Model Description
Hobbymaster 1/48th scale HA7014 Brewster Model 239 “Buffalo” (winter scheme) BW364, 3/LeLv 24, flown by WO Ilmari Juutilainen, March 1942. Buy now online at Flying Tigers.
Brewster & Company started out as a manufacturer of horse-drawn wagons and carriages. In 1920 they moved up to supplying aircraft floats to the Naval Aircraft Factory. The next step was producing things so they designed the SBN-1 low-wing, two-seater, all-metal torpedo/bomber/reconnaissance plane for the USN. The next big break came when their Brewster F2A was chosen over the Grumman F4F. What should have been a great opportunity for the company turned into a night-mare. They sold far more planes than they could produce which meant the US orders weren’t being filled as almost all planes were shipped overseas. Next they were caught up in an arms scandal during the Spanish Civil War and this forced the US Government to step in and take control of the company and production of the Brewster planes. The Brewster Aircraft Company finally closed its doors in 1944.
Eino Ilmari “Illu” Juutilainen (21st February 1914 – 21st February 1999) was a fighter pilot of the Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), and the top scoring non-German fighter pilot of all time. The top flying ace of the Finnish Air Force, he led all Finnish pilots in score against Soviet aircraft in World War II (1939–40 and 1941–44), with 94 confirmed aerial combat victories (he himself claimed further kills for a total of 126 victories, but these were unconfirmed) in 437 sorties. He achieved 58 of his victories while flying a Messerschmitt Bf 109G and 34 with a Brewster Buffalo.
RRP £88.00
