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Barrett · 4 December 1998, 01:27 PM

Mike: cheer up! You might get time-warped to Helsinki in time to fly Buffalos with the Finnish Air Force. I'd do that in a NY minute. Flying Buffalos, the Finns kicked the commies' empennages for 3 years, produced 35 aces in type, with top scores over 30. The Brewster pilots claimed a 15-1 kill-loss ratio.
Reason for the F2A's poor rep in US service was the tactical situation that VMF-221 found at Midway: committed piecemeal to an interception against superior numbers of enemy aircraft that enjoyed an altitude and performance advantage. That fight only could have ended one way.
The Brits claimed 3 Buffalo aces in Burma; I met one, a New Zealander, in 1993. He absolutely LOVED the airplane, though his squadron was wiped out. My friend Marion Carl, who survived Midway in a Wildcat, said he'd have done just as well in an F2A--a type in which he had far more flight time.
Now THAT takes respect!

4 December 1998, 01:27 PM	#13 (permalink)
Barrett Forum Ace of Aces Join Date: Aug 1998 Location: The American West Posts: 4,809	Mike: cheer up! You might get time-warped to Helsinki in time to fly Buffalos with the Finnish Air Force. I'd do that in a NY minute. Flying Buffalos, the Finns kicked the commies' empennages for 3 years, produced 35 aces in type, with top scores over 30. The Brewster pilots claimed a 15-1 kill-loss ratio. Reason for the F2A's poor rep in US service was the tactical situation that VMF-221 found at Midway: committed piecemeal to an interception against superior numbers of enemy aircraft that enjoyed an altitude and performance advantage. That fight only could have ended one way. The Brits claimed 3 Buffalo aces in Burma; I met one, a New Zealander, in 1993. He absolutely LOVED the airplane, though his squadron was wiped out. My friend Marion Carl, who survived Midway in a Wildcat, said he'd have done just as well in an F2A--a type in which he had far more flight time. Now THAT takes respect! __________________ You will not rise to the occasion: You will default to your level of training.