Brewster XA-32A - A Final Nail in the Coffin for Brewster

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Brewster XA-32A

   Hello everybody. Today, I’d like to suggest the Brewster XA-32A for US Aviation in War Thunder. The XA-32A was Brewster’s final aircraft design for the US military during World War II. It was equipped with an internal bomb bay and heavy internal armor, and it was Brewster’s attempt to create a dedicated Army dive bomber. However, due to unsatisfactory test results and the success of fighter-bombers like the P-47 Thunderbolt, the XA-32A never entered full-scale production. This failure significantly contributed to Brewster’s financial decline, ultimately leading to the company’s closure in 1946.

Key Characteristics

  • Brewster’s prototype attack aircraft
  • Powered by a 2,100-hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-37 radial engine
  • Armed with 4 x 20-mm autocannons
  • Featured an internal bomb bay
  • Overweight and underpowered dive bomber
History

On September 6, 1941, the US Army issued a requirement for a Close Support Army Cooperation Airplane (dive bomber) after receiving war reports in 1940 that analyzed the German Luftwaffe’s Junkers Ju 87 “Stuka” dive bombers in combat. The new dive bomber was intended to replace a rear gunner with heavy armor, enabling it to withstand significant damage in air-to-air combat engagements.

Several companies submitted proposals to meet this requirement, and Brewster Aeronautical Corporation secured a contract to build a prototype. Brewster was already known for designing and producing the F2A Buffalo and S2A Buccaneer for the US Navy.

Brewster’s proposal for the Army was designated the XA-32. The aircraft featured an all-metal construction and was loosely based on the XSB2A-1 design. It was a single-seat, mid-wing configuration with an internal bomb bay, heavily armored with 650 pounds of protective plating. Powered by a 2,100 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-37 engine, it drove a four-blade Curtiss propeller. Brewster estimated a top speed of 331 mph at 10,000 feet, a range of 500 miles, and a bomb load capacity of 3,000 pounds. The internal bomb bay could carry up to a 1,000-pound bomb, supplemented by wing shackles for additional ordnance. Planned armament included four 20-mm cannons with 120 rounds per gun and several .50-caliber machine guns with 400 rounds per gun.

The Army ordered two XA-32 prototypes on October 31, 1941, making it Brewster’s only Army Air Forces contract. Delivery was expected by September 1942, and initial inspections in May 1942 were optimistic. However, the Army would soon experience the same frustrations the Navy had endured with Brewster’s Buffalo and Buccaneer designs.

As the XA-32 moved into production, Brewster was already overwhelmed with delays in fulfilling existing contracts for the Buffalo and Buccaneer. These problems, caused by foreign and domestic demands that exceeded the company’s capacity, resulted in missed deadlines and constant design changes.

The XA-32 prototype wasn’t completed until March 1943, with its first flight on May 22, 1943—two years after the design was proposed. During flight evaluations, the XA-32 was found to be underpowered, overweight, and far below specifications for speed and range. Handling during bombing runs was poor, and its bulbous design, combined with various lumps and bumps, significantly increased drag. Additional issues arose, including exhaust scoops around the cowling that blinded test pilots during night flights as flames engulfed the nose at low power settings. The XA-32 also lacked modern features, such as a bubble canopy and a retractable tail wheel, making it unsuitable for combat.

By this point, the Army had abandoned plans to field the XA-32 and did not pursue further production. Changing combat priorities and lessons learned in North Africa and Italy revealed the vulnerabilities of dive bombers like the A-36 Apache when facing enemy fighters. This led to a shift toward versatile fighter-bombers like the P-47 Thunderbolt, which excelled in both ground attack and air combat roles.

The XA-32’s massive shortcoming was its extensive weight. The empty weight was 13,500 pounds (6,124 kg), and the loaded weight was 20,000 pounds (9,072 kg). This made the XA-32 comparable to the larger Grumman Avenger. A second prototype, the XA-32A, was built with reduced armament (just four cannons), but it failed to resolve the issues. Efforts to re-engine the aircraft with a 3,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major also proved fruitless.

The XA-32 program was officially canceled in 1944, which dealt a severe blow to Brewster Aeronautical Corporation. Congressional investigations into the company revealed significant management issues, and Brewster’s contract to build Corsairs was terminated. Brewster went out of business in 1946, becoming the only American aircraft manufacturer to fail due to World War II. Both XA-32 prototypes were scrapped, and this marked the end of Brewster’s position as an aircraft manufacturer.

Specifications

Brewster XA-32A

General Characteristics

  • Crew: 1 (Pilot)
  • Length: 40 ft 7 in (12.37 m)
  • Height: 11 ft 3 in (3.44 m)
  • Span: 45 ft 1 in (13.74 m)
  • Wing area: 425 sq ft (39.48 sq m)
  • Propeller Type: 4-blade Curtiss propeller
  • Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-37 Double Wasp radial engine
    → 2,100 hp (1,545 kW)
  • Internal Fuel: 200 US gal. (757 L)
  • Empty Weight: 11,820 lb (5,366 kg)
  • Gross Weight: 15,512 lb (7,036 kg)
  • Max. Takeoff Weight: 19,960 lb (9,054 kg)

Performance

  • Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.13 hp/lb (0.22 kW/kg)
  • Cruise Speed: 236 mph (380 km/h)
  • Critical Altitude Speed: 311 mph @ 10,000 ft (500 km/h @ 3,048 m)
  • Wing Loading: 36.5 lb/sq ft (178.2 kg/sq m)
  • Rate of Climb: 1,754 fpm (8.9 m/s)
  • Service Ceiling: 26,000 ft (7925 m)
  • Combat Range: 300 miles (483 km)
  • Max. Range: 960 miles (1545 km)

Armament

  • Guns:
    • 4 x 20-mm (AN/M2?) cannons (120 rpg; 480 rounds)
  • Bombs:
    • 1 x 1,000-lb bomb in an internal fuselage bomb bay
    • 2 x 1,000-lb bombs on underwings
  • Drop Tanks:
    • 2 x 165-gal drop tanks
Cockpit

Images

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Conclusion | Why it should be in the game

   The US aviation in War Thunder currently lacks low-tier heavy attack aircraft, and I believe the XA-32A would be a great addition to fill that gap. While it wasn’t designed to be a super-fast fighter bomber, the XA-32A would be a slower, heavily protected Army dive bomber. With its powerful armament and the ability to carry up to 3 x 1,000 lbs of bombs, it would fit well into the game at a BR of 3.0.

Sources

Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃

3 Likes
2

+1!

3

This would do really well in naval. +1