Brester F2A Buffalo

[Jester986]

Brewster F2A Buffalo: It was obsolete by the time it saw combat at midway and vastly outclassed by the Zero. But battles are not about balance and they put up a brave defense at midway to heavy losses. This aircraft though also has the advantage of having been used against the soviets by Finland as well though and had great success against the I-16 which we already have in DCS.

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

It gets a bad rep. It clearly wasn't that bad of a fighter. After all, Hans Wind produced 39 of his 75 victories in one.

 

There's quite a bit of difference between Buffalos, though. The fighter that Wind flew was an F2A-1 spec, designated B-239 for export. The F2A-1 was the lightest version of the aircraft, making it the most nimble. At the right altitude, she could hit 300+ mph. According to Pappy Boyington, they were a nice ride. In his words:

 

It was a DOG! But the early models, before they weighed it all down with armorplate, radios and other [Minnesota Vikings], they were pretty sweet little ships. Not real fast, but the little [Amerikanrauta] could turn and roll in a phone booth. Sweet little ship; but some engineer went and [Naughty word'd] it up."

 

Filtered since Pappy, like all WWII era naval aviators, can't finish a statement without copious usage of expletives.

 

The F2A-1 actually had a comparable wingloading to that of the A6M. It also lacked armor and self-sealing tanks like the A6M, as well. However, the F2A-3 added armor, self sealing tanks, more fuel, and more ammunition. It turned the Buffalo into the dog that Boyington described.

 

Truthfully, what killed the Buffalo in the US wasn't just that the Wildcat had become superior to it, but also the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation was a logistical comedy of errors. Between all of its operators from the US Navy and Marines, to the Commonwealth, and finally to Finland, only a little over 500 were made. They made almost 8,000 Wildcats.

 

[Hinkey]

+1

Would love to see this in DCS.

[xvii-Dietrich]

+2   I would also totally support seeing this in DCS.

 

The point about it matching off against the I-16 is a good one - that would be superb. But it would be versatile to use in the Pacific as both an earlier player aircraft, suitable for lesser British Empire colonies, or even as an AI supplement.

[grafspee]

Cool but against which axis fighter this one should go up against ? K-4 D-9 A-8 ?

I would vote for F6F Hellcat this one would fit much better. Captured I-16 is option.

Edited January 13, 2021 by grafspee

[xvii-Dietrich]

40 minutes ago, grafspee said:

Cool but against which axis fighter this one should go up against ? K-4 D-9 A-8 ?

As this is the Pacific Theatre Wishlist sub-forum, going against Japanese assets was assumed. These don't have to be air assets either.

 
(However as an Axis fighter (B-239E), it goes against the I-16. That's a nice match already.)
 

[grafspee]

1 hour ago, xvii-Dietrich said:

As this is the Pacific Theatre Wishlist sub-forum, going against Japanese assets was assumed. These don't have to be air assets either.

 
(However as an Axis fighter (B-239E), it goes against the I-16. That's a nice match already.)
 

I wasn't going against japan fighters, i just listed what we already have.

I am much more into introducing Japan fighter since F4U is coming already some day, japan fighter would be the best in that case, so another U.S. navy fighter not a good idea.

[probad]

On 1/13/2021 at 10:38 AM, grafspee said:

Cool but against which axis fighter this one should go up against ? K-4 D-9 A-8 ?

dcs would have never been a thing with this kind of approach

 

history is actually so full of unfair matchups that your idea of fair matches through historical precedence has no actual ground to stand on.

conflating historical "set" matchups with fairness and making a meme out of it all is one of the cardinal sins of the simulation community because in focusing only on simulating the material you neglect to simulate the most key element of the history: the people. you neglect that essential attitude of the fighter pilot who has no quarter to care for either historical precedence or for fairness. for the a6m pilot, meeting the f6f in 1943 was an unfair and unprecedented matchup. for the p-47 pilot, meeting with a me262 in 1944 was an unfair and unprecedented matchup. for the mig-17 pilot, meeting with an f-4 in 1965 was an unfair and unprecedented matchup.

 

if you actually cared about roleplaying history you wouldnt come at this with such a gamer attitude of muh matchups

Edited February 21, 2021 by probad

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

Also, I-16 since Buffalos were used in the '39 Winter War.

[alt-92]

....or ML-KNIL B-339C/D models. 
Those had a bit more powerful engines compared to the RAF -E, denavalised models and could keep up with Ki-43s. 
Makes for interesting scenarios as well - Singapore / NEI. 

[Seaside]

Would love to see the Buffalo. Heavily used by the British in the Pacific as well as U.S.

We need a Hurricane or a Buffalo once things move to the Pacific .