HOME > BUFFALO > F2A-1 BUILDS

History of the USN's F2A-1s

Here from Jim Maas is the life story of the Brewster F2A-1 models actually delivered to the U.S. Navy:

BuNo: 1386 Accept Date: 10/06/39 Strike Date: 12/03/43

07/06/39      NAS Anacostia
08/24/39      INA Brewster
10/16/39      NAS Anacostia
10/25/39      NAF Philadelphia
11/01/39      NAS Anacostia
11/04/39      INA Brewster
11/09/39      NAS Anacostia
12/05/39      OPER Norfolk
01/09/41      INA Brewster [conversion to -2]
06/29/41      VS-201 Norfolk
06/21/42      NAS Miami

11/27/40 accident at Norfolk. Left landing gear leg buckled, bent prop, minor damage; photo circa 7-42 as aircraft "19", training unit NAS Miami

BuNo: 1387 Accept Date: unk Strike Date: ? 03/31/43

05/18/39     INA World's Fair, NYC
12/28/39     NAS Anacostia [engine change]
01/08/40     BatFor San Diego
01/29/40     VF-3 SARATOGA
11/06/40     BatFor San Diego
11/07/40     NAS Anacostia
11/17/40     INA Brewster [conversion to F2A-2]
06/29/41     VS-201 Norfolk
10/26/41     NAS Miami

02/20/43: During take-off hit trees at low altitude Crashed and burned 3mi.SE,of Nas Miami.1/killed

BuNo: 1388 Accept Date: 07/31/39 Strike Date: 06/28/44

08/29/39     NAS Anacostia
08/31/39     INA Brewster
11/28/39     BatFor San Diego
12/11/39     VF-3 SARATOGA
11/28/39     BatFor San Diego
12/11/39     VF-3 SARATOGA
11/07/40     BatFor San Diego
11/08/40     NAS Anacostia
11/17/40     INA Brewster [conversion to F2A-2]
08/04/41     NAF Philadelphia [conv to XF2A-4]
09/26/41     NAS Norfolk
04/27/44     NAM Philadelphia

BuNo: 1389 Accept Date: 11/28/39 Strike Date: 10/31/44

12/08/39     BatFor San Diego
12/11/39     VF-3 SARATOGA
10/31/40     BatFor San Diego
11/01/40     NAS Anacostia
11/05/40     INA Brewster [conversion to F2A-2]
06/25/41     VS-201 Norfolk
10/27/41     NAS Miami
06/25/41     VS-201 Norfolk
10/27/41     NAS Miami
04/01/42     BatFor San Diego
06/28/42     NAS Miami
01/08/43     NAS Jacksonville
07/08/43     NAOT Miami
10/31/44     GNATT Glenview

BuNo: 1390 Accept Date: 11/28/39 Strike Date: 09/23/40

12/08/39     BatFor San Diego
12/08/39     VF-3 SARATOGA

09/23/40: aircraft crashed into ocean eight miles from Dana Point, CA; total loss, 322.5 hours flight time

BuNo: 1391 Accept Date: 12/04/39 Strike Date: 10/31/44

12/11/39     BatFor San Diego
12/11/39     VF-3 SARATOGA
11/07/40     BatFor San Diego
11/08/40     NAS Anacostia
11/07/40     BatFor San Diego
11/08/40     NAS Anacostia
11/17/40     INA Brewster [conversion to F2A-2]
06/25/41     VS-201 Norfolk
11/02/41     NAS Miami
04/21/42     NAS Jacksonville
11/06/43     NATTC Jacksonville

BuNo: 1392 Accept Date: 12/04/39 Strike Date: 05/21/43

12/04/39     BatFor San Diego
12/18/39     VF-3 SARATOGA
10/30/40     BatFor San Diego
10/31/40     NAS Anacostia
11/05/40     INA Brewster [conversion to F2A-2]
06/11/41     VS-201 Norfolk
11/10/41     NAS Miami
12/15/42     NATT Jacksonville
11/10/41     NAS Miami
12/15/42     NATT Jacksonville

BuNo: 1393 Accept Date: 12/04/39 Strike Date: 05/09/44

12/11/39     BatFor San Diego
12/18/39     VF-3 SARATOGA
03/14/40     BatFor San Diego
03/28/40     VF-3 SARATOGA
08/22/40     BatFor San Diego
05/16/41     NAS Norfolk
08/22/42     NAS Miami
04/11/44     ? Norman OK

crashed 08/22/40, major overhaul to 04/15/41; at aircraft armament unit to 11/08/41; crash at Jacksonville 05/07/43

BuNo: 1394 Accept Date: 12/11/39 Strike Date: 04/09/42

12/16/39     BatFor San Diego
12/18/39     VF-3 SARATOGA
10/30/40     BatFor San Diego
10/31/40     NAS Anacostia
10/30/40     BatFor San Diego
10/31/40     NAS Anacostia
11/05/40     INA Brewster [conversion to F2A-2]
06/11/41     VS-201 Norfolk
11/10/41     NAS Miami
03/04/42     ? Norfolk

01/29/40, crashed on SARATOGA, belly, landing gear damaged
28 feb 42; Low altitude aerobatics, crashed 10mi SW NAS Miami
aircraft crashed 03/04/42 and destroyed, 628 flying hours

BuNo: 1395 Accept Date: 12/11/39 Strike Date: 04/09/42

12/11/39     BatFor San Diego
12/18/39     VF-3 SARATOGA
11/06/40     BatFor San Diego
11/07/40     NAS Anacostia
11/17/40     INA Brewster [conversion to F2A-2]
06/29/41     VS-201 Norfolk
11/10/41     NAS Miami
06/29/41     VS-201 Norfolk
11/10/41     NAS Miami

02/23/40, bent prop, no damage to engine
9 Feb 42 Stalled at 100' 5mi west of Davis FL
02/18/42, crashed beyond repair, 552 flying hours

BuNo: 1396 Accept Date: 12/11/39 Strike Date: none given

12/16/39     BatFor San Diego
12/18/39     VF-3 SARATOGA
10/31/40     BatFor San Diego
11/01/40     NAS Anacostia
11/05/40     INA Brewster [conversion to F2A-2]
06/29/41     VS-201 Norfolk
-no date-    NAS New York
11/15/41     NAS Miami
05/08/42     NAS Jacksonville
06/09/43     NAS Miami

Notes: this table was originally complied from BuAer record cards by Dave Lucabaugh, to whom manifest thanks. Any errors are those I've introduced. As with any bureaucratic operation, these are official' dates - sometimes things happened several days earlier but didn't become official' until a yeoman recorded it. An example is the on-charge dates at San Diego, where some of the aircraft went to VF-3 the same day. Oddly, the record cards did not indicate embarkation of VS-201 aircraft on Long Island (they were there, we've got pictures).

ADVERTISEMENTS