Brewster SBA
| Brewster SBA | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Dive bombers |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: |
Brewster Aeronautical Corporation |
| First flight: |
April 15, 1936 |
| Commissioning: |
1941 |
| Production time: |
June 1941 to March 1942 |
| Number of pieces: |
31 |
The Brewster SBA was the first complete aircraft designed and built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation in 1934. This model was a two-seater reconnaissance aircraft / bomber that was to be used from aircraft carriers of the US Navy .
development
The prototype Brewster XSBA-1 ( designation system of the US Navy ) was a middle-decker in all-metal construction with fabric-covered control surfaces. To make landing on aircraft carriers easier, the wings were equipped with wing flaps. In addition to a retractable tail wheel landing gear , the model featured an internal bomb bay integrated into the fuselage as a special feature.
The first flight of the Brewster XSBA-1 took place on April 15, 1936. A 750 PS (559 kW) Wright R-1820-4 Cyclone star engine was used as the engine for the prototype . The subsequent flight tests showed that a more powerful engine was necessary to achieve sufficient performance.
In 1937 a 950 hp (708 W) Wright XR-1820-22 Cyclone was installed. After successfully completing the tests, the US Navy no longer hesitated to place a production order. Due to insufficient manufacturing capacity at Brewster Aeronautical Corporation , it was decided to manufacture the 30 aircraft on order in the Naval Aircraft Factory (NAF) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The series model built at NAF was given the US Navy designation SBN-1 . The delivery period extended until March 1942. At this point in time, the US Navy finally had more modern designs available and production of the SBN-1 was discontinued.
commitment
After their commissioning, the NAF SBN-1 were used with the US Navy Squadron VB-3 . This was followed by use as a training aircraft, with the US Navy torpedo bomber unit VT-8 using the SBN-1 for training on board the USS Hornet (CV-8) .
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| length | 8.43 m |
| span | 11.89 m |
| height | 2.62 m |
| Empty mass | 1851 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 3066 kg |
| Cruising speed | ? km / h or kts |
| Top speed | 409 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 8625 m |
| Range | ? km or NM |
| Engines | 1 × Wright XR-1820-22 Cyclone radial engine with 950 PS (708 kW) |
| Armament | a forward-firing, rigidly installed 12.7 mm machine gun (MG), a movably mounted 7.62 mm machine gun in the rear cockpit, bombs up to 227 kg |
literature
- AERO, Marshall Cavendish International Ltd., 1984 London England issue 40