Sign in or 
Share this
Brewster 339B
On 11 December 1939 a contract for 40 Brewster 339B (export version of the F2A-2) aircraft was signed.
In June 1940 one aircraft was delivered in crates at Bordeaux-Mérignac (FR), which was assembled and test flown, before being seized by the Germans.
On 16 June 1940 the French carrier Béarn left Halifax (CA) for Brest (FR), with 6 aircraft. On 20 June - due to the events in Europe - the carrier was diverted to the Isle of Martinique. The aircraft were unloaded on 27 June at Fort-de-France and eventually, in September 1940, stored at la Pointe des Sables. On 12 May 1942 the officer in charge of the storage area, misinterpreted the state of the alert and ordered the destruction of the aircraft by setting them on fire, thus destroying 2 aircraft.
On 20 June 1940 the Belgian Government in exile, signed the diversion of the remaining a to Britain. The aircraft received the serials AS410-437, AX810-820 and BB450.
After the war, the wreck (fuselage only) of a Brewster was found on an airfield north of Darmstadt (DE). More photographs can be found on the BAHA Website.
©Cradle of Aviation Museum - via Leo Spiessens
©Cradle of Aviation Museum - via Leo Spiessens
©Cradle of Aviation Museum - via Leo Spiessens
In June 1940 one aircraft was delivered in crates at Bordeaux-Mérignac (FR), which was assembled and test flown, before being seized by the Germans.
On 16 June 1940 the French carrier Béarn left Halifax (CA) for Brest (FR), with 6 aircraft. On 20 June - due to the events in Europe - the carrier was diverted to the Isle of Martinique. The aircraft were unloaded on 27 June at Fort-de-France and eventually, in September 1940, stored at la Pointe des Sables. On 12 May 1942 the officer in charge of the storage area, misinterpreted the state of the alert and ordered the destruction of the aircraft by setting them on fire, thus destroying 2 aircraft.
On 20 June 1940 the Belgian Government in exile, signed the diversion of the remaining a to Britain. The aircraft received the serials AS410-437, AX810-820 and BB450.
After the war, the wreck (fuselage only) of a Brewster was found on an airfield north of Darmstadt (DE). More photographs can be found on the BAHA Website.
c/n 56
- 000440: Manufactured
- 100540: Rolled out
- 000540: Test Flown at Roosevelt Field (Long Island, NY, US) as NX-56B
- 000540: Shipped to Belgium, but diverted to Bordeaux (FR)
- 280540: Arrived at Bordeaux (FR)
- 000040: Captured by the Germans
- 000000: Transported to an airfield north of Darmstadt (DE) - still present in May/July 1946
©Cradle of Aviation Museum - via Leo Spiessens
c/n 65
- 000540: Manufactured
- 000040: Transported to Halifax (CA) and loaded on board the French carrier Béarn
- 160640: The Béarn left Halifax (CA) for Brest (FR)
- 200640: The Béarn was diverted to Martinique, due to the fall of France
- 270640: Unloaded at Fort-de-France (Martinique)
- 000940: Transported to la Pointe des Sables for storage - still present in 1943
c/n 66
- 000540: Manufactured
- 000040: Transported to Halifax (CA) and loaded on board the French carrier Béarn
- 160640: The Béarn left Halifax (CA) for Brest (FR)
- 200640: The Béarn was diverted to Martinique, due to the fall of France
- 270640: Unloaded at Fort-de-France (Martinique)
- 000940: Transported to la Pointe des Sables for storage - still present in 1943
c/n 67
- 000540: Manufactured
- 000040: Transported to Halifax (CA) and loaded on board the French carrier Béarn
- 160640: The Béarn left Halifax (CA) for Brest (FR)
- 200640: The Béarn was diverted to Martinique, due to the fall of France
- 270640: Unloaded at Fort-de-France (Martinique)
- 000940: Transported to la Pointe des Sables for storage - still present in 1943
c/n 68
- 000540: Manufactured
- 000040: Transported to Halifax (CA) and loaded on board the French carrier Béarn
- 160640: The Béarn left Halifax (CA) for Brest (FR)
- 200640: The Béarn was diverted to Martinique, due to the fall of France
- 270640: Unloaded at Fort-de-France (Martinique)
- 000940: Transported to la Pointe des Sables for storage
- 120542: Destroyed by fire
c/n 71
- 000540: Manufactured
- 000040: Transported to Halifax (CA) and loaded on board the French carrier Béarn
- 160640: The Béarn left Halifax (CA) for Brest (FR)
- 200640: The Béarn was diverted to Martinique, due to the fall of France
- 270640: Unloaded at Fort-de-France (Martinique)
- 000940: Transported to la Pointe des Sables for storage
- 120542: Destroyed by fire
c/n 72
- 000540: Manufactured
- 000040: Transported to Halifax (CA) and loaded on board the French carrier Béarn
- 160640: The Béarn left Halifax (CA) for Brest (FR)
- 200640: The Béarn was diverted to Martinique, due to the fall of France
- 270640: Unloaded at Fort-de-France (Martinique)
- 000940: Transported to la Pointe des Sables for storage - still present in 1943
c/n 79
- 000040: Manufactured
- 000040: Test flown at Roosevelt Field (Long Island, NY, US) as NX-79B
c/n94
- 000040: Manufactured
- 000040: Test flown at Roosevelt Field (Long Island, NY, US) as NX-94B
©Cradle of Aviation Museum - via Leo Spiessens
c/n95
- 000040: Manufactured
- 000040: Test flown at Roosevelt Field (Long Island, NY, US) as NX-95B
©Cradle of Aviation Museum - via Leo Spiessens
Toxisch |
Latest page update: made by Toxisch
, Nov 18 2010, 2:18 AM EST
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by Toxisch
1 image added 1 image deleted view changes - complete history) |
|
Keyword tags:
Brewster
Brewster Buffalo
Buffalo
Béarn
Fort-de-France
La Pointe des Sables
martinique
More Info: links to this page
|
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.
