Fw. Albert Ullrich - an ace in 6./JG 77 - archive photo scan #51

 

Albert Ullrich was born 24 April 1920 in Sandweier (Baden-Württemberg). He enlisted in the Luftwaffe in 1941 and was in various flying schools (Marienbad, Karlsbad, Danzig and Magdeburg) before joining the EJG Süd (Orange). In August 1943 he was posted to 6./JG 77 then based in Italy. The Italian 'change-of-sides' took place shortly thereafter and II./JG 77 took on charge a full complement of Macchi Mc 205 fighters to make up the slow deliveries of Bf 109s that had been briefly interrupted. The Macchi 205 Veltro (or 'Maggie' as Ullrich referred to it in his correspondence..) was a 'more difficult' machine to fly ('schwieriger zu fliegen') and there were several losses - certain manoeuvres had to be flown with more speed and altitude than was usual in the Bf 109.  The 'narrow' cockpit meant that pilots could not fly with German parachute packs and had to use Italian chutes - after one bad incident it was discovered that these had been 'sabotaged' after being 'treated' with acid...

Fw. Albert Ullrich (6./JG 77) in the cockpit of a Macchi 205. Ullrich achieved his first victory  on 11 November 1943 - a B-24.

In his correspondence (dated 1991, letter #7) he described his first victory, achieved at the controls of a Macchi 205, a B-24 downed in PQ 75673 (south of Turin) on 11 November 1943;

"..a Schwarm was scrambled ('Alarmstart') under Lt. Ahlers. We were not in radio contact ('Funkverbindung') as the German sets could not be fitted in the Macchis. When I spotted the enemy aircraft I signalled this to Ahlers with hand gestures - which he appeared not to have understood. I dropped out of our formation and closed on the Viermot alone, setting one engine on fire with my bursts. On my second - and final - pass, the crew bailed out of their machine. Some six or seven men hanging under their chutes. Their Viermot went down in the vicinity of Cuneo. I do not know if the other Staffeln achieved any victories with the "Maggie" but this was the only enemy machine shot down by my 6. Staffel in the 205 .."

American troops entered the Italian capital on 4 June 1944. The next afternoon six 'waves' of B-24s and medium bombers attacked Ferrara, Forlì, and Rimini. The Bf 109s of II./JG 77 engaged them in combat from their airfield in Ferrara and claimed victories. Ullrich was airborne from Poggio-Renatico with his 6./JG 77. He encountered Liberators with fighter escort and downed his third B-24. He landed at 13:40. On 13 June  6./JG 77 was up from Poggio at around 08:20 to intercept more formations of escorted B-24s. Fw. Ullrich claimed his fourth victory against a B-24. His Staffel landed at Lavariano. By evening, the repaired runway at Ferrara allowed the two Staffeln - grounded since the bombing of 5 June - to rejoin 6. Staffel at Poggio Renatico. However, as early as the 16th, fearing a partisan attack, the Bf 109s temporarily left Poggio for Lavariano. This field was better situated for intercepting raids toward Austria. According to his own Flugbuch Ullrich downed his 5th B-24 on 22 June.

An image from Ullrich's album of Staffel comrade Lt. Franz Nägele (6./JG 77), a veteran of Russia and North Africa. Nägele claimed around 17 victories but was killed in combat on 9 June 44 at the controls of his G-6 'yellow 3', possibly this machine displaying the inscription 'Betty'.

On 11 July, during a “free hunt” JG 77 were engaged by Spitfires escorting a force of Marauders heading for a fuel depot in Piacenza. Uffz Richard Kurz (4./JG 77) was wounded at Isola Dovarese. Hampered by a drop tank he was unable to jettison, Ullrich was easy prey for the enemy fighters and had to bail out of his burning machine. Such an ordeal should have earned him two days’ rest, but given the circumstances - his Staffelkapitän Deicke was out of action having been wounded in the foot - Ullrich participated in the next day’s mission. At 09:00 the Bf 109s took off to engage a formation of B-25 Mitchells. Their defensive fire struck Fw Ullrich’s canopy. Wounded in the face and half-blinded, the Feldwebel made a belly landing near Ferrara. Sent to the military hospital, he was sidelined until September. 

A poor quality but rare image from Albert Ullrich's album, presumably showing the ace -given his preference for flying 'yellow 6' - at readiness and studying a map prior to a possible sortie. The engine cowl and wings are still covered ..

below left, long-time Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 77 Hptm. Joachim Deicke 

Ullrich shifted to the Eastern Front with his Staffel early in 1945. By now Staffelkapitän Deicke had been appointed Kommandeur of I./JG 77 and Ullrich was a seasoned ace whose experience was indispensable in 6./JG 77. He shot down his first Soviet fighter, an La-5, on 23 March 1945. He downed two Il-2s on 29 March. Ullrich left 6./JG 77 in April 1945 to be trained on the Me 262 at Lechfeld. He survived a transfer flight to Prague Rusin at the controls of a Me 262 and with a group of comrades 'absconded' in a truck as the Russians approached the city. He surrendered to American forces and was released by the French in 1947.  J. Matthews credits him with 11 'claims', six of these over Italy and five in the 'East' during the last two months of the war.

Ullrich's sorties in the East - he transferred a Bf 109 G coded (presumably) 'yellow 14' from Liegnitz to Bereschau on the afternoon of 27 January 1945 and flew this machine subsequently for the majority of his Feindflüge during February 1945. During March 1945 he flew 'yellow 1'

Ullrich logbook extract covering his last sorties on the Eastern Front through March-April 1945 - he notes a 12th Abschuss ('Abs') flying out of Eckersdorf on 3 April. Figures to the left indicate that his regular machine was '6'. Click on the image to access a larger slightly more legible version...

Legion Condor Bf 109 B, coded 6-56 - archive photo scan #50

 

Messerschmitt Bf 109 B, coded 6-56, 'inherited' by the Kommandeur of J/88, Hptm. Walter Grabmann, from Hptm. Gotthard Handrick, who he replaced as head of the unit in September 1938 at La Sénia. La Sénia is a town and municipality in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. This image is featured on the cover of the latest Batailles Aériennes issue No. 116 ('Legion Condor fighters') and is not in 'German Eagles..'

Handrick's letter ‘H’ inside the fuselage disc would be over-painted with Grabmann's 'G'

Hans Guido Mutke's Me 262 - Arma Hobby 1:72 (Michel Wilhelme)

 

" Hello Neil, here’s another completed 262 A-1. Unfortunately this is a kit I’ll be forgetting about – the new one from ARMA HOBBY, it really isn't as good as some other 72nd scale Me 262s out there. Nothing fits together; you even have to fill and sand the fuselage halves as they’re useless. If you know anyone building it, a word of advice: the ballast that ARMA provides with the kit, although well-placed, needs an extra 6 grams added, and even then it’s still borderline. The rest of the result is down to the paintwork I did. Note the 'crooked' starboard Balkenkreuz - I’ve added a photo of the real thing because the Balkenkreuz had to be retouched by the mechanics; it’s not a fault with the decal...."

On 25 April 1945, Mutke landed in Dübendorf, