Why Britain bought a second-choice fighter

The Buffalo might have looked like a good British purchase in September or October 1939, yet only a few months of war experience changed the assessment. The aviation side of the British Purchasing Commission was strongly influenced by the Royal Air Force, even though the Royal Navy also wanted access to American aircraft. By January 1940 the commission did not regard the Buffalo as suitable against the best European fighters. Britain nevertheless had many regions to defend, and an available fighter could be preferable to no fighter when expected opponents were bombers or older aircraft. The purchase reflects procurement against global shortages and likely threats rather than confidence in the Buffalo as a first-rate European interceptor.