From: jyrtsi@vipunen.hut.fi (Jyri-Pekka J{rvinen)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Allied Planes in Finnish AF in WWII (Was:Brewster info) *LONG*
Summary: A list of plane types, ace pilots and additional trivia
Date: 30 Sep 92 12:42:56 GMT
Organization: Syndicate Inc. tng - Assistants of Aeronautical Engineering


From jyrtsi@vipunen.hut.fi (Jyri-Pekka J{rvinen)

In article <Bv3CoE.MrH@lawday.DaytonOH.NCR.COM> rholmes@dhvx20.csudh.edu writes:
>
>From rholmes@dhvx20.csudh.edu
>
> 
>> 	2:  Is it true that this was the only a/c to have seen active
>> 		service on both sides of the war?  (Finland had some)
>
>It's true that Finland flew Buffalo's but they also flew some British
>aircraft and I think some of the other axis-minor countries flew British
>aircraft bought before the war.        ^^^^^^^^^^
>Rod Holmes
>rholmes@dhvx20.csudh.edu 
:-) :-) Yes, Finland really was a minor country, especially if judging by
        the size or population (then 3 million) of our country.
        And Axis... well, first we defended ourselves against the Russian
        attack (the Winter War) and you helped us.
        Then the Russians attacked us again (the Continuation War) and
        we decided to take our Karelia back (with a little help
        from the Germans) and you declared war on us.
        Such is life...
        Anyway, the Red Army tried to take us twice. They failed twice. 
        Not bad for a minor country... BTW, which was the only Axis block
        country that was not occupied by Allies during or after the war.
        :-) :-)

Mentioned below are all types of Allied planes (including the ones
manufactured in German occupied countries) that were used by the
Finnish Air Force (FAF) in World War II.
The only types (18 + 2 prototypes) skipped are the aircraft that
originated from either Germany, Italy, Sweden or Finland.
Each type mentioned saw at least some action in either our Winter War
1939-40 or Continuation War 1941-44.

Here we go...
Remember: this is not an aviation museum storage catalog but the
brutal air war machine of Finland... :^) :^) 


Aero A 32: 16 acquired from Czechoslovakia in 1929-30

Airspeed A.S. 6 "Envoy": 1 received from Germany in -42

Avro 652A Anson: 3 acquired from Great Britain in -36

Beechcraft C17L and D17S "Traveller": 1 as a gift from Denmark in -40

Beriev MBR-2 and -2bis: 5 war booty aircraft in 1941-42

Blackburn Ripon II F: 1 acquired from Great Britain in -28 and 25
                      assembled in Finland under licence in 1931-34

Brewster B-239: 44 acquired in -40

Bristol Blenheim Mk I and Mk IV: 18 Mk I's acquired from Great Britain
                                 in 1937-38
                                 12 Mk IV's and 12 Mk I's from GB in -40
                                 55 assembled in Finland under licence
                                 in 1941-44: 45 Mk I's and 10 Mk IV's

Bristol Bulldog Mk IIA and Mk IVA: 17 IVA's acquired from Great Britain
                                   in -34
                                   2 IIA's donated by Sweden in -39

Caudron C.714: 6 aircraft donated by France in -40

Cessna C-37 "Airmaster": 1 confiscated in -39 and bought to the FAF in -41

Curtiss Hawk 75A: 36 war booty aircraft of types A-1, A-2, A-3 and A-4
                  and 8 Norwegian A-6's from Germany

Curtiss P-40M: 1 war booty aircraft in -43

De Havilland D.H. 60X Moth: licence acquired from Great Britain
                            altogether 22 in service, one of which
                            British-made

De Havilland D.H. 82A Tiger Moth: 1 aircraft interned from Norway in -40

De Havilland D.H. 86B: 1 donated by Great Britain in -40

Desoutter Mk II: 1 as a gift from Denmark in -41

Douglas DC-2: 1 aircraft donated by Sweden in -40

Fairchild 24J De Luxe: 1 confiscated in -39 and bought to the FAF in -40

Fokker C.V E and D: 1 in -27 and 13 E's in 1934-35 from Holland
                    3 E's from Sweden in -40
                    2 aircraft that had been interned in Norway replaced
                    two written-off planes

Fokker C.X: 4 acquired from Holland in -36
            30 assembled in Finland under licence in 1936-37 and 5 more
            in -42

Fokker D.XXI: 7 acquired in -36 and later a licence for an unlimited
              assembly
              altogether 97 in FAF service

