Fighter Squadron 21 history, Page 5

5. Winter War 1939 - 1940

On the 23rd of August 1939 Germany and the Soviet Unions signed a non-aggression treaty which had a secret document where Finland would be in the interest area of the Soviet Union. Only a week later Germany attacked Poland on the first of September 1939. Finland got an invitation to negotiations in Moscow on the 5th of October 1939. The Soviet Union demanded Finland to lease Hanko for a naval base for thirty years. As an exchange for some areas Finland was to give some islands at the Gulf of Finland and parts of the Karelian Isthmus. In the negotiations during October and November no suitable result was found and so the negotiations broke on the 13th of November 1939.

The Finnish Air Force formed a land-based liaison regiment during the general mobilization (Flight Group, from the beginning of November Flight Regiment 1), one fighter regiment (Flight Regiment 2), one bomber regiment (Flight Regiment 4) and two separate squadrons (Squadrons 16 and 36).

The peacetime Flight Regiment 1 was to mobilize the following units:

Squadron 10 (Sqn.10), Suur-Merijoki

Squadron 12 (Sqn.12), Suur-Merijoki

Squadron 14 (Sqn.14), Suur-Merijoki

Squadron 16 (Sqn.16), Sortavala

Finnish Air Force peacetime organization was disbanded on the 11th of October 1939. On the same date Squadrons 10, 12 and 14 and also the offices of the Air Commanders for the II and III Army Corps (AC) became under the command of the Commander of Flight Regiment 1. The regiment headquarters lead Squadrons 12 and 14 directly only until the 14th of October when they came under the command of the Air Commanders for II and III AC. On the same date Flight Regiment 1 came under the command of the Kannas Army (Karelian Isthmus Army) headquarters. Squadron 10 stayed under the command of the regimental headquarters. The command structure for the liaison squadrons operating at the Karelian Isthmus changed on the 19th of October when Squadrons 12 and 14 were taken out of the direct command of II and III AC and they were ordered only to co-operate with the army corps performing their previous duties. This cleared the command structure.

Air Defence Organization October 1939:

Air Defence Organization 1939, chart (8820 bytes)

(Note: in the chart Com. is short for Commander)

Colonel Yrjö Opas commanded Flight Regiment 1 during the whole mobilization period and Winter War. Regimental headquarters helped him with the tasks of operational command, air picture, personnel replenishment and maintenance for the air force units working with the Kannas army and the army corps. The co-operation between the regimental HQ and Kannas Army HQ worked mostly well. Difficulties arise when the Kannas Army HQ interpreted the commander of Flight Regiment 1 being the air component commander for the army and the regimental HQ as the air component office of the army. Col Opas instead interpreted his HQ being an independent headquarters working together with the army - his view prevailed.

The missions for the Flight Regiment 1 squadrons were ordered in November. Squadron 10 was ordered to prepare for attack missions in the whole operating area of the regiment. In addition to attack missions the squadron received reconnaissance missions at southern Karelian Isthmus and the Gulf of Finland. Squadron 12 was tasked with recce for II AC and Squadron 14 recce at the III AC area (AC = Army Corps). Both squadrons were required to prepare one flight for low level bombing missions. The regimental plans were canceled when Finnish Air Force HQ ordered during the second war day Squadron 10 under the direct command of the General Headquarters. The reasoning behind the move was that the air force HQ was afraid that the only dive bomber squadron would be tasked with secondary missions and it would be exhausted in the beginning of the war.

Squadron 16 was tasked with recce for the IV AC. The squadron was to prepare to attack lucrative targets found during the recce missions and to help the army in countering dangerous breaks in the front.

Squadron organization:

Squadron organization chart (4801 bytes)

When the Winter War broke the first flight of Squadrons 10, 12 and 14 was equipped with Dutch Fokker C.X (FK) liaison aircraft. The other flights in Squadron 14 had also Dutch Fokker C.V.E (FO). Squadron 16 was equipped with British Ripon IIf (RI) aircraft and 3./Sqn.16 with German Junkers K 43f (JU) liaison aircraft.

