju_87 on 3.10.1944 in the Lapland War against the Germans.

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" machine gun with a 0.50" (12.7mm) 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 (0.30" 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.

Some F2As of the US Marine Corps saw action in the Battle of Midway. This battle is the primary source for the urban myth about Brewster being one of the worst fighters flown in combat. The reason for the failure of Brewsters at the battle was, however, was the poor training of the US Marine Corps pilots, who entered into a World War I style dogfight with the Japanese Mitsubishi-Zero fighters.

Variants

• 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
• 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
• No. 67 Squadron
• No. 71 Squadron
• No. 146 Squadron
• No. 243 Squadron
• No. 453 Squadron
• No. 488 Squadron

Fleet Air Arm

• No. 759 Squadron
• No. 760 Squadron
• No. 804 Squadron
• No. 805 Squadron
• No. 813 Squadron
• No. 885 Squadron

Royal Australian Air Force

Royal New Zealand Air Force

References

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 951-96866-0-6
• F2A Buffalo in action by Jim Maas. - Squadron/signal publications, inc. Aircraft Number 81.

External links

• Navy photos of Brewster F2A in flight (http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/ac-usn22/f-types/f2a.htm)
• Navy photos of Brewster F2A on the ground (http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/ac-usn22/f-types/f2a-g.htm)
• J. Baugher's Brewster F2A article (http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f2a.html)
• "Annals of the Brewster Buffalo" by Daniel Ford (http://www.warbirdforum.com/buff.htm)
• "The Sorry Saga of the Brewster Buffalo" by Daniel Ford (http://www.airspacemag.com/ASM/Mag/Index/1996/JJ/ssbb.html)