Fokker F.VIIa: 1 donated by Denmark in -41

Fokker F.VIII: 1 donated by Sweden in -40

Gloster Gauntlet Mk II: 24 brought from Great Britain as a gift of the
                        Union of South Africa in -40

Gloster Gladiator Mk I and Mk II: in January -40 12 Mk I's accompanied
                                  the Swedish volunteer regiment to the
                                  Winter War after which the planes 
                                  returned to Sweden in March -40
                                  30 Mk II's acquired from Great Britain
                                  in early -40

Hanriot H 232: 3 war booty aircraft from Germany in -41

Hawker Hart: in January -40 4 type B4A aircraft and in February one more
             arrived with the volunteer regiment F-19
             returned to Sweden in late March -40

Hawker Hurricane I and IIB: 12 Mk I's acquired in -40
                            1 IIB as war booty in -42

Hover M F 11: 3 of these Norwegian aircraft were interned in -40

Iljushin DB-3: 5 war booty aircraft in 1940-41
               6 more from the German war booty arsenal in -41

Iljushin DB-3F: 4 war booty aircraft from Germany in -42

Koolhoven F.K.52: 2 aircraft donated by Holland in -40

Lavotchkin LaGG-3: 3 war booty aircraft in -42

Letov S 218 A4 "Smolik": 1 bought in -30 and 9 more a year later
                         from Czechoslovakia
                         29 assembled under licence in 1933-36

Morane-Saulnier MS 406 and 410: 30 donated by France in -40
                                57 more acquired in 1941-42 from France
                                and from the German war booty arsenal

Petjakov PE-2: 6 acquired from the German war booty arsenal in -41
               and one more in -44
               1 assault version taken as war booty in -43

Polikarpov I-153: 11 aircraft as war booty in 1940-41 and further 11
                  from the German war booty arsenal

Polikarpov I-15bis: 5 war booty aircraft in -40

Polikarpov I-16: 1 war booty aircraft in -40 and 5 in 1942-43

Polikarpov PO-2 (U-2): 4 war booty aircraft in 1941-43

Polikarpov UTI-4: 1 war booty aircraft in -41

Savrov S-2: 2 war booty aircraft in -42

Sud-Est LeO H-246.1: 2 aircraft given by Germany in spring -44

Tupolev SB-2 and -2bis and -3: altogether 24 SB's came to Finland - part
                               of them as war booty in 1940-41, part of
                               them from the German war booty arsenal

Westland Lysander Mk I: 12 acquired in -40


Altogether 46 aircraft types... plus 18 others... makes a total of 64
types.

Please tell us, *major* Allied countries, how many plane types did
your air force use during World War II?

And then, what could the men of our tiny air force do with their 
collection of obsolete junk (and Me-109G's) against the Russian planes
and Hurricanes, Spitfires, Tomahawks, Lightnings, Airacobras and
Mustangs?  

Of our pilots 94 reached the international ace limit of 5 aerial
victories. 
11 of them got our highest military decoration, the Mannerheim Cross
(MC). 
And 2 of them got it twice.

Our pilots' success was a combination of their skilled flying and
at times the Russians' poor performance.

Count the exchange rates yourself:

the Winter War - Russians: 200 downed (+ approx. 300 by AA-fire)
                 Finnish: 62 downed, 35 damaged

the Continuation War - Russians: 1567 downed (+ 1107 by AA-fire)
                       Finnish: 137 downed, 116 damaged

Example: during the first 11 days of the Russian "final" attack
         on the Karelian Isthmus at summer -44 
         FAF downed 415 enemy aircraft,
         AA took down 451, the Germans 136 and others 23.
         That is 1025 altogether - over half of the Russian air
         strength at the Isthmus.

         When the Russian assault began, the whole FAF had:
          1 squadron (38 planes) of fight-worthy Me-109's
          12 Ju-88's
         :-)

Coming up next: the *complete* summary of Finnish aces.

