Harding AAF documentary, with a surprise

[Chris Brame]

jdvoss spotted this documentary film Heroes of Harding Field about Harding AAF in Baton Rouge, LA:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_5GttkrexM

Lots of great shots of P-40, P-47 and P-51A/A-36 trainers, some BT-13s, plus some rare images of the AT-23/TB-26B target tugs. When I saw this shot of the base swimming pool, something caught my eye in the background:


Zoom in:


Looks like at least six RAF-marked Brewster Bermuda fuselages! Wonder how they got there?

Anyway, plenty more eye candy in the documentary - check it out!

[mike furline]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_SB2A_Buccaneer

The USAAF received 108 Bermudas, which it designated the A-34. The type was considered unsuitable even for training purposes and was used only as "hacks". As the aircraft broke down they were either abandoned or used as targets for artillery training.[10] The A-34s were withdrawn from service in 1944

[JohnB]

A lot of Bermuda ended up in the south...remember the airframes found at Tullahoma, Tenn?

Not a bad looking ship in a late-30s way.

[quemerford]

The Wiki entry (as ever) leaves a lot to be desired.

A-34s seems to have been operated by Target Tow Squadrons, including 1st TTS at Falmouth, MA; 2nd TTS at Bradley, CT and the 3rd TTS at Camp Davis, NC.

They all appear to have retained their RAF serial numbers (FF419 to FF999; FG100 to FG268) and I'd guess that many of the supposed '108' USAAF Bermudas never made it into service.

Does anyone have photos of these in USAAF service?

[JohnB]

Just to throw some added confusion or speculation into the story...

Gordon Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers U.S. Military Aircraft since 1909 (Putnam, 3 Editions 1963, 1971, 1989) doesn't give it a mention in the book's "Minor Aircraft" section (It does give a mention and illustrate in AAF markings the 21 B-339D and B-439s Buffalos repossessed from the Dutch contract however).
In the listing of all allocated designations it says:
A-34 Navy SB2A projected for AAF. Cancelled.

Nobody's perfect, perhaps it's an error and the meant to say the A-34 was the USAAF designation for lend lease
(did ALL lend lease airframes get a USAAF designation?
I don't think so).

Or was the designation really for USAAF aircraft?
Did the USAAF really consider production along the line of the A-24, A-25 and A-35 in the post blitzkrieg obsession with dive bombers?

[mike furline]

https://www.joebaugher.com/usattack/Adesig.html
Brewster A-34 Bermuda
Designation assigned for Lend-Lease documentation to SB2A Buccaneer naval dive bomber. None ever served with AAF.


But if you type in A-34 in the appropriate box you get seven accidents.
https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/dbSearchAF55.asp

[Chris Brame]

A lot of Bermuda ended up in the south...remember the airframes found at Tullahoma, Tenn?

Not a bad looking ship in a late-30s way.

Heck yeah, I remember Pony Maples' article in Air Classics. I agree about their looks; Maples likened them to Mack trucks and that's a pretty good description.

Mike Furline, thanks for the photos!

[quemerford]

https://www.joebaugher.com/usattack/Adesig.html
Brewster A-34 Bermuda
Designation assigned for Lend-Lease documentation to SB2A Buccaneer naval dive bomber. None ever served with AAF.


But if you type in A-34 in the appropriate box you get seven accidents.
https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/dbSearchAF55.asp

See my post above: they served with Target Tow Squadrons. Strange thing is that there are no record cards for these, unlike similar aircraft which were used on limited service despite being procured for other nations (e.g. Vultee Vanguard).

[quemerford]

I've been searching for something primary-source (all the above appear to have been plagiarized from an unknown source) and have found it: Air Force Procurement Division AF-WP-O-APR 61 230 "Index of AF Serial Numbers Assigned to Aircraft 1958 and Prior" shows:

Contractor/Qty on Contr/Model/Funds/Contract/Serial number range
Brewster, J/51/A-34/Bermuda [sic]/BR642/FF419-FF469
Brewster, J/97/A-34/AF/BR642/FF634-FF730
Brewster, J/153/A-34/Brit'n/BR642/FF731-FF883

So the designation is correct but USAAF officially gained 97 rather than other stated figures, retaining the RAF s/n FF634 thru FF730.

Except that these serial numbers don’t agree with AAF losses….

Anyone else got anything primary-source?

[tulsaboy]

Do any intact or substantial components of this type still exist?
kevin

[kalamazookid]

Do any intact or substantial components of this type still exist?
kevin

There is a Bermuda restored as an SB2A Buccaneer at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola. I believe Pima also has a project aircraft.

[Chris Brame]

Do any intact or substantial components of this type still exist?
kevin

There is a Bermuda restored as an SB2A Buccaneer at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola. I believe Pima also has a project aircraft.

Plus two more: an overturned wreck on Parris Island, described in this thread: //viewtopic.php?f=3&t=70383

And a newly discovered one, found late last year under 280 feet of water off Pt. Loma, CA: https://wreckedinmyrevo.com/2023/12/01/ ... a-280-fsw/

Also several unused canopies showed up on the postwar surplus market; would love to have one...