The Brewster SB2A Buccaneer (Brewster Model 340) is a single-engined mid-wing monoplane scout bomber aircraft built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation for the United States Navy between 1942 and 1944. It was also supplied to the Royal Air Force (RAF), United States Army Air Forces, and United States Marine Corps. The Buccaneer was overweight and lacked maneuverability, and has been described as a "classic failure." While designed as a scout bomber, none saw combat, although a number found use in noncombat roles. The SB2A was developed for the US Navy, and also ordered in large quantities by the Dutch, French, and British Governments. The Dutch order was later taken over by the US Navy and the French order by Britain. An Australian order was cancelled before any of the types were delivered. The Buccaneer was underpowered and poorly constructed, and all of its operators considered it to be unsuitable for combat. SB2As were used as target tugs by the RAF and US Navy, trainers by the USMC, and "hacks" by the USAAF. Many of the completed aircraft were scrapped without entering service. The type is considered by historians to have been among the worst of World War II. The Brewster Corporation itself went out of business in 1946. In early 1939 the United States Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics launched a program to develop larger scout/bombers to operate from the Navy's aircraft carriers. In April that year the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was selected to build a prototype of its Model 340 design to meet this requirement; this aircraft was to be designated the XSB2A-1. The Navy had ordered a prototype of the Model 340/SB2A in April 1939. The XSB2A-1's design was heavily based on the earlier Brewster SBA scout-bomber. It shared the single-engined, mid-winged monoplane layout of the earlier aircraft, but was larger and had a more powerful engine. The XSB2A-1 was powered by a single Wright R-2600 engine which drove a three-bladed propeller. It was armed with two forward-firing 0.50-inch calibre machine guns in the fuselage and two 0.30 machine guns in each wing. The type was initially intended to have an enclosed gun turret and could carry up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of bombs in an internal bomb bay. The first XSB2A-1 prototype commenced flying trials on 17 June 1941. The results of this testing and changing requirements led to significant changes to the design. These included the airframe being lengthened by 1 foot and two inches, the turret being replaced by a flexible mount in the rear of the cockpit for a pair of 0.30 machine guns, the addition of armour and self-sealing fuel tanks, and changes to the design of the fins and canopy. The combined effect of these changes resulted in the aircraft's weight increasing by almost 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg), which greatly reduced its speed, weapons load, and flying range. For more details, including 6 variants, click here.
