Brewster Aeronautical Corporation
Encyclopedia
The Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was a North American defense contractor
that operated from the 1930s until the end of World War II
.
It started existence as an aircraft division of Brewster & Co.
, a company that originally sold carriage
s and had branched into automobile bodies and airplane parts. In 1932, James Work, an aeronautical engineer, bought the division for US$30,000 and created the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation. Brewster started out making seaplane
floats and wing panels, but with the hire of chief engineer Dayton Brown, it embarked on its own designs. It operated three aircraft plants, at the Brewster Building
in Long Island City, New York, Newark, New Jersey
, and, in 1941, in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania
, which was then known as NAS Johnsville.
Brown's first, in 1934, was a two-seat scout-bomber, the Brewster SBA, which first flew in 1936, but subsequently the Naval Aircraft Factory
built them, with the designation SBN-1. The SB2A Buccaneer
was a follow-on design that first flew in 1941 and was also used by the Royal Air Force
, who named it Bermuda.
A design in 1936 for a carrier-capable monoplane
resulted in the Brewster F2A (named Buffalo by the British), which was chosen over an early version of the F4F Wildcat
. The F2A prototype handled well in 1938 tests, and the Navy ordered 54. However, production was slow, at least partly due to an inefficient factory in Queens, New York. The Navy ended up ordering Wildcats, which by 1938 had been greatly improved.
The Buffalo was exported to Finland
starting in 1939, and more were intended for Belgium
, but the country was overrun in the early stages of World War II
, before deliveries could begin. The United Kingdom
also received Buffalos, which eventually ended up in the East Indies
. They engaged in combat with Japanese Zeros and suffered badly. The Buffalos were most popular with the Finns, who not only used them successfully against the Soviet air force
but even built a slightly improved version known as the Humu. The Dutch also purchased 92 Buffalos and assigned most to the Militaire Luchtvaart KNIL
in the Dutch East Indies
(now Indonesia
) where they fought against the Japanese. Several were captured by the Japanese and were repainted with Japanese Hinomaru insignias and extensively tested.
During WWII it became apparent that Brewster was mismanaged. The company had grown from a relatively minor aircraft parts supplier to a fully-fledged defence giant in only a few years. Jimmy Work had hired Alfred and Ignacio Miranda as the company salesmen. They had been involved on frauds, spending two years in prison for selling illicit arms to Bolivia
, and had over-promised Brewster production capabilities to customers. As WWII had swelled the defense industries, the quality of the newly hired work force was inferior in skills and often motivation, and the work was plagued by illicit strikes and even outright sabotage was suspected. The Navy installed George Chapline as president of the company, easing out Jimmy Work, in the hopes of speeding up production, but then in early 1942 Jimmy Work regained control of the company, just in time to be sued for US$10 million for financial misdeeds. In May 1942 the Navy simply seized Brewster and put the head of the Naval Aircraft Factory
in charge.
When the Navy cancelled Brewster's last contract, for assembly of the F3A-1 Corsair, the company was in serious trouble. In October, after reporting a large loss, the management decided to shut down the company, and on April 5, 1946, the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was dissolved by its shareholders.
Defense contractor
A defense contractor is a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a military department of a government. Products typically include military aircraft, ships, vehicles, weaponry, and electronic systems...
that operated from the 1930s until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
It started existence as an aircraft division of Brewster & Co.
Brewster & Co.
Brewster & Company was an American coachbuilder, active from 1810-1937. Their first known bodywork on an automobile was in 1896, on an electric car, and a gasoline powered car in 1905, on a Delaunay-Belleville chassis. Eventually they would use chassis from a variety of makers...
, a company that originally sold carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s and had branched into automobile bodies and airplane parts. In 1932, James Work, an aeronautical engineer, bought the division for US$30,000 and created the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation. Brewster started out making seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
floats and wing panels, but with the hire of chief engineer Dayton Brown, it embarked on its own designs. It operated three aircraft plants, at the Brewster Building
Brewster Building (Long Island City)
The Brewster Building is a building at 27-01 Queens Plaza North in Long Island City, New York that was once an assembly plant for Rolls Royce cars and Brewster cars and Brewster Buffalo airplanes and is now the corporate headquarters for JetBlue....
in Long Island City, New York, Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, and, in 1941, in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania
Warminster Township, Pennsylvania
Warminster Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 32,682 at the 2010 census.The town was named for the town of Warminster in Wiltshire, England.-Geography:...
