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Re: Finnish Brewsters
Hello!
Thanks for the close-up, Jan! It brings more questions.
BW-367 had words TRE BRÖDER (three brothers in Swedish) painted on fuselage side after arrival to Finland. Is it visible in the photo? I cannot make it out. BW-367 suffered landing accident 23.3.1940, was sent to VL factory for repairs and back in 24 squadron strength september 1940. Perhaps the title was painted over during the repairs?
18.6.1941 BW-367 was in 2nd Flight (white 7 on black rudder). As there clearly is not white number on black rudder in Your photo it means: either BW-367 rudder was not painted and dark rudder is play of light or the plane was with other flight (likely 3rd). Is it possible to press out any number on the rudder with photo manipulation or something?
I managed to find my notes from the Brewster plane logs. Unfortunately only few of them are archived and even fewer mention painting of the flight markings. Here are all I could find:
BW-363 20.7.1940 "Sivuperäsin maalattu" (rudder painted)
Notes: 3rd flight plane. Photo of aluminum painted BW-363 with number 3 on rudder can be found in Keskinen et al book Brewster Model 239, p. 14 (4th edittion published by Apali Oy, ISBN 952-5026-02-7)
BW-369 20.7.40 "Peräsimet maalattu" (literally: rudders painted ( why the plural?, KL))
Notes: Also 3rd flight plane. I have not seen photo of this plane with number painted on rudder. BW-369 was written off in take-off accident 28.6.1941.
BW-382 4.8.1940 "Maalattu 4./LLV 24:n tunnukset" (4./LLv 24 markings painted).
Notes: This is very interesting as no book gives BW-382 being attached to 4th flight! The plane suffered landing accident 12.12.1940 and was sent to VL factory for repairs. After that plane was in 1st flight.
This would imply that date of the photos of BW-387/"black 8" and BW-386(?)/"black 3" were taken after early August 1940. They were both 4th flight Brewsters. It also seems that Interim Peace-period flight allocation of Brewsters differed from the June 1941 one.
All in all it can be said that the pre-Continuation War history of FinnAF Brewsters is poorly researched (perhaps even poorly recorded).
Cheers,
Kari
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