The Story of One of the Worst Fighters That Struggled During the WWII Malayan Campaign

Background to the Brewster Buffalo’s Use in Asia

By 1941, British leaders expected Japan to attack their colonies in Southeast Asia. The Netherlands, which still controlled the Dutch East Indies, shared the same concern. These areas were important for resources like crude oil. However, both European powers lacked strong military forces in the region and had few options to defend against a full-scale invasion.

In terms of air power, they relied heavily on the Brewster Buffalo fighter. This aircraft had already fallen behind more advanced designs and is often seen as one of the worst fighters used in the war. It was originally built as a carrier fighter and first flew with the U.S. Navy in late 1939. The export version ordered by Britain, known as the B-339E or Buffalo Mark I, had a weaker engine than the American version. Though it was smooth to handle, it suffered from overheating and poor high-altitude performance.

Deployment to the Far East

By 1940, the British had received 32 Buffalos originally built for Belgium, and later added 170 more. Because of the airplane’s problems in Europe, it was moved to Asia. Intelligence reports had suggested that Japanese fighters were older models like the Ki-27, and that the Buffalo would be enough to face them. While partly true, the Japanese also had modern aircraft like the Ki-43 and the A6M Zero, which had already seen success in China.

However, modern British fighters like the Spitfire and Hurricane were needed elsewhere, so they weren’t sent to Asia. In the end, 167 Buffalo fighters were assigned to British and Commonwealth squadrons in the Far East, including those from Australia and New Zealand. These units began arriving in Singapore in early 1941.

Trouble Before the Battles Began

At the start of the war in the Pacific, about 50 Buffaloes were positioned at Kallang Airfield in Singapore, with others spread across Malaya and Burma. Many planes were still in storage, as there were not enough trained pilots. At least 20 Buffaloes were lost in training before the fighting even started. Most pilots had little experience with monoplane fighters.

New Zealand pilot Geoff Fisken, who would go on to become the most successful Buffalo pilot outside of Finland, thought the plane was easy to fly but climbed slowly and needed a stronger engine. His view was more positive than most others.

The First Combat in Malaya

The Japanese invasion began on the night of December 7–8, 1941. Australian bombers were the first to attack the Japanese fleet, hitting three transport ships. Around the same time, a small RAF group with Buffaloes at Khota Baru tried to stop Japanese landings. One Buffalo was hit by ground fire and forced to return. Another pilot, Officer Shields, attempted to intercept bombers, but his guns jammed after just two bursts, a common problem with the Buffalo.

Meanwhile, at Sungei Patani, the 21st Australian Squadron faced a raid by Japanese bombers. Two pilots took off as bombs fell, but again, gun problems stopped them from doing damage. The raid destroyed two Buffaloes and damaged several others. British airfields lacked radar and aircraft shelters, leaving them open to repeated attacks.

Clashes with Japanese Fighters

Soon after, Buffalo pilots began facing Japanese fighters. In one early encounter, Australian pilot John Hooper spotted bombers but was attacked by fighters, likely Ki-43s. He escaped by using a tight diving turn. In another fight, two Australian pilots were intercepted by Ki-27s. They managed to survive but could not claim any kills.

By mid-morning, a second raid hit Sungei Patani and destroyed most of the remaining Buffaloes. The squadron was forced to withdraw. Other units began to retreat as well. The first day of fighting was disastrous for British and Commonwealth forces—and worse days were still ahead.