The book is nothing short of excellent.

Kari Stenman has done a number of superb books in the series and his knowledge of the Finnish Air Force pilots, aircraft, records is unmatched. His collection on the Finnish Air Force is a model for historians of other countries.

This book covers the development and early deployment of the Brewster Buffalo, from concept to winning a competition against what became its replacement, the USN/USMC F4F Wildcat. Of interest to the curious was the proposal that the Buffalo equip the RAF Eagle Squadrons and the flight results and then the recommendations that led to the assignment of the equipment the Far East with some strays assigned to the FAA.

After explaining the development and sales of the Buffalo overseas, the authors smoothly transition to the performance of Buffaloes in Finnish Service. Their record there, flying mostly with LeLv 24 (an earlier book in the Aces Series) was remarkable, amassing a victory ratio with that squadron of 459 aircraft shot down, for 15 combat losses. Outnumbered, and flying against increasing superior quality aircraft (Russian and Lend-lease) the Finns showed what could be done with the aircraft and superb tactics and training. They kept the most of the 44 aircraft they received operational under constant combat conditions for three years while cut of from parts and replacements, a feat in itself.

The authors then cover RAAF/RAF/Dutch use of the Buffalo in the Far East, and the fighting retreat they had against the Japanese. Many good anecdotes are included that are not commonly found in histories of the kind. Backgrounds on the aces (and pilots who were or would become aces) are integrated into the book (some other books have profiles at the end).

Having covered the retreats from Malaya, Java, and Burma, the authors return to Buffalos ending up in the hands of VMF-221 on Midway Island, attacking Japanese planes attempting to survey the island, and later and famously attacking the large carrier based strike launched by the Japanese as part of the Battle of MIdway. The very high losses sustained and the comments of one of the pilots, "It is my belief that any commander who orders pilots out for combat in a F2A-3 (Buffalo) should consider the pilot lost before leaving the ground". This was widely quoted and is one of the reason the Buffalo is often on various Worst Fighters Lists.

The book then returns to the end of the Buffalo, as a USN trainer, and its finale, shooting down German aircraft in the brief Finnish-German conflict in 1944 after the Finns had signed a peace treaty with the USSR. It scored the final Finnish (or any Buffalo) victory of the war.

The book also includes a number of excellent plates listing of aces and famous pilots who flew the Buffalo.

The book is balanced, not claiming the Buffalo was terrible or great, but pointing out some good qualities, and shortcomings. Given its small numbers and isolation from parts and supplies, and age (fighting against much newer, modern aircraft) its Finnish record is remarkable.

Referenced, and not to be forgotten, the Finnish Buffalo was much, much lighter than the USMC/RAAF/RAF/Dutch Buffalos and having flown fighters heavily laden and light in the same version, this plus the veteran quality of the Finns may account for its spotty record across different nations.