RAF BUFFALOES; RANGOON’S CO-DEFENDERS (RAF)

RAF BUFFALOES; RANGOON’S CO-DEFENDERS (RAF)

Pilots of 67 Squadron, Royal Air Force are seen with one of their Brewster Buffalo fighters at RAF Mingaladon in Rangoon. Built by the American Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, the Buffalo was designed as a ship borne fighter for the United States Navy, but was quickly replaced in American service by the strudier and more maneuverable Grumman F4F “Wildcat.”

The RAF airfield at Mingaladon, became the key Allied airfield in the defense of Rangoon during the Japanese invasion of Burma, where initially the AVG’s 3rd Pursuit Squadron and the Buffaloes of 67 Squadron would face off against large formations of Japanese Army Air Force Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate” and Nakajima Ki-43 “Oscar fighters and Mitsubishi Ki-21 “Sally” bombers. Eventually all three pursuit squadrons of the AVG would fly in the defense of the Burmese capital, and the Buffaloes of the 67 Squadron would be reinforced by a small number of Hawker Hurricane fighters of the Royal Air Force’s Number 17 Squadron.