A Royal Buccaneer

[a4gturn]

Spent all day at the office scanning photos. Hard to do while you're supposed to be working...

[JDK]

Very nice. I wonder if the scheme's unfinished? No serial number and (I think) no stencils.

You are scanning them at high res so's you can use them for publication before reducing them for the web, aren't you?

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Hi Guys,

What was the problem with Brewster's designs that they just couldn't make the grade with respect to producing aircraft ? I ask this because the old Buffalo and in the case of the Buccaneer neither designs seemed to make the grade in the US Armed Forces during WW II. I mean, from a design perspective they were all kinda neat, but from what I understand is that for the most part they were all underpowered.

Thanks for posting the pic's of the Buccaneers....very sweet looking aircraft.

Paul

[Shay]

I believe the British variant of the Buccaneer was actually called the "Bermuda"

Hi Guys,

What was the problem with Brewster's designs that they just couldn't make the grade with respect to producing aircraft ? I ask this because the old Buffalo and in the case of the Buccaneer neither designs seemed to make the grade in the US Armed Forces during WW II. I mean, from a design perspective they were all kinda neat, but from what I understand is that for the most part they were all underpowered.

Thanks for posting the pic's of the Buccaneers....very sweet looking aircraft.

Paul

I just finished watching one of my Navy Department movies on the Buccaneer (SB2A-4). And from watching the film I never got the impression that the Navy was displeased with the Buccaneer. They used words such as "Fast", "Powerful" and "Manueverable" to describe the SB2A-4.

When compared to the Helldiver I think the Buccaneer more than held it's own.

Specifications (SB2A-1 Buccaneer)

General characteristics

Crew: 2: pilot and gunner
Length: 39 ft 2 in (11.94 m)
Wingspan: 47 ft 0 in (14.33 m)
Height: 15 ft 5 in (4.70 m)
Wing area: 379 ft² (35.2 m²)
Empty weight: 9,924 lb (4,501 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 14,289 lb (6,481 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Wright R-2600-8 radial engine, 1,200 hp (895 kW each)

Performance:

Maximum speed: 274 mph (238 knots, 441 km/h)
Range: 1,675 mi (1,455 nm, 2,696 km)
Service ceiling: 24,900 ft (7,590 m)

Armament/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)


Specifications (SB2C Helldiver)

General characteristics

Crew: Two, pilot and radio operator/gunner
Length: 36 ft 9 in (11.2 m)
Wingspan: 49 ft 9 in (15.2 m)
Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.5 m)
Wing area: 422 ft² (39.2 m²)
Empty weight: 10,114 lb (4,588 kg)
Loaded weight: 13,674 lb (6,202 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 16,800 lb (7,600 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Wright R-2600 Cyclone radial engine, 1,900 hp (1,400 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 294 mph (473 km/h)
Range: 1,200 miles (1,900 km)
Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
Rate of climb: 1,750 ft/min (8.9 m/s)

Armament/Gun:

2 x 20 mm cannon in the wings
2 x 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machineguns in the rear cockpit
Internal bay: 2,000 lb (900 kg) of bombs or 1x Mark 13-2 torpedo Underwing hardpoints: 500 lb (225 kg) of bombs each


As you can see the Buccaneer was quite comparable to the Helldiver. A little bit slower than the SBC but it's range was considerably longer. I didn't see any mention of the Buccaneer carrying a Torpedo, but that is not say that it never did and I have a hard to thinking that it wouldn't have, considering it's very nature. Just as the specifications above don't mention anything about hardpoints on the SB2A, I have seen pictures of SB2A's with atleast 6 hardpoints. So there is definately room for error in the history books with regards to the Buccaneer and its performance. The only thing about the Buc that would make me wary, would have been it tail. Very wobbley.

The Buccaneer is a beautiful design and its a shame that more haven't survived to be preserved.

Below is a online version of the Buccaneer movie I just watched. (also note in the movie you see a Buc with hardpoints)

http://www.zenoswarbirdvideos.com/SB2A.html



Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[Mark Nankivil]

As I recall, there was a series in Wings/Airpower a number of years ago about the failure of Brewster and it boiled down to how the company was run and the resulting quality (or lack thereof) of the product. Their production facilities were not good - many small buildings/rooms and no real effort towards a production line along the lines of the rest of the industry. I'll see if I can uncover those issues and re-read them for better info.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

[Jiggersfromsphilly]

Here is another shot. It has Johnsville written in pencil on the back, so it must have been one of a series of this plane.

[Jiggersfromsphilly]

4Gturn, Do you have any more?

[tom d. friedman]

thanks for the stiff neck!!! but who am i to criticize........... i'm to dumb to figure out the photobucket!!!! i've been w/ wix since 2004 & haven't posted 1 picture to the site!!

[Jiggersfromsphilly]

Sorry, If I rotate it in the documents section. I lose it so I will have to rescan them and re load them.