Brewster B-339 Martinique 1940

[PR19_Kit]

Anybody would think the US Navy and Army-Air Force fought for different countries............

[Rheged]

Anybody would think the US Navy and Army-Air Force fought for different countries............

Reading histories of the period, I sometimes wonder if they spent more time fighting each other.  One source (sorry, I forget who) had the USAAF referring to the USN as the ENEMY  and Germany / Japan as the OPPOSTION

[NARSES2]

Anybody would think the US Navy and Army-Air Force fought for different countries............

Reading histories of the period, I sometimes wonder if they spent more time fighting each other.  One source (sorry, I forget who) had the USAAF referring to the USN as the ENEMY  and Germany / Japan as the OPPOSTION

That's been true of the forces of many nations over time and long before man flew it was Army v Navy. Sometimes it's quite amusing, but at others (particularly during WWI for some reason) it's tragic.

[Logan Hartke]

If coordinating air services looks like this, I'll take rivalry any day!



Cheers,

Logan

[NARSES2]

I know what you mean Logan  .

That's one of the few photos I've seen of the Roc with the turret rear lowered and the turret ready for action.

[Old Wombat]

I've just noticed that all three of those aircraft have their turret fairings in different configurations;

Nearest: Turret with fore & aft fairings lowered.

Middle: Turret with fore & aft fairings raised.

Farthest: Turret with forward fairing raised & aft fairing lowered.

[2996 Victor]

The real aircraft on Martinique:







Fantastic photos, Chris, I hadn't realised Bearn was carrying so many aircraft.

Cheers,
Mark




Chris

[2996 Victor]

Brewster B-339 Martinique 1940
22 June1940: Franco-German Armistice is signed, as part of the provisions France guaranteeing that her fleet would not operate against Germany, but  that her forces would resist an attack by any power.  3 July 1940: Operation Catapult - the Royal Navy bombard the French fleet in Mers-el Kebir, killing 1,297 French servicemen, sinking a battleship and damaging five other ships. Presented as a regrettable necessity, it was largely regarded as a betrayal and atrocity in France.

The French island of Martinique was governed by Admiral Georges Robert, who firmly supported Petain's government and refused to join General de Gaulle's Free French. The aircraft carrier Bearn had arrived on 15th June and on board were  15 new Curtiss H-75A-4 fighters, 25 Stinson 105 utility aircraft, 44 Curtiss SBC Helldiver biplane dive bombers and 6 Brewster Buffalo fighters intended for the Belgian Air Component.

In the real world, American influence ensured that the Bearn was effectively interned until 1943 and the aircraft landed and sabotaged or abandoned.

What if [/b]Admiral Robert had been more pro-active? There was hope for a long time that the French-owned aircraft might be allowed to be sent to Indo-China, but could the Belgian B-339s be considered abandoned?
Incensed by Operation Catapult, Robert decided to requisition the Belgian aircraft to show that Martinique would defend itself against any British (or American) attack. An airfield was rapidly constructed, and pilots recruited from the Aeronovale  - the Navy was to run the operation. The unit was Escadrille Martinique, bearing the island's flag of a St Michael's cross with four snakes on the fin. The aircraft were named after French naval heroes of the battles in support of the American War of Independence. Reluctantly, yellow neutrality markings were applied to nose and tail. The aircraft served until 1943, when Free French forces took over the island; disarmed, two survivors were kept as aerobatic trainers until 1945.


Brewster B-339 "Comte de Guichen", Escadrille Martinique


Brewster B339 Martinique by Glenn Gilbertson, on Flickr

Hi Glenn,

I realise this is a blast from the past, but having only recently joined What-If Modelers I'm just finding builds that interest me. Unfortunately, the photo link of the finished Buffalo seems to be broken, so I was wondering if there was any chance you could re-post a pic, please?

Cheers,
Mark