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Please note that our logo is used on our website images only and does not appear on our products. Buffalo Ace by Stan Stokes. (B) The Brewster Aeronautical Corp. commenced development of the F2A Buffalo in 1936 in response to a US Navy request for a carrier-based fighter capable of 300 MPH. Development took place at the time when Grumman was also working on its first carrier-based fighter for the Navy. Utilizing an all-metal, mid-wing, monoplane design, the first Brewster Buffalo prototype flew in 1937. An initial order for fifty-four aircraft was placed in mid-1938. The F2A-1 utilized a 900-HP R-H20-34 radial engine, and was armed with four machine guns. Eleven of the aircraft from the first production order were assigned to VF-3, which was based at that time on the USS Saratoga. The remaining forty-three aircraft were sent to Finland, which was fighting off an invasion by the Soviet Union. In 1940 the F2A-2 variant entered production utilizing a more powerful 1200-HP engine. Capable of 323-MPH, orders for three hundred additional aircraft were obtained, including 170 from the RAF, which at that time was in the midst of the Battle of Britain.. The Brits found the Buffalo very ineffective, and not capable of dog fighting with the faster and highly maneuverable Bf-109s it faced. The British withdrew the Buffalo from front line service, sending most of its aircraft to units in the Far East, where the Buffalo would later play a role in defending Java, Burma, Manila, and Singapore. Meanwhile the US Navy was becoming disenchanted with the aircraft due to weakness in its landing gear, and its minimal armor plating. Nonetheless, the Buffalo was one of the front line fighters the United States had in its arsenal when America entered WW II on December 7, 1941. During the only serious combat in which the Buffalo was flown by US forces, VMF-221 lost 18 of its 25 F2As during the Battle of Midway. The Buffalo proved to be no match for the faster and highly maneuverable Mitsubishi Zeroes flown by the Imperial Navy. Despite its lack luster reputation, the Buffalo was utilized effectively by the Finnish Air Force in fighting the Soviets. Some of this success is no doubt due to the relative lack of combat experience by many of the Soviet pilots, the fact that the Soviets had stuck with bi-plane fighter designs longer than other countries, and the fact that Finland had some excellent pilots of their own. The top Finnish ace, Eino Juutilainen, attained thirty-three of his incredible ninety-four victories while flying the Brewster Buffalo. Several of his victories were obtained against American-built Curtis P-40s, which had been sold to the Red Air Force. In his dramatic depiction, entitled Buffalo Ace, aviation artist Stan Stokes shows Juutilainen in action against Soviet P-40s during the defense of Finland. Item Code : STK0132B Buffalo Ace by Stan Stokes. (B) - This Edition TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING PRINT 225 prints from the signed limited edition of 4750 prints, with signature of Stan Stokes and pilot, and a remarque. Image size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Juutilainen, Eino Ilmari (signed in person) + Artist : Stan Stokes Signature(s) value alone : £60 £20 Off! Now : £120.00 SPECIAL OFFER : ADD A CLIPPED SIGNATURE TO THE ABOVE PRINT AT A VERY SPECIAL RATE! Add Signature : Ivan Kozhedub. for £60.00 All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling

Other editions of this item : Buffalo Ace by Stan Stokes. STK0132 TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING PRINT Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Artist : Stan Stokes £15 Off! Now : £35.00 VIEW EDITION... PRINT Prints from the 225 prints from the signed limited edition of 4750 prints, with signature of Stan Stokes and pilot. Image size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Juutilainen, Eino Ilmari (signed in person) + Artist : Stan Stokes Signature(s) value alone : £60 £20 Off! Now : £100.00 VIEW EDITION... General descriptions of types of editions :

Extra Details : Buffalo Ace by Stan Stokes. (B)

About all editions : A photo of an edition of the print.

Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
Name	Info
Air Master Sergeant Eino Ilmari Juutilainen (deceased) *Signature Value : £60	One of only two Finnish fighter pilots to receive their nation's highest decoration, the Double Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, Eino Ilmari 'lllu' Jutitilainen, Finland's top ace, attained an amazing 94 aerial victories during the fighting between Finland and the Soviet Union. He attained about a third of his victories while flying the American-made Brewster Buffalo, becoming the highest scoring Buffalo ace. Born in 1914, just four years before the birth of the Finnish Air Force in 1918, Jutitilainen joined the Air Force in 1935, and he was well trained in combat tactics and gunnery when the Finnish Air Force's first real combat test came about during the Winter War with the Soviet Union in 1939. Faced with very harsh conditions, it is a testimony to the skill and dedication of the ground crews, that an effective air combat campaign could be launched against the invading Red Air Force. Juutilainen's first victory was achieved in a Fokker D.XXI monoplane fighter on December 19, 1939. Spotting three Soviet DB-3 bombers, juutilainen made an approach from the rear directing short bursts at the tail gunner positions on each of the three aircraft. With no more return fire he was able to approach within 20 yards of each bomber. Utilizing all 2200 rounds of ammo, Juutilainen poured fire into the wings of each of the three bombers, one of which finally succumbed to his fire, the first of his 94 victories. Following the truce with the Soviets in March of 1940. Finland began to acquire more modern aircraft, including the Brewster Buffalo. Finland found Germany to be the only country interested in protecting it from the Soviets. In what the Finns call the 'Continuation War,' the Finnish Air Force faced a Soviet Air Force which outnumbered them two-to-one. However, the Finnish pilots excelled, and obtained an incredible 32:1 victory ratio with their Brewster Buffaloes. Later in the War, Jutitilainen flew Bf-109s against the Red Air Force which failed in its efforts to control the airspace over Finland. A peace treaty was signed between the two countries in September of 1944. The Finnish Air Forces, and its brave and talented fighter aces like Juutilainen, had succeeded in preserving their country's independence. Juutilianen flew a total of 437 combat sorties. Never was his aircraft hit by fire from an opposing enemy aircraft. This unprecedented combat record no doubt reflects Juutilainen's great eyesight and tremendous natural flying ability, but also is testimony to his coolness under fire, and his fantastic situational awareness. Jutitilainen had an uncanny ability to execute deflection shots when firing his weapons. He also understood that the likelihood of a successful burst rose dramatically as range closed between the pursuer and the pursued. Very often the ace would fire when he was within 20-50 yards of his opponent. Jutitilainen survived the War and today lives in Finland. His autobiography, entitled Double Fighter Knight, was published in English in 1996 and can be obtained from Zenith/Classic Motorbooks. As an interesting historical note, the blue swastika on juutilainen's aircraft had nothing to do with the Nazis. The first aircraft flown by the Finnish Air Force in 1918 was donated by count Erik von Rosen, a Swede, who had his personal lucky insignia, the blue swastika, painted on the aircraft. This was adopted on all Finnish Air Force aircraft thereafter. Eino Juutilainen passed away on 21st February 1999.

Artist Details : Stan Stokes

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Stan Stokes Stan Stokes is a California native with more than 37 years as a full time professional artist, who developed a passion for vintage cars, trains and airplanes at an early age. Model building and RC planes filled the many hours of the young enthusiasts free time. However, unlike most other young aviation enthusiasts Stokes also displayed a great gift for artistic talent. After studying art in College, Stan decided to pursue a career as a professional artist. Stokes initially focused his great talents on depicting uniquely realistic landscapes of the western desert and mountain scenes. More than thirty years ago a good friend suggested that Stan combine his passion for aviation history and flying with his artistic talents, and render an aircraft or two. The rest is history. Stan has won many prestigious awards including the Benedictine Art Award in 1975 and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museums Golden Age of Flight award in 1985. In May of 2000, Stan was honored with the National Museum of Naval Aviations R. G. Smith Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation Art. Commissioned by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Stans 12 x 120 foot mural of the History of the Flying White House is on permanent display in the Air Force One Pavilion. In addition Stans painting of the USS Ronald Reagan is hanging in the Legacy Room of the library. In 2005 Stan also completed a painting of our nations next aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, which is on permanent display at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Stan has also completed several impressive murals for the Palm Springs Air Museum including: The Tuskegee Airmen at 12 x 60 feet and contains 51 portraits of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Dauntless at Midway at 12 x 34 feet and Corsair on Approach at 19 x 55 feet. Stans work also hangs in the Air Force art collection, the Pentagon, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Stan has had the pleasure of meeting and working with many of his boyhood aviation heroes, including the late General Jimmy Doolittle, the late Pappy Boyington, Chuck Yeager, and many many others. A true aviation history buff, Stan often spends more time pouring over research materials for his paintings to assure their accuracy to the smallest detail than he does behind the canvas. Noted for his incredible detail and strikingly realistic illustration, Stans canvases have a life-like three-dimensional effect that often leaves viewers spellbound. Today his work encompasses not only aviation and space but also portraits, landscapes, ships, classic cars and his new collection of cat-related fine art paintings. Stan particularly enjoys the tough assignment. During his 37 years as a professional artist, he has been asked to produce literally hundreds of paintings documenting historical events, people and places. Although Stan has logged many hours flying his own airplanes, in recent years pleasure flying has had to take a backseat to the artistic demands of his backlog. Stan was commissioned to paint more than twenty original paintings for an aviation museum being in the Philippines. Since the mid-1980s NASA has also tapped Stans talents from time to time and he has completed more than fifteen paintings ranging from the space shuttles to the SR 71 Blackbird. Stan has also painted numerous works for the cutting edge genius in aviation and space design, Burt Rutan. More about Stan Stokes

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