**** DONE: 1/48 Brewster B-239 - Aircraft of the Aces GB.

[Vic Balshaw]

Username: Vic Balshaw
First name: Vic
Category: Judge – Non competing
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Special Hobby – Brewster Buffalo F2A
Model Type: Finnish Air Force B-239 Brewster

Extras: Mostly OOB which has etched detail and resin parts plus inScale 72 decal set AC007 and Eduard Mask set EX084.

This is my only entry into GB 11 and will now remain dormant until early November when I make a start and hope to get it completed by the close of that month. Wishful thinking.

References: Wikipedia.org. 'Finnish Aces of WWII' – Osprey Aces 23. Brewster Buffalo Pilot Manual.

In my quest to find a WWII air ace outside the popular selection box of America, Britain, Germany or Japan, I turned my thoughts to Finland, France or Italy and in the end because of the availability of decal and applicable models, I settled on one from the Finnish Air Force flying the Brewster Buffalo.

As a background the Finland's use of the Buffalo, following negotiations between the Roosevelt Administration and the Finnish Government, the USN diverted some Brewster Buffalo F2A-1s from the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation to Finland. Prior to the diversion the USN striped out the self-sealing fuel tanks, pilot armour plating, landing hook and life raft which made the aircraft much lighter so the Finnish version was fitted with an approved lower capacity Wright R-1820-G5 nine-cylinder radial engine of 950 hp (708 kW). These aircraft were designated Brewster Model B-239 but were known locally as just the Brewster and never the Buffalo. Arriving by sea in Bergen, Norway during January and February 1940 they were railed to the SAAB Gothenburg factory in Sweden for assembly where a pilots armoured backrest and metric instruments were added along with their own Väisälä T.h.m.40 gun-sights and four .50 inch (12.7mm) machine guns.

It would seem the Fins were quite fond of this aircraft as it was given a number of affectionate sounding nicknames, such as 'Taivaan helmi ("Sky Pearl")', 'Pohjoisten taivaiden helmi ("Pearl of the Northern Skies")', 'Pylly-Valtteri ("Butt-Walter")', 'Amerikanrauta ("American hardware" or "American car")' and 'Lent 'v' kaljapullo ("flying beer-bottle")'.

My Ace

In relationship to my ace selection, there were numerous subjects within the Finnish Air Force to choose from and I eventually settled on Eino Ilmari "Illu" Juutilainen of 3rd Flight "Knight Flight" LeLv 24 (Fighter Squadron 24). Between June 1941 and February 1943 "Illu" shot down 28 aircraft while flying his 'Orange 4' (BW-364) Brewster B-239 before changing to a Messerschmitt Bf-109G. By the end of WWII "Illu" had accumulated a total 94 victories and had twice been awarded the 'Mannerheim Cross', the highest award in the Finnish Air Force. As fo 3/LeLv 24, it was the most successful squadron flying the Brewster, totting up a total score of 460 kills.

"Illu" was born in Lieksa in Eastern Finland on 21 February 1914. In 1935 he enlisted in the Finnish Air Force and was posted on the 1 May 1937 to Las. 5 (Air Station 5) as a reconnaissance sergeant pilot. Retraining as a fighter pilot he was posted on 3 March 1939 to the 3rd Flight LeLv 24 which at the time was equipped with Fokker D.XXI.

Following the outbreak of the Winter War on 30 November 1939, "Illu's" first combat was on 19 December 1939 when he downed a Tupolev SB. His next claim was an I-16 on the last day of 1939 which was also when he was promoted to Staff Sergeant (SSgt), 25 days later he was a Master Sergeant (MSgt). During the Winter War "Illu" flew 115 missions finishing as a Warrant Officer (WO).

The Continuation War from 25 June 1941 saw "Illu" flying Brewster BW-364 in 3/LeLv 24. In his first combat on 9 July he claimed 2 'Chaikas' destroyed and on 12 August he scored his first 'triple' victory, all I-153s in a single mission. His second 'triple' victory came on 26 September and on the 26 April 1942, "Illu" was awarded the Mannerheim Cross for scoring 20 victories. A third 'triple' victory was recorded on 18 August 1942 and by the time he was posted to 1/LeLv 34 on 8 February 1943, "Illu" has chalked up 36 victories from 181 missions. 34 of the victories had been scored in a Brewster with 28 in BW-364.



