Q&A · 3:16:56-3:18:58

British aircraft orders if Brewster's problems were known

An aircraft-procurement answer follows advance knowledge of one poor design into a broader loss of confidence in its manufacturer.

Question

How would British procurement change if the shortcomings of Brewster aircraft were known in advance?

Short answer

Britain would avoid the Bermuda and might place no orders with Brewster at all, including the large Buffalo order.

Notes

The Royal Navy did not adopt the Bermuda as a dive bomber, a clear verdict on its suitability. If British buyers also knew how badly the wider Brewster program would perform, they would likely cancel the planned order for hundreds of aircraft. The counterfactual may remove the manufacturer from British purchasing altogether rather than merely substituting one model.