Fokker C.X was a dependable and a very sturdy aircraft. It was the best liaison aircraft in the Finnish Air Force during Winter War and was on par with German, British or Soviet comparable types. During the war it became evident that the speed wasn't high enough for day clear weather operations. FO, "FK's older brother" had flown its first missions during the mid-1920's and so its operational chances were even worse. The RI (Ripon) and JU (Junkers) planes of Squadron 16 were totally outdated already during Winter War.

During Winter War the squadrons received new aircraft. To upgrade the operational capability of Squadron 16 it was given three FO planes donated from Sweden in early January 1940. The squadrons started to receive Gloster Gladiator (GL) fighters from mid-February. GL was too old for front-line duties. It was very agile but because of its slow speed and vulnerability it couldn't match the enemy's faster I-16 and I-153 aircraft in air combat. Squadron 12 received three Gladiators on the 12th of February 1940 and Squadron 14 two on the next day. Squadron 12 received two more Gladiators on the 29th of February and on the following day Squadron 14 received four aircraft. The aircraft was too slow for fighter combat but it could be used for day reconnaissance missions.

After Squadrons 12 and 14 had received new aircraft their old equipment was transferred to Sqn.16. 3./Sqn.16 received five FOs on the last day of February and the squadron gave its JU planes to Replenishment Squadron 39.

When Winter War broke squadrons 10, 12 and 16 had all the planned planes and squadron 14 had almost all the planned planes. The worse problem was the quality of the aircraft. On the whole the Finnish Air Force had in the beginning of the war 46 fighter, 56 reconnaissance and 14 bomber aircraft, together 116 aircraft so the land-based liaison aircraft formed around forty percent of the whole air force warplane inventory. During the war due to attrition and use the number of aircraft in the land-based liaison squadrons was halved.

The bases for the land-based liaison squadrons during mobilization were Lappeenranta (Sqn.10), Suur-Merijoki (Sqn.12), Laikko (Sqn.14), Värtsilä (Sqn.16) and Jaakkima Kokonniemi (3./Sqn.16). In addition to that two 3./Sqn.16 JU planed stayed at Turkinsaari until the end of October 1939.

Karelia map

Squadrons 14 and 16 operated from their mobilization bases the whole Winter War. Squadron 12 instead had to move to its new Konnunsuo base by the 18th of December because of heavy enemy activity. Soviet air force tried to bomb the Suur-Merijoki base already on the second war day with 27 aircraft. They missed the well-camouflaged base. Because of the bombings at Lappeenranta also Squadron 10 had to move. The new base was located at Taipalsaari where the unit moved between the 16th and 17th of December. The third flight of Squadron 16 operated from Rovaniemi during the beginning of the war, but moved to Kuluntalahti in the end of December. The new base was located some ten kilometers south of the city of Kajaani on a frozen lake. Every squadron was assigned a temporary working base on the Karelian Isthmus.

Because wartime operations didn't take place immediately after the mobilization it was possible to raise the training level of the troops. There were significant differences between the training methods in different squadrons. Squadron 10 clearly emphasized dive bombing. Squadron 12 gave low level bombing training to its second flight and Squadron 14 emphasized evasive maneuvers. By mid-November no low level bombing training had been activated in Squadron 14 even though Sqn.12 was way ahead with the training. Squadron 16 practiced a lot less than Squadrons 10 and 12. Some bombing, instrument and low level missions were practiced but there wasn't enough time to practice e.g. evasive maneuvers before the war broke.

Temperatures on the Karelian Isthmus during Winter War

Squadron 10 performed a lot less surveillance and photographic missions during mobilization compared to other liaison squadrons. The reason for that was that the squadron prepared for attack mission directly under the command of the Flight Regiment 1 commander. Squadron 12 performed reconnaissance and surveillance missions right from the beginning of the mobilization. The operation area for squadrons 12 and 14 was divided on the 25th of October along the line between II and III Army Corps. Squadron 14 flew first surveillance missions on the 19th of October and Squadron 16 two days later.