Following on with this phenomenal aces career, "Illu" was assigned a Bf 109G-2 (MT-212) but the aircraft was lost when fellow ace WO Oiva Tuminen ditched after downing a Petlyakov Pe-2 on 2 June 1943. "Illu" was reassigned MT-222 as a replacement and scored his fourth 'triple' victory just three days later on 5 June. On 10 July 1943, "Illu" yet again pulled off his sixth 'triple' victory in MT-217. Yet another three Lavochkin La-5s (seventh 'triple) fell to his guns on 27 October 1943, number eight 'triple' came on 6 March 1944 when he downed two Petlyakov Pe-2s and a Yak-9, all scored in single missions.

Bf 109G-2, MT-426 was assigned to "Illu" on the 30 May 1944 and 10 days later he again downed three aircraft (ninth 'triple') in a single mission plus an Ilyushin Il-2 in a separate mission on the same day flying MT-424. On the 20 June "illu" clamed five kills from three missions and on 26th June scored another 'triple' (tenth) while flying MT-422. Two days later "Illu" was awarded his second 'Mannerheim Cross' having attained 75 victories. This made "Illu" one of only four military personnel ever to obtain this honour twice.

Possibly spurred on by such an honour (personal conjecture) "Illu" while flying MT-457, equalled Jorma Sarvanto's score of six victories in a single mission ('triple' scores eleven and twelve) being credited with two Yak-9s, two P-39s, one La-5 and two Il-2s. The very next day "Illu" scored his thirteenth 'triple' over two missions and again repeated the feat (fourteenth 'triple') on 5 July in a single mission. Only 24 hours before the Armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union, "Illu" claimed a Lisunov Li-2 transport which brought his score to 94 in 437 missions – the highest non-Germans score in Europe.

"Illu" retired from the Air Force on 16 May 1947. He purchased a Tiger Moth and continued flying well into his eighties and it is reported that at the age of 83 he actually piloted and F-18 Hornet of the Finnish Air Force. Eino Ilmari "Illu" Juutilainen died at the age of 85 on 21 February 1999.

[Vic Balshaw]

"Illu"



WO Eino Ilmari Juutilainen on 30 June 1944.



Juutilainen in his Brewster. Date unknown



Juutilainen sporting his new Mannerheim Cross- April 26th 1942

The Mount



The Kit

[vikingBerserker]

Excellent choice Vic!

[ozhawk40]

Looking forward to it Vic, but it's a long wait to November!

Cheers

Peter

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks David and Peter, looking forward to doing it myself, something simple this time.

Looking forward to it Vic, but it's a long wait to November!

Cheers

Peter

Sorry about the long wait Pete, but I'm off on long walkabout in just on three weeks and have much to attend to before heading north east across the Pacific. Won't get back until Melbourne Cup week.

[Wayne Little]

Nice choice Vic, got a few Finnish Aces still to do myself, should be able to provide a few pics for you from my Finnish Books...

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks Wayne, should be okay for the moment as I have most of what I need, I think. Mind you, if you have a clear pic of the undercart hydraulics, that would be good, my one is a bit hazy but no rush mind as I've a couple of months before start date.

[Wurger]

A nice choice Vic.

Maybe it can help with the landing gear.







pic source.... http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...ewster-Buffalo

Also check the link.....

http://www.trerc.fi/galleria/tikka1/index.html

[Vic Balshaw]

Top stuff Wojetk, just the ticket and much appreciated. Could the first link be the same machine our Bill (N4521U) is duplicating in the unofficial build.

[Crimea_River]

OOB Vic? Let me know how that goes!

[Vic Balshaw]

I did say "MOSTLY" and I will be in a hurry on a short time frame!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Andy.

[rochie]

nice choice Vic

[Vic Balshaw]

Agreed?.............Thanks Karl

[Wurger]

Top stuff Wojetk, just the ticket and much appreciated. Could the first link be the same machine our Bill (N4521U) is duplicating in the unofficial build.

You'r welcome. Yes it is the same Buffalo. Here is another link..... The Last Flight of BW-372

[Airframes]

Nice one Vic. Let's hope you can finish the Finnish in time for the finish !!