Buffalo!

This is coolbert:

Well, this just has to make you wonder!!

From a note to the wiki entry for the P-39 Airacobra:

"Notes"

"The P-39 has the highest total number of individual victories attributed to any U.S. fighter type, not kill ratio; Finnish modified Brewster Buffaloes had the highest kill ratio."

Kill ratio [loss exchange ratio] best defined as:

"Loss exchange ratio is a figure of merit in attrition warfare. It is usually relevant to a condition or state of war where one side depletes the resources of another through attrition. Specifically and most often used as a comparator in aerial combat, where it is known as a 'kill-ratio.'"

The Brewster Buffalo. American fighter aircraft of the years just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War [WW2] and FOUND TO BE INADEQUATE BY AMERICAN COMBAT AVIATORS, AN INFERIOR WARPLANE NOT LIKED!!

As noted in a much prior Military Thoughts blog entry of mine from way back when now!

"[Buffaloes] when used by American/British/Dutch aviators, fared poorly in combat, BUT, when used by Finnish pilots against Soviet air forces, fared very well."

A fighter aircraft that when significantly modified and used by the Finnish Air Force [FAF] during WW2 was MORE THAN ADEQUATE ESPECIALLY WHEN FLOWN BY SUPERIOR AND MOTIVATED PERSONNEL!

I am not exactly sure what this all suggests! American fighter jocks in reality are a pampered elite who are found to be wanting when compared to their foreign counterparts? I hate to think that it is so.

Indeed, so well was the Buffalo flown by the FAF pilots that unheard of and unbelievable "kill ratios" were the norm, the Finn demonstrating extreme military prowess both on the ground and in the air during WW2!

"Kill ratios" of 135:2 are bandied about? For every two FAF Buffalo shot down one hundred thirty five [135] Soviet aircraft bit the dust?

And thanks to the WarBirdForum we have some answers to all this:

"The quality of Soviet planes in 1941, when the best kill ratio 67.5 - 1) was achieved, was lower than Brewsters, most common types being used were SB-2, DB-3, I-16 and I-153."

I have my doubts this alone explains everything. John Keegan rates the Finnish soldier the BEST of all the combatants during the Second World War! Again, both on the ground and in the skies this was so? Can it be denied?

coolbert.