A Coffin That Flies
If you ever find yourself in a conversation about planes that pilots and crews despise, bring up the Brewster Buffalo, the US Navy’s first monoplane fighter aircraft. Finland, Australia, and the United Kingdom were among the countries that deployed the Brewster Buffalo, but by the end of World War II, the plane had become obsolete.
The plane itself was a nightmare to fly. It was extremely heavy and difficult to manage. Japan’s planes were significantly superior to the Buffalo, and it was evident that something needed to be done. It was also difficult to land the Buffalo, which was dubbed the “flying coffin” because its landing gears frequently failed while attempting to land on an aircraft carrier.