When the negotiations broke off in Moscow on the 13th of November the Soviet Union decided to search for other solutions in the Finland area. On the 26th of November the Soviet Union accused Finland of the so called "Mainila shots and two days later it called off the non-aggression treaty from 1932. Winter War broke on the last day of November when the red army attacked across the eastern border along the whole front.

Flight operations in December 1939

Low clouds prevailed over the Karelian Isthmus almost for the whole December and made reconnaissance missions difficult to perform. When the reconnaissance aircraft flew low they turned out to be easy targets for the enemy anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) and the planes received hits on almost every daytime mission. Soviet fighters didn't operate much over the Kannas army area during early December.

For the first time the enemy fighters caused an abort in the reconnaissance missions in 3./Sqn.12 on the 18th of December. After this the squadrons converted more to dawn and dusk and night operations. Squadron 10 didn't fly many missions during December. The squadron flew only two recce missions on the second war day when it was taken under the command of the General HQ. The next missions were on the 18th of December when the squadron tried to attack Soviet ships at the Gulf of Finland with seven aircraft. Due to the low clouds and darkness the attack didn't achieve any results. On the way back two aircraft bombed an enemy truck formation south of Boboschino. There was a break in the flight operations until on the 23rd of December the squadron bombed enemy formations and camps to support the II AC counter-attack.

Captain Auvo Maunula's flight (1./Sqn.12) at Karhusjärvi on the 7th of March 1940. Only a week and the war will be over! From the left: master sergeant Aimo Juhola, senior master sergeant Kullervo Tiukkanen, captain Maunula, ensign Kalervo Mustonen and ensign Ossi Marttila

The Winter War started in a gloomy way for Squadron 12. FK-93 was shot down at Ahijärvi on the first day of December and only three days later the squadron lost another aircraft when FK-101 crashed close to Heinjoki. The squadron flew reconnaissance missions from the second war day during every day when the weather permitted; the altitude for the flights was 200 - 8000 m (700 - 27.000 ft). Sqn.12 flew the first night bombings with three aircraft in the evening of the 8th of December. Night bombings were continued during the following nights the targets being enemy camps and road traffic.

Also Squadron 14 flew almost daily during December. On the first war days the missions were flown mainly during daytime because there were no enemy fighters. When the lakes froze and the enemy built bases closer to the front the squadron converted to dusk and night missions. Recce missions tracked the attackers road and railway traffic. The squadron bombed mostly enemy camps and road traffic during the recce missions.

When the Winter War broke the enemy troops against the IV AC were larger than anticipated to the north of Lake Ladoga (Laatokka) and they advanced fast initially. In less than two weeks IV AC had to pull back almost 100 km (60 mi.). On the 6th of December (Finnish Independence Day) the areas of Tolvajärvi and Ilomantsi were separated from the IV AC area of responsibility into Group Talvela's area. The area of the new group was in the area of responsibility of Squadron 16. The squadron was tasked in the evening of the 30th of November to fly reconnaissance missions into the area using two aircraft. The other one aborted due to a mechanical fault, but the other flew the mission and returned with important information.

On the second and third of December weather forced Squadron 16 to cancel recce missions and the the missions that were on the way had to be aborted. In the morning of the 4th of December the squadron attacked with four aircraft enemy tanks that had broken through the front at Suvilahti with the squadron commander leading the attack. The cloudbase stayed low in the IV AC area of responsibility for the remainder of December and there were a lot of technical problems in the old Ripons. As a result or other mishaps the squadron had only one mission capable aircraft in the end of December.

When the war broke out there were no air force units in the northern parts of the eastern front. This made operations difficult in the north. When the winter came in the enemy maritime operations didn't seem probable in the area 3./Sqn.16 could be moved to northern Finland. The aircraft were transferred to Kuluntalahti close to Kajaani. From there they were ferried to Rovaniemi and flew their first war missions from that base on the 17th of December. On the Christmas Eve Soviet fighters shot down a JU on a reconnaissance mission close to Salla. Only the pilot escaped with a parachute. After the flight had flown a few missions from Rovaniemi to the Salla and Märkjärvi area it moved to Kuluntalahti and flew the rest of the wartime missions from there. Because of the poor condition of the aircraft 3./Sqn.16 didn't achieve a lot of missions during the war.

