SB2A Buccaneer

infobox Aircraft
name= SB2A Buccaneer


caption=
type= Scout bomber
national origin = United States
manufacturer= Brewster Aeronautical Corporation
designer=
first flight=
introduced=
retired=
produced=
primary user= United States Navy
more users= United States Army Air Corps Royal Air Force Royal Navy
number built=
status= Retired
unit cost=
developed from=
variants with their own articles=

The Brewster SB2A Buccaneer was a single-engined mid-wing monoplane scout/bomber aircraft built for the United States Navy during the early 1940s. It was also supplied to the United States Army Air Corps.

Design and development

The SB2A was a development of Brewster's earlier SBA scout-bomber, sharing the single engined, mid-winged monoplane layout of the earlier aircraft, but was larger and powered by a more powerful engine. It carried up to 1,000 lb (455 kg) of bombs in an internal bomb-bay and for defensive purposes was fitted with a power operated turret armed with two .30 in machine guns supplementing a further six forward firing guns.

The US Navy ordered a prototype XSB2A on 4 April 1939, which first flew on 17 June 1941. Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p.73.] Large scale orders had already been placed by this time, however, with the United Kingdom ordering 750 aircraft as the Brewster Bermuda and the Netherlands ordering a further 162 to equip the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. The first US Navy production order, for 140 aircraft, was placed on 24 December 1940.

A version powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine was designed for the United States Army Air Corps as the A-32.Fact|date=July 2008

Operational history

The Royal Air Force took delivery of some SB2A-1s under the terms of Lend-Lease where they were known as the Bermuda. They were used for training and target towing. Five of the Cyclone powered aircraft under the model number '340' were supplied to the British Royal Navy for assessment.

Variants

;XSB2A-1 Buccaneer:Prototype. One built.;SB2A-2:Inital production, revised armament - non folding wings. 80 built.;SB2A-3:Fitted with folding wings and arrestor hook for carrier operations. 60 built.;SB2A-4:Requisioned aircraft built for Netherlands. 162 built.;A-32;A-34:Contractual USAAF designation for Lend Lease production for UK. [http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3173 Factsheet: Brewster A-34] . National Museum of the USAF. Retrieved 24 July 2008] ;Bermuda Mk.1:Lend Lease production for United Kingdom. Turret replaced by flexible gun mounting. 468 delivered. March 1998, p.38.]

Operators

;UK
* Royal Air Force
* Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm;USA
* United States Army Air Corps
* United States Navy
* United States Marine Corps

urvivors

At least one Buccaneer survives; it is being restored at the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. [cite web |url = http://www.warbirdforum.com/brewbuc.htm |title = Brewster Buccaneer under restoration |work = Warbird Forum |accessdate = 2007-11-13 ]

pecifications (SB2A-2)

Aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p.74.]
crew=2: pilot and gunner
length main=39 ft 2 in
length alt=11.94 m
span main=47 ft 0 in
span alt=14.33 m
height main=15 ft 5 in
height alt=4.70 m
area main=379 ft²
area alt=35.2 m²
empty weight main=9,924 lb
empty weight alt=4,501 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
max takeoff weight main=14,289 lb
max takeoff weight alt=6,495 kg
more general=
engine (prop)=Wright R-2600-8
type of prop=radial engine
number of props=1
power main=1,700 hp
power alt=1,268 kW
max speed main=274 mph
max speed alt=238 knots, 441 km/h
range main=1,675 mi
range alt=1,455 NM, 2,696 km
ceiling main=24,900 ft
ceiling alt=7,590 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
guns=
** 2× .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in fuselage
** 2× .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns in wings
** 2× .30 in flexible rear-mounted .30 machine guns
bombs=1,000 lb (450 kg)

ee also

Aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
* SB2C Helldiver
lists=
* List of military aircraft of the United States
see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Donald, David (editor). "American Warplanes of World War II". London: Aerospace,1995. ISBN 1 874023 72 7.
* March, Daniel J.(editor). "British Warplanes of World War II". London: Aerospace,1998. ISBN 1 874023 92 1.
* Swanborough, Gordon and Bowers, Peter M. "United States Navy Aircraft since 1911". London:Putnam, Second edition 1976. ISBN 0 370 10054 9.