Brewster 239 coded BW-354 flown by SSgt Heimo Lampi of 2/LeLv 24 seen during April 1942 in Tiiksjarvi.
Some Finnish pilots actually preferred the Buffalo - or the 239- over their later 109 Gustavs received from Germany. SSgt Heimo 'Hemmi' Lampi later recounted his attachment to the Brewster to historian Dan Ford;
“The old friend Messerschmitt, who was a real hard fighter, was my next plane after the Brewster, but it totally lacked in humaneness.. [..]... “I could not love it the way I loved my friend Brewster. Nor any other plane for that matter.”
Having scored during the Winter War, Lampi became an ace on day 1 of the Continuation War - 25 June 1941 - then later became an ace on the Brewster 239 and added eight more victories in the 109.
Warrant Officer Juutilainen (with 34, second-highest scoring ace on the Brewster Model 239) referred to the 239s as “fat hustlers, just like bees. They had speed, agility and good weaponry, too.…We were happy to take them anywhere to take on any opponent.”
The top three Buffalo pilots - Lt. Hans Wind (with 39 victories in a Brewster), and 1st Lt. Jorma Karhunen (26.5)—claimed 23 Polikarpov I-16 monoplane fighters, 18 Polikarpov I-153 biplanes and 11 Hawker Hurricanes. Encounters with more modern Russian fighters—Yaks, MiGs and LaGGs—were rare until the Finns began the conversion to Messerschmitts in early 1943.
Lampi poses alongside the tail of his BW-354 '6' after downing two Soviet Hurricanes on 30 March 1942.
Lt. Jorma Savanto of 2/LeLv 24 in Selänpää during June 1941 at the start of the Continuation War.
.jpg)
BW-374 was one of a handful of ski-equipped B-239s seen in Nurmoila, March 1942
Malmi, May 1943 - Bf 109 G-2 and Ms 406 alongside B-239
2/ LeLv 24 pilots Jorma Savanto (second left) and Veikko Rimminen (second right) in front of Rimminen's BW- 367 in Selänpää.
