Brewster Battler?

[Waynos]

I was reading through a wartime 'Observers book of Airplanes' this afternoon and on the entry for the Brewster Buffalo it ended with the line 'it is now being succeeded by the Brewster Battler'.

Does anyone have any information on what a Battler actually was? Although I have had this book for many years this is the first time I have noticed this reference.

 

[vikingBerserker]

I believe was the F3A, the Brewster built F4U Corsair - which due to quality issues never reached the front lines.

 

[Marcel]

Don't know the name, but I believe this would have succeeded the Buffalo, design 33A, carrier borne fighter:

 

[Messy1]

I doubt it would have amounted to much coming from Brewster. Not sure any aircraft they built (should have said designed) was anything special. I know Brewster was famous for its low quality and horrible output.

 

[Elvis]

It was a case of too small of a company trying to fill too big of an order.
Unfortuantely, Brewster never saw fit to re-do their facilities, and this increased tension between them and the US government, until finally, the government just went with other makers.
I believe VikingBerserker is correct on identifiying the "Battler".
FWIW, the F2A-1 that was used by the Finns actually had pretty good performance and a hard punch.
Someone around here once quoted that one could turn through 180 degrees @ 2000 metres in something like 7 seconds, which was quicker than just about anything else in the ETO, and the climb rate (at around 3050 fpm), was also very good.


Elvis

 

[Waynos]

Thanks guys, that one had me stumped. Plus Marcel, I'm a sucker for design models so thanks for that too!

 

[Graeme]

I was reading through a wartime 'Observers book of Airplanes' this afternoon and on the entry for the Brewster Buffalo it ended with the line 'it is now being succeeded by the Brewster Battler'.

Not an isolated case Wayne. The "Battler" is mentioned in this RAAF aircraft identification booklet from 1943 describing it as having "succeeded the Buffalo in production".