Brewster XA-32

Brewster Aeronautical Corporation · United States · first flew 1943 · fighter

The Brewster XA-32 was a single-engine naval attack aircraft prototype developed by Brewster Aeronautical Corporation for the United States Navy during World War II. It was intended as a ground-attack and dive-bombing aircraft but was not ordered into production.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Large radial engine on a low-slung fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Single-engine US Navy attack prototype of WWII era
Brewster's last combat aircraft design
Large radial engine on a low-slung fuselage

A large-radial-engine single-seat attack monoplane with a mid-wing layout; the wide-track undercarriage and sizeable fuselage distinguish it from smaller naval fighters of the era.

Specifications

The Brewster XA-32 has a length of 12.37 m (41 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.74 m (45 ft).
Its maximum speed is 501 km/h (311 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Brewster, already struggling with production of the F2A Buffalo and F3A Corsair, developed the XA-32 as a dedicated attack type. The prototype flew in 1943 but performance did not justify production over existing designs. Brewster's manufacturing difficulties led to the cancellation of all its contracts in 1944.

Variants

Only the single XA-32 prototype was completed; no production variants were built.

Where you'll see it

The XA-32 never entered US Navy service and was evaluated only at the prototype stage.

Related aircraft

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