VL Myrsky VL Myrsky ( ) was a Finnish World War II fighter , designed by the State Aircraft Factory ( " Valtion lentokonetehdas " ) for the Finnish Air Force . The models of the aircraft were " Myrsky I " , " Myrsky II " , and " Myrsky III " . History . The decision to start developing a new fighter for the Finnish Air Force was based on experience gained before the Winter War : in the " arms race " leading up to a war , it can be difficult for smaller nations to purchase top - of - the - range fighters without a significant political cost . The Finnish Air Force requested preliminary proposals for a domestic fighter from State Aircraft Factory ( Valtion Lentokonetehdas ) in early 1939 , before the Winter War . State Aircraft Factory prepared five alternative proposals by May 1939 . After that , The Ministry of Defence ordered the fighter design from State Aircraft Factory in June 1939 . The preliminary design was made by the aircraft - designer trio Arvo Ylinen ( head of the design - bureau ) , Martti Vainio ( aerodynamics ) , and Torsti Verkkola ( structural design ) . Edward Wegelius was appointed head of the design department of the State Aircraft Factory when Ylinen later moved on to the Helsinki University of Technology in August 1940 . VL did not appoint any main constructor to its products , such as the German aircraft manufacturers did . Due to difficulties obtaining duraluminium , the wings were made out of plywood and the fuselage was metal structure with fabric or plywood coating . The planned Bristol Taurus III engine was not available due to war , so a Pratt & Whitney R - 1830 ( civil Twin Wasp ) was chosen . Availability of this engine was also problematic , so an R - 1830 - S3C3 - G was used for the first prototype and less - powerful SC3 - Gs for later prototypes and production fighters . These were bought from German war booty stocks . The first Myrsky I prototype flew on 23 December 1941 . The prototype was fully functional , but too heavy . After some modifications they soon had three new prototype aircraft . The test flights showed some problems with the structural strength during high speed tests . All three prototypes were destroyed during test flights ; two test pilots died , one was seriously injured . Series production started after German deliveries of Messerschmitt Bf 109 had begun in 1943 . The series production version was called Myrsky II . 47 " Myrsky II " s were built and together with the " Myrsky I " version the production amounted to 51 in all . Although the aircraft met the specifications set for it , it did not fulfill all expectations due to structural problems . The Myrsky III was ordered in spring 1943 , but none were built . Operational history . Reconnaissance Squadron 12 received their first " Myrsky " s during August 1944 . Thirty " Myrsky " s were delivered to Reconnaissance Squadrons 12 and 16 before the end of the Continuation War . Fifteen " Myrsky " fighters flew 68 missions during the Continuation War . During one mission , they met Soviet Yak - 7 s , but the fight ended without losses for either side . During two other missions , " Myrsky " s damaged two Soviet fighters , which both were destroyed on landing . Six " Myrsky " s took part in a bombing mission on September 3 , 1944 , destroying 11 Polikarpov U - 2 reconnaissance aircraft on ground . During the Lapland War , six " Myrsky " s flew 13 reconnaissance missions between March 2 and March 23 , 1945 . The wooden construction proved problematic in this theatre , not enduring wet weather or cold well . The war time " Lukko " glue , manufactured from ersatz materials , which was used for gluing the wooden parts , did not stand rain , frost and humidity , and the glue seams disintegrated , sometimes with disastrous results . Ten " Myrsky " s were lost in accidents between 1943 – 1947 and four pilots died . " Myrsky " usage ended in May 1947 and the last " Myrsky " flight was in February 1948 . The " Myrsky " proved fast and manoeuvrable enough to dogfight the contemporary Soviet aircraft ; it was the second fastest Finnish Air Force airplane after the Messerschmitt Bf 109G . Its aerodynamic design was excellent , and was later used on VL Pyörremyrsky fighter and Valmet Vihuri trainer . Its wide undercarriage gave it decent ground - handling properties . Its main drawback was the construction method : it simply did not stand the harsh Finnish weather .