Brewster F2A Buffalo
The F2A was the first monoplane carrier fighter of the USN, designed in response to a
requirement issued in 1935. The F2A had a small barrel-shaped fuselage, small wings,
retractable narrow-track landing gear and an enclosed cockpit. The undercarriage was
insufficiently strong for carrier operations. The F2A was originally preferred by the USN
over the Grumman
F4F-2 Wildcat, later to gain fame in much
redesigned form. It entered service in 1939, but already in 1941 it was being replaced by
the
F4F, and the only US unit to use it in combat was an
USMC squadron defending Midway. The F2A was not a bad aircraft, but a poor basis for
further development. It was also totally outclassed by the Mitshubishi A6M Reisen
"Zero" and proved a disaster in combat. Export versions had a more succes,
notably in Finland. The RAF named it 'Buffalo'.
| General characteristics F2A-3 |
| Primary function |
Fighter |
| Contractor |
Brewster Aircraft Company |
| Power plant |
One Wright R-1820-40 engine |
| Thrust |
1,200 HP |
895 kW |
| Wingspan |
35 ft |
10.67 m |
| Length |
26.3 ft |
8.03 m |
| Height |
12.7 ft |
3.86 m |
| Wingarea |
209 sq ft |
19.41 sq m |
| Weight |
empty |
4,731 lb |
2,146 kg |
| max. |
7,158 lb |
3,247 kg |
| Max. speed |
321 mph |
517 km/h |
| Initial climb rate |
3,068 ft/min |
935 m/min |
| Ceiling |
33,200 ft |
10,120 m |
| Max. range |
963 miles |
1,550 km |
| Armament |
4x 12.7 mm machine gun, 2x 45 kg bombs |
| Crew |
One |
| Date deployed |
1938 |
Jirka Wagner
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