A Buccaneer in flight.
The SB2A Buccaneer (Brewster Model 340, and known as the Bermuda in British service) was a single-engine light bomber designed by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation for use by the United States Military, particularly the Navy.
Description[]
The design was unsuccessful and never saw combat despite over 770 being built, and instead was relegated to training roles.[1]
History[]
The Buccaneer was developed from Brewster's earlier SBA bomber. Two XSB2A-1 prototypes - company designation B-140 - were ordered on 4 April 1939[2] and first flew on June 17, 1941.[1] Despite poor performances, 1,052 orders were placed for it by the United States, Great Britain, and the Netherlands.[N 1] Most were never used in active combat, and only 468 of the 750 Britain ordered were delivered. Also, the 162 ordered by the Netherlands were repossessed by the US Navy.[1] They were used as trainers and target-towing aircraft for the most part.[N 2]
Only two Buccaneers are known to have survived to the present day. One is on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida,[3] and the other is in storage at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.[4]
Variants[]
- XSB2A-1 [N 3] - Prototype, 2 ordered, 1 built.
- SB2A-1 [N 4] - Variant made for Great Britain, 468 built. Delivered from July 1942 as the SB2A-1B Bermuda [N 5]
- SB2A-2 [N 6] - First production model, 80 built
- SB2A-3 - Carrier-borne variant with folding wings and arrestor cables, 60 built.
- SB2A-4 [N 7] - Aircraft originally to be sent to the Netherlands, 162 built. Transferred to the USMC as trainers, where they were used for the establishment of VFM(N)-531, the USMC's first night fighter unit.[2]
Data for Brewster SB2A Buccaneer[]
- Type: naval scout bomber
- Crew: 2: Pilot, gunner
- Armament: two .50 cal machine guns in fuselage, two .30 cal machine guns in wing, two .30 cal machine guns in rear cockpit, up to 1,000 lb of bombs
- Length: 39' 2" (11.94 m)
- Height: 15' 5" (4.70 m)
- Wingspan: 47' 0" (14.33 m)
- Wing area: 379 sq. ft (35.21 sq. m)
- Empty Weight: 9924 lb (4501 kg)
- Max Weight: 14,289 lb (6481 kg) max at takeoff
- Propulsion: One 1,200 hp Wright R-2600-8 Cyclone radial
- Range: 1675 miles (2696 km) without bombload
- Cruise Speed: 161 mph ( 259 km/h)
- Max Speed: 274 mph ( 441 km/h) at 12000 ft
- Ceiling: 24,900 ft (7590 m)[5]
References[]
Notes[]
- ↑ An order for the USAAC, with designation A-34, was cancelled before the start of production.[2]
- ↑ British examples used for target towing were designated Bermuda TT.Mk I[2]
- ↑ Company Designation B-140[2]
- ↑ Company Designation B-240[2]
- ↑ Company Designation B-340E[2]
- ↑ Company Designation B-340[2]
- ↑ Company Designation B-340D[2]
Sources[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.wwiivehicles.com/usa/aircraft/bomber/brewster-sb2a-buccaneer.asp
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 World Aircraft Information Files Aviation Partwork. Midsummer Books Ltd. File 890 Card 84 (A-Z of Aircraft:B - Brewster B-38 (SBA and Navel Aircraft factory SBN) (Continued) to Bristol Boxkite
- ↑ http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/explore/exhibits-and-collections/aircraft-on-display
- ↑ http://www.pimaair.org/collection-detail.php?cid=41
- ↑ http://www.daveswarbirds.com/usplanes/aircraft/buccaner.htm
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