Finns using the FM2 is just fine IMO. The Brewsters the Finns used historically were not the navy models the US used at Midway (where the Buffalo earned its "flying coffin" reputation). The Finn version did not have as much armor or the reinforced undercarriage to allow carrier landings that the US version had. As such it was a very nimble compared to most of the planes it went up against, and it racked up quite an impressive record.
World War 2 Magazine did a write-up on it a while ago (can't find the issue - been a problem for me lately) and if memory serves, the Buffalos finally stopped flying more or less due to wear and tear, and not due to enemy action. I think the overall record of Brewsters vs Russian aircraft was in the neighborhood of 26-1.
Point being, given the reputation and record of the Brewster in Finnish hands, I can understand using the FM2. Given the reputation of the Brewster in US hands in a much more widely-known battle, I can see why most people would be very skeptical. The thing to keep in mind then, is that the two aircraft were quite different for the reasons already mentioned.
Staga posted the following in a thread in the Aircraft and vehicles forum under the thread "Russia's favorite lend-lease aircraft". I think it sums it up nicely.
Like "Pappy" Boyington said to interviewer about B-239 Brewster:
quote:
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"It was a DOG!" (Heavier B-339 "Buffalo").
Then he slowly leaned back in his chair and after a moment quietly said, "But the early models, before they weighed it all down with armorplate, radios and other sh_t, they were pretty sweet little ships. Not real fast, but the little fuc_s could turn and roll in a phonebooth. Oh yeah--sweet little ship; but some engineer went and fu__d it up."
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Finns had the 239, US had 339.