:^) :^) That's the good point in having a small air force: you can
easily record the histories of individual pilots and planes  :^) :^)

<1>: <2>/<3>  ( <4> )
<5>
where
<1> = pilot name in its shortest form, for your convenience
<2> = aerial victories, total
<3> = aerial victories while flying planes mentioned above
<4> = the distribution of <3> according to plane type
<5> = possible MC and other merits

Eino Juutilainen: 94 1/6 / 36 1/6  (2 1/6 in Fokkers, 34 in Brewsters)
2 x MC
flew 437 combat missions and
 - was never shot down
 - was never forced to make a forced landing outside an airfield
 - was never even hit by a single bullet fired from enemy aircraft
 - *but* took hits from Russian and Finnish anti-aircraft batteries
   :-) well, he was just human, after all :-) :-)

Hans Wind: 75/39  (all in Brewsters)
2 x MC

Eino Luukkanen: 56/17  (2 in Fokkers, 15 in Brewsters)
MC

Urho Lehtovaara: 44.5/15  (all in Moranes)
MC

Oiva Tuominen: 44/8  (1.5 in Fokkers, 6.5 in Gladiators)
MC as the first pilot in -41

Risto Puhakka: 42/4  (all in Fokkers)
MC
dropped 3 enemy aircraft without firing a single shot

Olavi Puro: 36/7.5  (2 in I-153's, 5 in Brewsters)

Nils Katajainen: 35.5/17.5  (all in Brewsters)
MC

Lauri Nissinen: 32 1/3 / 26 1/3  (3 5/6 in Fokkers, 22.5 in Brewsters)
MC

Kyosti Karhila: 32 1/4 / 13 1/4  (all in Curtisses)

Jorma Karhunen: 31 1/12 / 31 1/12  (4 7/12 in Fokkers, 26 1/2 in Brewsters)
MC

Emil Vesa: 29.5/9.5  (all in Brewsters)
Turo Jarvi: 28.5/9.5  (all in Brewsters)
Klaus Alakoski: 26/0
Altto Tervo: 23 1/4 / 16 1/4  (0.5 in Brewsters, 15 3/4 in Curtisses)
Jorma Saarinen: 23/5  (all in Brewsters)
Eero Kinnunen: 22.5/22.5  (3.5 in Fokkers, 19 in Brewsters)
Antti Tani: 21.5/7  (all in Moranes)
Urho Myllyla: 21/1.5  (all in Moranes)
Vaino Suhonen: 19.5/4.5  (all in Brewsters)
Viktor Poytsia: 19.5/15  (7.5 in Moranes, 7.5 in Brewsters)
Erik Teromaa: 19/13  (all in Brewsters)
Lauri Pekuri: 18.5/12.5  (all in Brewsters)
Jouko Huotari: 17.5/9.5  (all in Brewsters)
Yrjo Turkka: 17 1/12 / 14 1/12  (4 7/12 in Fokkers, 9.5 in Brewsters)

Jorma Sarvanto: 16 5/6 / 16 5/6  (12 5/6 in Fokkers, 4 in Brewsters)  
the most successful pilot of the Winter War with 12 5/6 victories
shot down 6 out of a 7-plane DB-3 formation in *4* minutes in 6.1.-40
the 7th escaped him because he ran out of ammo, but his wingman shot
it down a moment later

Aulis Lumme: 16.5/11.5  (all in Brewsters)
Eero Riihikallio: 16.5/6.5  (all in Brewsters)
Eero Halonen: 16.5/0
Martti Alho: 15/15  (1.5 in Fokkers, 13.5 in Brewsters)
Aaro Nuorala: 14.5/4.5  (3 in Fokkers, 1.5 in Moranes)
Heimo Lampi: 13.5/5.5 (all in Brewsters)
Pekka Kokko: 13 1/3 / 13 1/3  (3 1/3 in Fokkers, 10 in Brewsters)
Yrjo Pallasvuo: 12 5/6 / 8 5/6  (all in Curtisses)
Per Sovelius: 12 3/4 / 12 3/4  (5 3/4 in Fokkers, 7 in Brewsters)
Lasse Aaltonen: 12 2/3 / 2 1/6  (all in Fokkers)
Urho Sarjamo: 12.5/6.5  (all in Brewsters)
Onni Paronen: 12.5/2  (all in Fokkers)
Eino Koskinen: 12 1/3 / 12 1/3  (1 in LaGG-3, 11 1/3 in Curtisses)
Ahti Laitinen: 12/2  (all in Brewsters)
Leo Ahokas: 12/7  (all in Brewsters)
Iikka Torronen: 11 1/4 / 11 1/4  (3/4 in Fokkers, 10.5 in Brewsters)
Urho Nieminen: 11/7  (5 in Fokkers, 2 in Brewsters)
Hemmo Leino: 11/4.5  (1.5 in Fokkers, 3 in Moranes)
Niilo Erkinheimo: 10 3/4 / 6 3/4  (all in Curtisses)
Martti Kalima: 10.5/10.5  (4 in Fokkers, 6.5 in Moranes)
Kai Metsola: 10.5/6.5 (all in Brewsters)
Eino Peltola: 10.5/7.5  (all in Brewsters)
Kullervo Lahtela: 10 1/4 / 5 3/4  (all in Curtisses)

