Interview with Finnish Top Ace Ilmari Juutilainen 94 victories

[Swagger7]

Originally Posted by Soviet Ace

Actually, in the Pacific. The Buffalo did fairly well against the earlier Japanese planes such as the A5M, and others. But the Zero just tore into them as usual, and so the Buffalo was no longer used as a main stream fighter, except. The Marines actually used them at Midway Island, and even though they were all shot down. They did have the success of downing ten or so Zeros before they were all shot down.



Well this, yes your right. Though the Buffalo was heavier than the LaGG-3 (which was the main Russian fighter during the Winter War), the Buffalo could almost out perform the LaGG-3 because of its low powered engine, and the frame being of, how could I put this? Less than reasonable structure (there was a reason they were called the laminated coffins.) they suffered greatly against the Buffalo. It wasn't until the Yak-1 was introduced into the conflict, that the Buffalo's suffered heavy losses and by that time, the war had already been successful on the ground for Russian troops.

And the only difference between a Finnish Buffalo and an American Buffalo, is I believe the engine? Also I think some of the armaments as well?

Actually I just meant a Buffalo in Finnish markings. They were pretty much the same airplane. And I'm pretty sure that the only engagement of Buffaloes vs the Japanese (at least in American hands) was the one at Midway you talked about. So I'm not sure where they could have shot down older Japanese planes, unless someone we exported them to used them against the Japanese?