Bristol Blenheim : refueling Tikkakoski, Luonetjärvi 1944.03.00

Bristol Blenheim : refueling

Tikkakoski, Luonetjärvi 1944.03.00

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Bristol Blenheim

In 1936, the Finnish Air Force ordered 18 Blenheim Mk Is from Britain and two years later, they obtained a manufacturing license for the aircraft. Before any aircraft could be manufactured at the Valtion lentokonetehdas (State Airplane Factory) in Finland, the Winter War broke out, forcing the Finns to order more aircraft from the UK. A further 24 British-manufactured Blenheims were ordered during the Winter War. After the Winter War, 55 Blenheims were constructed in Finland, bringing the total number to 97 aircraft (75 Mk Is and 22 Mk IVs).

The Finns also received 20 half-completed ex-Yugoslavian Mk IV Blenheims captured by Germany, together with manufacturing tools and production equipment, as well as a huge variety of spare parts. Yugoslavia had ceased production of the Mk I and commenced a production run of Mk IVs just prior to the April 1941 invasion.

The Finnish Blenheims flew 423 missions during the Winter War, and close to 3,000 missions during the Continuation War and Lapland War. Blenheim machine-gunners also shot down eight Soviet aircraft. Thirty-seven Blenheims were lost in combat during the wars.

After the war, Finland was prohibited from flying bomber aircraft by the Paris Peace Treaty, with Finland's Blenheims being placed into storage in 1948. However, in 1951, five Blenheims were re-activated for use as target tugs, with the last flight of a Finnish Blenheim taking place on 20 May 1958.

T-37A : 1941.09.05

1941.09.05

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T-37A

The T-37A was a Soviet amphibious light tank. The tank is often referred to as the T-37, although that designation was used by a different tank which never left the prototype stage.The T-37A was the first series of mass-produced fully amphibious tanks in the world.

The tank was first created in 1932, based on the British Vickers tankette and other operational amphibious tanks. The tank was mass-produced starting in 1933 up until 1936, when it was replaced with the more modern T-38, based on the T-37A. Overall, after four years of production, 2552 T-37A’s were produced, including the original prototypes.

In the Red Army, they were used to perform tasks in communication, reconnaissance, and as defense units on the march, as well as active infantry support on the battlefield. The T-37A were used in large numbers during the Soviet invasion of Poland and in the Winter War against Finland. The T-37 A was also used by the Soviets in the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, but most of them were quickly lost. Surviving tanks of that type fought on the front lines until 1944, and were used in training and auxiliary defense until the end of World War II.

T-28 : Petroskoi 1942.08.16

T-28 :  Petroskoi 1942.08.16 

T-28 photo gallery

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Fiat G.50

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Fiat G.50 is a single seat all metal construction fighter plane. It's powered by a 14 cylinder Fiat radial engine. Armament consists of 2 12.7 (.50cal) Breda-SAFAT MG's

Top speed was approximately 260mph at 16 500 ft altitude

The Finnish Air Force operated 33 Fiat G.50 aircraft - the first ones were operational already during the Winter War. 11 kills were achieved by LeLv 26 during the Winter War, and 88 additional kills were achieved during the Continuation War. Last kill on Feb 13 1944

Brewster F2A - BW-355

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Finnish company Nokia donated sufficient funds for the FAF to purchase a B-239. In return, the word NOKA was inscribed on BW-355. Operated by No. 24 Squadron, it was destroyed on 24 October 1944.

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 MT-206

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Motorcycle messenger :Ihantala 1944.07.06

Ihantala 1944.07.06

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Ihantala 1944.07.13

Ihantala 1944.07.13

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The Battle of Tali-Ihantala

The Battle of Tali-Ihantala (June 25 to July 9, 1944) was part of the Finnish-Soviet Continuation War (1941–1944), which occurred during World War II. The battle was fought between Finnish forces—using war materiel provided by Germany—and Soviet forces. To date, it is the largest battle in the history of the Nordic countries.

The battle was one of attrition, with the Finns suffering proportionally more casualties than the Soviet forces. It marked a point in the Soviet offensive when the Finnish forces first prevented the Soviets from making any significant gains. However, already earlier at Siiranmäki and Perkjärvi the Finns had halted advancing Soviet forces. Finnish forces achieved a defensive victory, although Russian historian N. Baryshnikov criticizes this as an exaggeration.

