Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Curtiss Hawk Nurmoila, 1943.10.18


Curtiss Hawk Nurmoila, 1943.10.18
@SA-photo
Curtiss Hawk photo gallery is open mainsite : Curtiss Hawk


Curtiss Hawk photo gallery is open mainsite : Curtiss Hawk


Curtiss Hawk photo gallery is open mainsite : Curtiss Hawk

Finland use

After the fall of France, Germany agreed to sell captured Curtiss Hawk fighters to Finland in October 1940. In total, 44 captured aircraft of five subtypes were sold to Finland with three deliveries from 23 June 1941 – 5 January 1944. Not all were from the French stocks, 13 were initially sold to Norway and captured when the Germans conquered that country.[10] The aircraft were given serial codes CU-501 to CU-507 (A-4 submodel with Cyclone) and CU-551 to CU-587 (all other submodels with Twin Wasp).

In Finnish service, the Hawk was well liked, affectionately called Sussu ("Sweetheart"). The Finnish Air Force enjoyed success with the type, credited with 190⅓ kills by 58 pilots, between 16 July 1941 and 27 July 1944, for the loss of 15 of their own.[9] Finnish ace Kyösti Karhila scored 12¼ of his 32¼ victories in the Hawk, while the top Hawk ace K. Tervo scored 14¼ victories.
The Finnish Hawks were initially armed with either four or six 7.5mm machine guns. While sufficient during the early phase of the Continuation War, the increasing speeds and armor of Soviet aircraft soon showed this armament was not powerful enough. From 1942, the State Aircraft Factory replaced the fuselage machine guns with either one or two .50 in (12.7 mm) Colt machine guns and installed two or four .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns in each wing. The 12.7mm Berezin UB or LKk/42 heavy machine guns were also used.[9] The installation of heavier armament did not change the very good flying characteristics of the fighter, but the armament was much more effective against Soviet aircraft. The Finnish Hawks were also equipped with Revi 3D or C/12D gunsight.
Surviving Finnish aircraft remained in service with the FAF aviation units HLeLv 13, HLeLv 11 and LeSK until 30 August 1948, when the last operational Finnsh Hawks were put into storage. In 1953, the stored aircraft were scrapped.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Panzerkampfwagen III : Kiestinki eastside 1941.10.12

One of tanks give support fire when others attack.
Panzerkampfwagen III : Kiestinki eastside 1941.10.12


The Germans took responsibility for the 500 km (310 mi) stretch of the front in northern Finland consisting of Finnish Lapland. The Finnish army was now much stronger than it had been during the Winter War, now boasting 475,000 men. The artillery, too, was relatively strong. However, there was only one tank battalion and a lack of motorized transportation

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Junkers Ju 88 : Gulf of Finland 1944.06.16

LeLv 44:n Junkers Ju 88 A-4, JK-265

 Junkers Ju 88 : Gulf of Finland  1944.06.16
Dive-bomming enemy.
@SA-photo

Junkers Ju 88 : Gulf of Finland  1944.06.16
Dive-bomming enemy.
@SA-photo

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 MT-214

 Messerschmitt's arrive in Finland. They are still Germany marks.

Same Messerschmitt  in Finnish colors.

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 MT-214

Monday, November 3, 2014

Siebel ferry : Lahdenpohja 1942.08.01


Almost every  8.8 cm Flak are white rings from  Shoot down the enemy the aircraft.
 Lahdenpohja 1942.08.01
SA-photo (old caption)

Almost every  8.8 cm Flak are white rings from  Shoot down the enemy the aircraft.
 Lahdenpohja 1942.08.01
SA-photo (old caption)

Almost every  8.8 cm Flak are white rings from  Shoot down the enemy the aircraft.
 Lahdenpohja 1942.08.01
SA-photo (old caption)

Almost every  8.8 cm Flak are white rings from  Shoot down the enemy the aircraft.
 Lahdenpohja 1942.08.01
SA-photo (old caption)

Siebel ferry

(wikipedia text )
The Siebel ferry (Siebelfähre) was a shallow-draft catamaran landing craft operated by Germany's Wehrmacht during World War II. It served a variety of roles (transport, flak ship, gunboat, convoy escort, minelayer) in the Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Seas as well as along the English Channel. They were originally developed for Operation Sea Lion, Germany's planned but never-executed 1940 invasion of England. Siebel ferries continued performing useful service even after the war's end in 1945.