War Missions in Winter War

War missions during Winter War. The chart shows the number of missions. There could be several aircraft performing a single mission.

Flight operations in January 1940

Compared to December Squadrons 12 and 14 didn't fly much during January. Poor weather hampered the flight operations in early January. In addition to the low clouds and snow cold weather made flight operations difficult during January. Engine heaters turned out to be inefficient and when the cold engines were started oil pipes and filters broke.

In the end of January the weather improved and the flight operations activated. Squadron 12 flew recce missions along the roads to find out the center of gravity of the enemy operations. During road recce missions Sqn.12 attacked often against the targets. The most important bombing targets in January were the enemy air bases.

The weather was cloudy on the eastern Karelian Isthmus for the whole January and this made Sqn.14 operations possible also during daytime. Targets for reconnaissance missions were enemy road and rail traffic and ships at Lake Ladoga. During night missions also enemy camps were checked and they were also bombing targets.

Squadron 10 operated in January mainly in the IV AC area of responsibility. In the end of January the squadron flew a dive bombing mission with six aircraft against Soviet ships in the Saunalahti pier. There was very heavy anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) in the area which resulted in losing FK-111 and FK-89 was so badly damaged that it had to make a belly landing when returning to the base.

Poor weather prevailed also north of Lake Ladoga. Low clouds, snow and low temperature prohibited Squadron 16 from flying on 14 days. In the end of December Sqn.16 had only two flyable aircraft. The situation improved in early January when the squadron received three FOs. After receiving the new aircraft the squadron averaged three mission ready aircraft daily and they should have been able to cover the IV Army Corps and Group Talvela with that force!

IV Army Corps commenced a large counter-attack during the dawn of the sixth of January. To support the attack the first and second flights from Squadron 10 were moved on the ninth of January to Mensuvaara. The commander of the IV AC, Major General Hägglund would have liked to command the squadron operations in the AC area of responsibility, but Finnish Air Force HQ declined that and kept the command of the squadron.

The weather was poor in the IV AC attack area between 11 and 13 January and this prevented flight operations. Sqn.10 flew the first war mission over the Lake Ladoga on the 14th of January. On the next day FK-87 went missing during a reconnaissance mission. On the 15th of January Squadron 10 dive bombed with two aircraft a divisional HQ in the eastern Lemetti encirclement ("motti"). In the afternoon of the 19th of January the squadron used seven aircraft to bomb enemy troops in the Pitkäranta industrial area. On the night between the 22nd and 23rd of January Sqn.10 used seven aircraft to bomb the enemy air base at Karkulampi. During the following days the squadron performed only some recce missions during which FK-81 was lost on the 26th of January. The squadron flew the last war missions from Mensuvaara on the 29th of January when it used six aircraft to attack ships in the Saunasaari pier. The squadron returned to Lappeenranta on the last day of January.

The third flight of Squadron 16 flew only three reconnaissance missions during January 1940. The reason for the low activity was e.g. the poor aircraft situation. This meant that reconnaissance duties in northern Finland were left for Flight Regiment 4 as had been the case in December.

Flight operations in February 1940

The red army started a counter-attack supported by heavy artillery barrage in the morning of the first of February in the Summa area. In the eastern Karelian Isthmus area the attack commenced in the Taipale area. Flight operations in the squadrons were low in early February. On the same day when the red army attack started Squadron 12 flew a reconnaissance mission over the Summa area in 7000 m altitude (23.000 ft) escorted by fighters. During the time the crew took photos over 40 enemy fighters attacked the Finnish aircraft. In the following air combat one escort fighter was shot down.