Veikko Karu: 10/10  (2 in Moranes, 1 in Brewsters, 7 in Fokkers)
MC

Mikko Pasila: 10/5  (all in Brewsters)
Mauno Kirjonen: 9 3/4 / 5 3/4  (1 in Fokkers, 4 3/4 in Curtisses)
Paavo Berg: 9.5/9.5  (5 in Gladiators, 4.5 in Curtisses)
Viljo Kauppinen: 9.5/8.5  (all in Brewsters)
Jaakko Hillo: 8/8  (all in Curtisses)
Ture Mattila: 8/3  (all in Fokkers)
Joel Savonen: 8/7  (all in Brewsters)
Martti Inehmo: 8/8  (all in Moranes)
Erik Lyly: 8/2  (all in Brewsters)
Aulis Bremer: 7.5/7.5  (all in Curtisses)
Valio Porvari: 7.5/4  (1 in Bulldogs, 2 in Gladiators, 1 in Brewsters)
Lauri Jutila: 7.5/4  (all in Curtisses)
Nils Trontti: 7/1  (all in Brewsters)
Vaino Virtanen: 7/7  (all in Curtisses)
Toivo Tomminen: 6.5/6.5  (all in Moranes)
Tatu Huhanantti: 6/6  (all in Fokkers)
Aarre Linnamaa: 6/6  (all in Moranes)
Pauli Salminen: 6/6  (1 in Fokkers, 5 in Curtisses)
Kelpo Virta: 6/6  (all in Fokkers)
Onni Avikainen: 6/6  (all in Brewsters)
Lars Hattinen: 6/6  (all in Moranes)
Matti Durchman: 6/0
Pentti Nurminen: 5 5/6 / 5 5/6  (all in Curtisses)
Aimo Gerdt: 5 5/6 / 5 5/6  (all in Curtisses)
Sakari Ikonen: 5 3/4 / 5 3/4  (1 3/4 in Fokkers, 4 in Brewsters)

Gustaf Magnusson: 5.5/5.5  (4 in Fokkers, 1.5 in Brewsters)
MC

Osmo Kauppinen: 5.5/5.5  (all in Brewsters)
Lauri Lautamaki: 5.5/1.5  (all in Gladiators)
Mauno Frantila: 5.5/2  (1 in Fokkers, 1 in Curtisses)
Kosti Keskinummi: 5.5/0.5  (all in Brewsters)
Paavo Mellin: 5.5/5.5  (all in Brewsters)
Veikko Rimminen: 5 1/3 / 5 1/3  (1 1/3 in Fokkers, 4 in Brewsters)
Aaro Kiljunen: 5 1/3 / 5 1/3  (all in Curtisses)
Pentti Tilli: 5 1/6 / 5 1/6  (all in Fokkers)
Erkki Ehrnrooth: 5/3  (1 in Fokkers, 2 in Curtisses)
Jouko Myllymaki: 5/2  (all in Moranes)
Veikko Evinen: 5/4  (2.5 in Fokkers, 1.5 in Curtisses)
Vilppu Lakio: 5/5  (all in Brewsters)
Kim Lindberg: 5/5  (all in Brewsters)
Pauli Massinen: 5/5  (all in Moranes)
Atte Nyman: 5/0
Vaino Pokela: 5/2  (all in Brewsters)
Jaakko Kajanto: 5/5  (all in Curtisses)
Arvo Koskelainen: 5/0

<End of pilot list> at last... why couldn't they fix the ace limit at
20 or something like that...   :-) :-) :-)

As can be seen, at least Brewsters were put in good use.


Kalevi Keskinen - Kari Stenman - Klaus Niska:
(with English summaries)

 - Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneet 1939-72. 3.p. Tietoteos, Helsinki 1977.
 - Suomen ilmavoimien historia 7: Venalaiset havittajat. Tietoteos,
   Helsinki 1977.
 - Suomen ilmavoimien historia 11: Havittaja-assat/Finnish Fighter Aces.
   Tietoteos, Helsinki 1978.

Eero Kiviranta: Assien assa sodan taivaalla. Alea-Kirja, Saarijarvi 1978.
(no English summary)

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ Jyri-Pekka Jarvinen                * "Computers can be controlled.   +
+ Helsinki University of Technology  *  You just disconnect them.   "  +
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