Double Fighter Knight

Ilmari Juutilainen: Double Fighter Knight In reading this remarkable memoir, one finds himself drawing some rather fascinating conclusions about this little-known piece of World War II. For example, the story sheds light on; Finland's motivation for its participation in the war against the Soviet Union, the role of tactical aviation on the Eastern Front, fighter tactics in general, the incredible performance of the Finnish Air Force against overwhelming odds in the harsh environment of Karelia and the Gulf of Finland, and most interesting of all, about the author himself; clearly one of the most successful and deadly aerial tacticians in the entire history of military aviation. That Air Master Sergeant Ilmari "Illu" Juutilainen was an eminently successful fighter pilot goes without question. That he was deadly in an aerial engagement is demonstrated by his having killed 94 enemy airplanes and sustained no damage from enemy fighters whatsoever. But, he was neither vicious, nor cruel, nor lacking in gallantry or even magnamity. He had feelings of empathy for his opponents and often wished them well after having put their airplanes out of action. But, he was involved in a raw, brutal, terrifying business...the pitting of men in flying machines against other men of war. No quarter was asked; and none was given. They went at each other with machine guns and cannons, in flimsy machines in the bitter cold skies over Finland. There were no points awarded for coming second in aerial combat... only torn and shattered bodies, a fiery funeral pyre and a final, violent impact with the earth. Yet, despite its violence, many of the participants in this spectacle relished it, reveled in the adrenaline-packed maelstrom of the dogfight and came back for more day after day. These were the ones who came in first. These were the victorious knights. Air Master Sergeant Ilmari "Illu" Juutilainen was surely one of the best of these men! Paul T. Gillcrist, Fighter Pilot, Carrier Pilot, Rear Admiral U.S. Navy ret Author of Feet Wet, Tomcat, Crusader, Vulture's Row Webmaster's Notes:   More Information: Ilmari Juutilainen - Finland's Ace of Aces from the Military History Magazine Home Latest Topic | Air Warfare | Conferences/Air Shows | Fighter Tactics | Fighter Aircraft | Missiles | Fighter Aviation Topic | Fighter History | Warbirds | Magazines | Current News | Links | Physiology | Photo Gallery | Bibliography | SIIVET - Wings | What's New J Lindberg. Copyright © 1997-2006 Fighter Tactics Academy. All rights reserved. Revised: tammikuu 01, 2006.