Warbird Information Exchange

I am looking for anyone who may have flown or serviced any aircraft by Brewster Aircraft Co. The company produced the Buffalo and the Buccaneer. It also field modified F4U s for the Navy. My mother worked for Brewster at Johnsville, outside of Philadelphia PA and I would be interested in talking to them or anyone they new who was connected with the company or planes.

Sincerely
Jiggersfromsphilly

Just wondering if any new members may have any info ?

believe it or not.... try a google search!! i did the same thing for the same reason, looking for workers from a company that i worked for that has been long out of business near 20 years!! you'll have to choose your google search words carefully for any successful hits. good luck!! hope you hit pay dirt as it will be interesting to see some brewster "gray areas" lightened up as the company's aviation history relates to ww 2.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

jiggers - I always had a special interest in Brewster products. I always wondered how the A-32 would have faired if it ever had a chance. I don't have any leads for you other than there are some good articles in past American Aviation Historical Society Journals on Brewster. An article entitled "Fall From Grace", The Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, 1932-1942 by Jim Maas, 15 pages in volume 30 - number 2 (Summer 1985); "The Brewster Blaster" (refers to SB2A & Buccaneer) by Gemeinhardt, Lucabaugh, and Martin; volume 32 - no. 1 of 15 pages (Spring 1987); and Naval Air Supremacy And The Development Of The Brewster Buffalo by Malcolm A. LeCompte, AAHS volume 41 No. 4 (Winter 1996) of 7 pages. These articles may not give you what you're looking for, but maybe you can get a lead or two. I did a quick check on eBay for past issues of these journals, but no luck.
In 1974 our family stopped in Tullahoma and toured the SB2A's at the airport. Its nice to see that the Navy has built up one for display at Pensacola...... ...Leon

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Be happy to serve your fellowman

I am right in the middle of old Johnsville a lot....its mainly a park now (runway right down Ty middle of it), but near it is a brand new Costco, some company big building, and more! A shame but it is what it is. I have heard that whatever took over where the Brewster plant was, when you walk in the lobby there is a plaque remembering what went on there and the history behind it.

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506th Fighter Group Historian
Member of Glidepath Photography

Costco used to be the end of the runway. If you drive around to the Bristol Rd side of the former base, you can see the red and white painted (Very faded by the way) Chain link fence that marked the approach to the NE end of the runway.
I went by it today ! The flag pole at the Northampton park across the street would have been a real problem in 1942 !

FWIW, when I was working at IBM (San Jose, CA) I interfaced with one of the older design engineers who was a former F6F pilot during WWII. One day while talking about his WWII expolits he commented that while stationed at NAS Vero Beach (FL) he checked out a Brewster SB2A for a " familiarzation" flight. He stated to me that it was a rather boring aircraft as it was "just an airplane". He returned to base and had no desire to take one up again.

As a point of interest the USN BuAer representative at the Brewster Aircraft Co. was assigned the sole USN Martin A-30 Baltimore as his executive transport. Info source: Docent at the G.L. Martin Museum.

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My family and I will go into the park sometimes, and you can basically walk right down the runway. There's a few things still there on the side of it, and spots where I guess lights and other equipment went. A few buildings are also down that end near the flag pole as well. I will never forget seeing the upside down F/A-18 there a couple times when driving by with my parents!

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506th Fighter Group Historian
Member of Glidepath Photography

For several years the hangars were used by companies. I believe after some renovations to the main building on the other side they moved across and they were demolished for the old folks home, Costco and such.
One of the kids on the hockey team I coach lives near by and I have been to the Costco on occasion.

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Rich Palmer

Remember an Injured Youth
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