After the Soviets had failed to create any breakthroughs at Tali-Ihantala, Viborg Bay, or Vuosalmi, the Soviet Leningrad Front started the previously planned transfer  of troops from the Karelian Isthmus to support Operation Bagration, where they were encountering particularly fierce resistance.[Though the Leningrad Front failed to advance into Finland as ordered by the Stavka, some historians state that the offensive did eventually force Finland from the war

Bombing of Helsinki 1941.07.01

""Malmi on fire""
Helsinki, Malmi 1941.07.01

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""Malmi on fire""
Helsinki, Malmi 1941.07.01

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""Malmi on fire""
Helsinki, Malmi 1941.07.01

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""Malmi on fire""
Helsinki, Malmi 1941.07.01

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The capital of Finland, Helsinki was bombed several times during World War II. Between 1939–1945 Finland fought three wars, two against the Soviet Union and one against Germany. The largest raids were three raids in February 1944, which have been called The Great Raids Against Helsinki.

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 MT-205

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 MT-205

Air victory map

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45 mm anti-tank gun : Aunus 1943.03.19

45 mm anti-tank gun : Aunus 1943.03.19

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45 mm anti-tank gun : Aunus 1943.03.19

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Finnish Bristol Bulldog

Finnish Bristol Bulldog 

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Gun fire : Russarö 1942.08.22

 9,2  inch gun ( 234/50 Be)

Russarö 1942.08.22

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T-28 : Taavetti 1943.06.29

Finland - captured seven Soviet T-28 tanks during the Winter War and the Second World War

                                                                    photo gallery T-28

Fokker D.XXI : No. 12 Squadron mascot 1942.02.24

 Fokker D.XXI : No. 12 Squadron mascot 1942.02.24

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Fokker D.XXI : No. 12 Squadron mascot 1942.02.24

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Gloster Gladiator Mk. II

Gloster Gladiator Mk. II 

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KV-I Petroskoi 1944.01.30

Finnish KV-I Petroskoi 1944.01.30

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StuG III : Vuosalmi 1944.07.30

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Finnish use

In 1943 and 1944, the Finnish Army received a total of 59 StuG III Ausf. Gs from Germany and used them against the Soviet Union. Thirty of the vehicles were received in 1943 and 29 in 1944. The 1943 batch destroyed at least 87 enemy tanks for a loss of only 8 StuGs(some of which were destroyed by their crews to avoid capture). The 1944 batch saw no real action. After the war, the StuGs were the main combat vehicles of the Finnish Army until the early 1960s.

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 MT-204

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MT-204 before repaint

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Bristol Blenheim : Failure Landing Tikkakoski 1940.03.08

Tikkakoski 1940.03.08

SA-photo

Tikkakoski 1940.03.08

SA-photo

Tikkakoski 1940.03.08

SA-photo

Bristol Blenheim

In 1936, the Finnish Air Force ordered 18 Blenheim Mk Is from Britain and two years later, they obtained a manufacturing license for the aircraft. Before any aircraft could be manufactured at the Valtion lentokonetehdas (State Airplane Factory) in Finland, the Winter War broke out, forcing the Finns to order more aircraft from the UK. A further 24 British-manufactured Blenheims were ordered during the Winter War. After the Winter War, 55 Blenheims were constructed in Finland, bringing the total number to 97 aircraft (75 Mk Is and 22 Mk IVs).

The Finns also received 20 half-completed ex-Yugoslavian Mk IV Blenheims captured by Germany, together with manufacturing tools and production equipment, as well as a huge variety of spare parts. Yugoslavia had ceased production of the Mk I and commenced a production run of Mk IVs just prior to the April 1941 invasion.

The Finnish Blenheims flew 423 missions during the Winter War, and close to 3,000 missions during the Continuation War and Lapland War. Blenheim machine-gunners also shot down eight Soviet aircraft. Thirty-seven Blenheims were lost in combat during the wars.

After the war, Finland was prohibited from flying bomber aircraft by the Paris Peace Treaty, with Finland's Blenheims being placed into storage in 1948. However, in 1951, five Blenheims were re-activated for use as target tugs, with the last flight of a Finnish Blenheim taking place on 20 May 1958.

T 34 - 85 : Pihkalanjärvi 1944.07.04

 T 34 - 85 

Pihkalanjärvi 1944.07.04

SA-photo