After much knashing of apphrehensive teeth by Brewster F2A fans,
BW-372, a Brewster B-239 (US Navy F2A-1 equivalent) has found a home in the
US at the National Naval Museum in Pensacola. The only "issue" for the
museum, which sat in a freshwater lake for over 50 years, is that due to its
amazingly intact condition with most of the original Finnish applied paint
still in relatively good shape, is whether to display it as is in its
current relic condition, fully restore it either to its original Finnish
markings, or perhaps display it in Navy F2A-1 configuration with that
gorgeous pre-war paint job the type carried. As the first US monoplane
carrier fighter the temptation to restore it to F2A-1 condition has got to
be
tempting to the staff, although the fact that the aircraft is a true WWII
combat veteran with the markings it had when ditched in the lake after
being shot up weighs heavily for maintaining the aircraft in as is
condition.
With only a cousin, a Finnish built prototype of a B-239 copy with a
Russian engine in existance in Finland, the type is definitely in the rara
avis class.

Al Sumrall