Jay Dubya
I am keen to see what you are looking to do here, Denis. A model or walkaround? I will be happy either way!

Denis Dogadov Szerző
I managed to visit four aviation museums in Finland, and each of them has unique exhibits.
Brewster can be seen at Suomen Ilmavoimamuseo, or the Finnish Air Force Museum, on his website. —
ilmavoimamuseo.fi/

Denis Dogadov Szerző
there is a "virtual tour" on the website, it is especially interesting that you can sit in the cockpit of the presented aircraft and inspect it inside from all sides, in our case, if you click on exhibit No. 7.
It only works in the Finnish version.
You need to press the Virtuaalimuseo 360° button

Denis Dogadov Szerző
During the Winter War, Finland purchased 44 Brewster B-239 fighter jets from the United States. The planes arrived without sights, weapons, instruments and equipment, which greatly surprised the Finns. They had to arm and equip the planes themselves. Therefore, only six of them managed to participate in the fighting in the 40th year. But in the next war they fought to the fullest. In general, Brewster is considered by the Finns to be the most effective fighter.

Well, you can argue about the effectiveness.
Here is a description of the fight involving our hero. The number of claimed victories is overestimated exactly twice, however, everyone was doing it...
allaces.ru/fin/istr/episodes/420406.php

Denis Dogadov Szerző
On June 25, 1942, a fighter with tail number BW-372, led by Lieutenant Lauri Pekuri, as part of a group of 8 aircraft of the same type, encountered more than 10 Soviet Hurricane fighters in the Segozer area. In the ensuing battle, 7 Soviet aircraft were damaged. Lieutenant Pekuri shot down two Hurricane fighters (he has 18 downed aircraft in total, 7 of them Hurricanes), but he was set on fire and tried to land a burning BW-372 on the surface of Lake Bolshoe Kaleyarvi. Due to the high speed, the plane flipped over the hood and went down. Lieutenant Pekuri managed to get out of the cockpit and walk about 20 km. reach the front line, overcome the minefield and reach the location of your units.

More details here-
allaces.ru/fin/pil/pekuri/01.php

Jay Dubya
You are absolutely correct, Denis, the museum's website and virtual tour is very good. Thank you for the excellent photos and history, for better context. Cheers 'mate

Robert Podkoński
"During the Winter War, Finland purchased 44 Brewster B-239 fighter JETS (???) from the United States".

Denis Dogadov Szerző
Yes, it's funny, that's how the translator translated it, I'm sorry, I didn't see it. I can't even fix it now, sorry...

Denis Dogadov Szerző
Jay Dubya
Thank you for your kind words, I am glad that someone is interested in my story.
There will be more to come-

Denis Dogadov Szerző
In August 1998, 50 kilometers from the city of Segezha, in Lake Bolshoe Kaleyarvi, a Finnish WWII Brewster 239 Buffalo fighter aircraft with tail number BW-372 was discovered by a search team. Up to this point, it was believed that not a single aircraft of this brand had survived in the world. The plane was sold using forged documents (as it was of no value to Russian museums) for 1 million rubles to a private collector and exported to the United States]. The aircraft was repeatedly resold (no restoration was carried out) . During transportation, the aircraft was seriously damaged, even cut into pieces. Finally, it was acquired by the National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, USA, where its restoration began.

Mina Ro
Thats a rare bird in a rare paint scheme. Flew a lot of these in the Winter War campaign in IL-2 1946. Hope it gets fully restored.

Denis Dogadov Szerző
-" Flew a lot of these in the Winter War campaign in IL-2 1946."
-I'm sorry, I'm confused .

In reality, the aircraft has been restored to its condition at the time of the fall into the lake. And personally, I really like this approach to restoration.

Denis Dogadov Szerző
Subsequently, a conflict arose between USA and Suomi. The Americans claim that they have every moral right to keep the plane - at the very beginning of the war, almost half of the US carrier-based aircraft consisted of Buffalo fighters. Many American pilots died during the battles with the Japanese Zero, which were technically superior to them.

However, for the Finns, this aircraft is a real symbol of the Air Force. And now Finland demands his return.

"The real owner is the State of Finland. She bought the plane in 1939, and it needs to be returned to the owner. It is as important to us as the Hurricane fighter jet is to the British," said Olof Niemen, curator of the Helsinki Aviation Museum.

At the moment, as a result of an agreement with the American Museum, the BW-372 is located in the Finnish Central Aviation Museum in Tikkakoski near Jyvaskyla.

Mina Ro
I flew them in a combat flight simulator with a winter war campaign. (Il-2 1946 game) I dunno why USA would fight for rights to plane. While it is US made, this specific plane was used by Finland not USA. Its dumb that the US would fight to obtain it. sounds like some greedy collector is after it and not US government.

Denis Dogadov Szerző
Lauri Olavi Pekuri lived for 83 years and died in 1999.The pilot, having learned that his plane had been found and lifted out of the water, asked if the shoes had been found. The boots were not found, but the skis(??? the plane was shot down on June 25, 1942 ) the pilot was found in the cockpit. When asked if he would like to look at his plane, the pilot refused because he had suffered enough fear and anxiety back in those days.
The 82-year-old veteran retained his sense of humor - he took off his heavy flight boots as he swam ashore from the sunken plane and continued walking to his socks.
After Brewster, Peccary flew a Messerschmitt, was shot down once more, and spent six months in captivity.
Interestingly, he is the first "Supersonic" Finn.

Learn more about Pekuri's biography-
allaces.ru/fin/pil/pekuri/01.php
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauri_Pekuri
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