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Thread: Amazing what people can do with inferior castoff equipment, Brewster Buffalo, Finland

  1. #1
    Guns Network Lifetime Membership 01/2011 old Grump's Avatar

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    Amazing what people can do with inferior castoff equipment, Brewster Buffalo, Finland



    The Finnish airforce, equipped with obsolete Brewster Buffalo's (exported as the Brewster B-239) put up an excellent fight against the Russian Air Force. The Brewster Buffalo in Finnish hands produced an incredible 32:1 kill to loss ratio against the Soviets. While the Buffalos were deliverd during the Winter War, they didn't actually start seeing service till the Continuation War which followed shortly after.

    For example:

    Buffalos of Lentolaivue 24 (Fighter Squadron 24) claimed 477 Soviet Air Force warplanes destroyed, with the combat loss of just 19 Buffalos, an outstanding victory ratio of 26:1

    aircraft No. BW-364 was credited with 42½ kills in total by all pilots operating it, possibly making it the highest-scoring fighter airframe in the history of air warfare. The top scoring Finnish ace, Ilmari Juutilainen, scored 34 of his 94½ kills in B-239s, including 28 in BW-364.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewste...lo#cite_ref-52
    Some amazing flying in unreal conditions with planes the USN thought was inadequate. To be fair I think we were flying against better equipment and better trained pilots but still this is amazing.

    Roman Catholic, Life Member of American Legion, VFW, Wisconsin Libertarian party, Wi-FORCE, WGO, NRA, JPFO, GOA, SAF and CCRKBA


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  2. #2
    Senior Member mriddick's Avatar

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    The Russian pilots the Finns fought were nothing like the early war Japanese pilots our men were up against. The same could be said about the troops on the ground as well. Russia thought Finland would fold easily and they proved them wrong.

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    Senior Member Hedning's Avatar

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    My grandfather fought along with the Finns in the winter war, together with many other Norwegians before the Germans invaded us. Kind of ironic as the equipment they used in Finland was given to them by the Germans.... There is a well known quote said by an officer in the Finns army: "The wolves will eat well this winter"...

    Google "Simo Haya", ranked as #1 sniper in history...
    Last edited by Hedning; 01-18-2012 at 09:17 AM.
    Religion... mans victory over common sense...........

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    The amazing part is stalin didn't take all of Finland after the ww2.

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    Guns Network Lifetime Membership 01/2011 old Grump's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by mriddick View Post
    The Russian pilots the Finns fought were nothing like the early war Japanese pilots our men were up against. The same could be said about the troops on the ground as well. Russia thought Finland would fold easily and they proved them wrong.
    Exactly, Stalin purged the military officers of anybody not of the full bore boot licking Comrade class and the political appointees wearing officer uniforms didn't know their ass from a hole in the ground. This was good for Finland. By the time the Germans and Russians stopped playing nice with each other the military and officer corps was beginning to get up to speed. Now it was the Germans turn to find out you don't slog through the snow with long vulnerable supply lines against the home team.

    Roman Catholic, Life Member of American Legion, VFW, Wisconsin Libertarian party, Wi-FORCE, WGO, NRA, JPFO, GOA, SAF and CCRKBA


    "THE STATE THAT SEPARATES ITS SCHOLARS FROM IT WARRIORS WILL HAVE ITS THINKING DONE BY COWARDS AND ITS FIGHTING DONE BY FOOLS"

    THUCYDIDES.



  6. #6
    Roadhouse Groupee

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    yeah but, consider the Night Witches

    http://www.seizethesky.com/nwitches/nitewtch.html

    posted from a 12 y/o MAC

  7. #7
    Team GunsNet Silver 12/2012 Warthogg's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hedning View Post
    My grandfather fought along with the Finns in the winter war, together with many other Norwegians before the Germans invaded us. Kind of ironic as the equipment they used in Finland was given to them by the Germans.... There is a well known quote said by an officer in the Finns army: "The wolves will eat well this winter"...

    Google "Simo Haya", ranked as #1 sniper in history...
    705 kills in 100 days.


    Wart

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