Brewster Buffalos in the German and Finnish AF

B-17engineer · 01-01-2008, 11:04 AM

There is a great book called "FLying aces of WWII" it said that Brewster Buffalos flew in the German and FInnish airforce. It said a Finnish ace shot down 32 fighters in the Buffalos.

I know it was a terrible airplane but if anyone knew how it got there i am dying to know

Micdrow · 01-01-2008, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-17engineer

There is a great book called "FLying aces of WWII" it said that Brewster Buffalos flew in the German and FInnish airforce. It said a Finnish ace shot down 32 fighters in the Buffalos.

I know it was a terrible airplane but if anyone knew how it got there i am dying to know

If what Im reading is correct the Finnish goverment bought them before the war happened or at least before Finland entered the war. They where refered to as the B-239. Will see if I can find more info.

B-17engineer · 01-01-2008, 12:08 PM

THanks a whole lot!

Nikademus · 01-01-2008, 12:17 PM

The Finns purchased the remainder of the Brewster F2A-1's contracted for the USN so that the USN could proceed to procure F2A-2's while keeping costs down to a reasonable level.

These F2A-1's were modified with Wright R-1820-G5 engines of 950hp under the company designation: B-239. They were crated and shipped to Sweden where they were assembled and flown to Finland (reportedly by Norwegian volunteers!)

B-17engineer · 01-01-2008, 12:55 PM

THanks

Marcel · 01-01-2008, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikademus

The Finns purchased the remainder of the Brewster F2A-1's contracted for the USN so that the USN could proceed to procure F2A-2's while keeping costs down to a reasonable level.

These F2A-1's were modified with Wright R-1820-G5 engines of 950hp under the company designation: B-239. They were crated and shipped to Sweden where they were assembled and flown to Finland (reportedly by Norwegian volunteers!)

The gun sights were replaced, de-navalised (Life raft and arresting hook removed) and doubled the firepower by installing 2 extra MG's in the wings (F2A's had only 2 MG's in the nose) before shipping the planes to Finnland. The finns also modified their B234 (armor plating, gun sights etc) and they modified the engines slightly. The B234 acted brilliantly against the Soviets, so it was not a bad plane at all. A Finnish squadron scored for instance 135 kills against 2 losses in 6 months of fighting.

B-17engineer · 01-01-2008, 01:32 PM

THats interesting! thanks marcel

Micdrow · 01-01-2008, 01:46 PM

Here is a nice little web sight on the B-239 along with a picture of a B-239 on ski's that they talkd about.

Brewster B-239 to Finland

Njaco · 01-01-2008, 02:40 PM

"Although the "Winter War" was not part of the wider conflict, many pilots who had been involved fought on in the so-called "Continuation War" after Germany invaded Russia and Finland fought on the side of Germany on the northern sector of the Eastern Front. Many became aces and foremost among them was Ilmari Juutilainen, who scored 94 victories in action against the Russians, flying Fokker D.XXIs, Brewster Buffaloes and Bf 109s.

In April 1940, Juutilainen, who was now commissioned, converted to the Brewster Buffalo fighter, with which he shot down 36 Soviet aircraft....In April 1942 he was awarded the Mannerheim Cross and in 1943 he was assigned to LeLv 34, flying Bf 109G-2s. His total of 94 kills was amassed in the course of 437 sorties; the 94th was an Li2, the Russian version of the Douglas C-47, shot down on 3 September 1944 over the Karelian Isthmus.

Ilmari Juutilainen died on 21 February 1999. The astonshing thing about his career is that never once was his aircraft hit by enemy fire."

Vital Guide: Air Aces of WWII by Robert Jackson pg 47