, which was then known as NAS Johnsville.
Brown's first, in 1934, was a two-seat scout-bomber, the Brewster SBA, which first flew in 1936, but subsequently the Naval Aircraft Factory
Naval Aircraft Factory
The Naval Aircraft Factory was established by the United States Navy in 1918 at Philadelphia in order to assist in solving the problem of aircraft supply which faced the Navy Department upon the entry of the U.S. into World War I...
built them, with the designation SBN-1. The SB2A Buccaneer
SB2A Buccaneer
|-See also:-References:* Donald, David . American Warplanes of World War II. London: Aerospace,1995. ISBN 1-874023-72-7.* March, Daniel J.. British Warplanes of World War II. London: Aerospace,1998. ISBN 1-874023-92-1....
was a follow-on design that first flew in 1941 and was also used by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, who named it Bermuda.
A design in 1936 for a carrier-capable monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
resulted in the Brewster F2A (named Buffalo by the British), which was chosen over an early version of the F4F Wildcat
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...
. The F2A prototype handled well in 1938 tests, and the Navy ordered 54. However, production was slow, at least partly due to an inefficient factory in Queens, New York. The Navy ended up ordering Wildcats, which by 1938 had been greatly improved.
The Buffalo was exported to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
starting in 1939, and more were intended for Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, but the country was overrun in the early stages of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, before deliveries could begin. The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
also received Buffalos, which eventually ended up in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
. They engaged in combat with Japanese Zeros and suffered badly. The Buffalos were most popular with the Finns, who not only used them successfully against the Soviet air force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
but even built a slightly improved version known as the Humu. The Dutch also purchased 92 Buffalos and assigned most to the Militaire Luchtvaart KNIL
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force was the air arm of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in the Dutch East Indies from 1939 until 1950...
in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
(now Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
) where they fought against the Japanese. Several were captured by the Japanese and were repainted with Japanese Hinomaru insignias and extensively tested.
During WWII it became apparent that Brewster was mismanaged. The company had grown from a relatively minor aircraft parts supplier to a fully-fledged defence giant in only a few years. Jimmy Work had hired Alfred and Ignacio Miranda as the company salesmen. They had been involved on frauds, spending two years in prison for selling illicit arms to Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, and had over-promised Brewster production capabilities to customers. As WWII had swelled the defense industries, the quality of the newly hired work force was inferior in skills and often motivation, and the work was plagued by illicit strikes and even outright sabotage was suspected. The Navy installed George Chapline as president of the company, easing out Jimmy Work, in the hopes of speeding up production, but then in early 1942 Jimmy Work regained control of the company, just in time to be sued for US$10 million for financial misdeeds. In May 1942 the Navy simply seized Brewster and put the head of the Naval Aircraft Factory
Naval Aircraft Factory
The Naval Aircraft Factory was established by the United States Navy in 1918 at Philadelphia in order to assist in solving the problem of aircraft supply which faced the Navy Department upon the entry of the U.S. into World War I...
in charge.
When the Navy cancelled Brewster's last contract, for assembly of the F3A-1 Corsair, the company was in serious trouble. In October, after reporting a large loss, the management decided to shut down the company, and on April 5, 1946, the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was dissolved by its shareholders.
Aircraft
- SBA/SBN
- Brewster F2A (Buffalo in British service)
- SB2A BuccaneerSB2A Buccaneer|-See also:-References:* Donald, David . American Warplanes of World War II. London: Aerospace,1995. ISBN 1-874023-72-7.* March, Daniel J.. British Warplanes of World War II. London: Aerospace,1998. ISBN 1-874023-92-1....
(Bermuda in British service). - F3A-1, Brewster's licence-produced F4U CorsairF4U CorsairThe Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
- XA-32Brewster XA-32-References:* McCullough, Anson. "Grind 'Em Out Ground Attack: The Search for the Elusive Fighter Bomber." Wings, Vol. 25, No. 4, August 1995.-External links:* * *...
Experimental single seat ground attack aircraft.