Time for heavy flight operations started in mid-February when the squadrons of Flight Regiment 1 started to attack the enemy forces that had broken through the defensive lines. In the night between the 15th and 16th of February Sqn.12 flew ten bombing missions to the east and southeast of Summa against the enemy camps along the Lähde road. On the 16th of February Sqn.10 became under the command of the Flight Regiment 1 commander. The squadron started attack operations in the night between the 17th and 18th of February when it flew 13 bombing missions against troops along the Lähde road. In the next night attacks continued with Sqn.10 flying five and Sqn.12 23 bombing missions to the Summa and Tikkala-Kolkkala areas. Attacks against the enemy camps were continued during the following night when Squadrons 10, 12 and 14 flew 30 bombing missions. The high attack activity continued in Flight Regiment 1 also during the night between 20th and 21st when the squadrons flew 21 bombing missions to Huumola and Kämärä. The weather prevented flight operations during the next three nights and when operations became possible again they were continued but with a smaller force. As a result of the night bombing attacks the red army concentrated heavy anti-aircraft artillery formations to the most important attack areas.

Between the night bombing missions Squadrons 12 and 14 continued the regular reconnaissance missions. When the squadrons received Gladiator (GL) aircraft the day clear weather reconnaissance missions were reactivated.

Flight operations in March 1940

The situation became critical for the Finnish forces in the bay of Viipuri (Vyborg) area. Soviet troops landed on the western shores on the 4th of March 1940. Squadron 12 flew more and more of its missions to the bay of Viipuri. On the 4th and 5th of March it flew then bombing, five recce and three ground attack missions to the area. Also Sqn. 14 had to direct its missions once again to the Sqn.12 area of responsibility. In the enemy's main attack area reconnaissance flights had to be flown in dawn and dusk also with the Gladiators because of enemy air superiority.

Squadron 12 flew between 6 and 13 March 19 missions to the bay of Viipuri and six missions to the western Karelian Isthmus. Sqn.14 flew during the same time six missions to the bay of Viipuri and 19 missions to eastern Karelian Isthmus. In air combats over the bay of Viipuri Squadron 14 fighters shot down two enemy I-153s and one over eastern Karelian Isthmus. In the fights the squadron lost one pilot on the 10th of March. Sqn.12 survived the 12 air combats it fought without casualties.

Flight Regiment 4 had eased up the pressure on Squadron 16 to get the reconnaissance information for the IV Army Corps by flying a lot of the day reconnaissance and photographic missions with the fast Bristol Blenheim (BL) aircraft. When the large Soviet attack started on the Karelian Isthmus the bomber regiment had to direct more of its missions to the Karelian Isthmus and the bay of Viipuri so the the responsibility for Sqn.16 to provide aerial reconnaissance in the IV AC area grew. During the last two weeks of the Winter War the squadron flew 15 war missions.

The Winter War ended on the 13th of March 1940. The land-based liaison squadrons entered the war with aircraft that weren't suitable for the missions that the war required. Even the highly regarded FK turned out to be too slow. The aircraft forced the squadrons to adapt their missions more to the night and dark operations when day clear weather operations became impossible.

The Gladiators (GL) that were received in February helped a bit, but especially Squadron 12 which fought in the main battle area would have needed first class fighter instead of old Gladiators.

The biggest contribution to the army was the surveillance and photographic missions that the squadrons performed. The squadrons flew during the Winter War 864 war missions, dropped 67 tons of bombs and spread millions of leaflets. 13 aircraft were lost, 24 aircrew members were lost and three wounded. A lot of the losses occurred during the beginning of the war in December when the units had to fly in poor weather to find out the direction of the enemy attack and by doing that became vulnerable to the enemy anti-aircraft artillery and had a higher risk of crashing in low level flight. One contributor was the inexperienced leadership in the squadrons. The limitations of the aircraft were not taken into consideration and daytime bombing missions were tried even after the enemy fighters had started to patrol over the front.

After the lessons were learned right procedures were used and the losses got almost negligible; in February - March 1940 the squadrons lost only one aircraft.

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