As this is one of my favourite aircraft of WW2 I have to post this link to the best website around: http://www.warbirdforum.com/buff.htm
Buffalo lifted from a lake in Russian Karelia Had completely forgotten about this - Brewster model 239 fighter BW-372 of Finnish Air Force lifted from a lake in Russian Karelia: http://users.tkk.fi/~ssipila/bw-372/ Must follow it up to see what progress they have made, if any, on restoring/preserving it.
Here ya go Kyt. From Air Classics May 2004: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3901/is_200405/ai_n9415629 Remember the virtually intact Finnish Air Force Brewster Buffalo recovered from a lake a few years back? After numerous attempts at selling the machine, which has been hidden away at several locations, a trade deal has been worked out with the Naval Aviation Museum in Pcnsacola, Florida. In exchange for the fighter, three Lockheed P-3 Orions are being given to the owner. The aircraft have been pulled from storage at Davis-Monthan AFB and placed in a special area pending completion of the deal. Probably means she'll go into USN markings not Finnish AF. :cry:
An excellent story of the man behind her recovery. Given her apparent history, the push should be to put her in Finnish colours: http://warbirdforum.com/gosport.htm The Last Brewster: http://warbirdforum.com/jarmoart.htm
http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/...ose/FeaturedExhibit/Underwater-Treasures.aspx In 2004, a lake in Russia revealed the wreckage of a Finnish Air Force BW-372, export version of the U.S. Navy’s first monoplane fighter, the Brewster F2A Buffalo. Though American combat experience with the type left much to be desired, Finnish pilots racked up quite a record in the type while flying against the Soviet Union. Among the top-ranking aces was Lieutenant Lauri Pekuri, with 18.5 kills. On 25 June 1942, Pekuri engaged in a running dogfight with enemy fighters, suffering damage to his aircraft that made it necessary for him to ditch his aircraft in a lake. Sixty-two years later, that aircraft arrived at the museum, the tail still pained with the silhouettes signifying some of Pekuri’s kills and the fuselage and pilot’s seat showing the signs of damage from its last pitched World War II air battle.
I think so, Geoff. I haven't read all of the above links in entirety yet (for tomorrow when my wife's working from home!) but the "Last Brewster" article mentioned arrests and a "must get back to Finland"!
The Finnish version of the Buffalo: http://www.warbirdforum.com/humu.htm Page one of a lot of photos! http://www.trerc.fi/galleria/tikka1/
Ok I couldn't resist this - This is "my" Buffalo, which I made over twenty years ago and dug out of the loft recently. It's the Matchbox kit in 1/72 scale, with a few minor improvements, and finished in Finnish colours taken from a modelling magazine.
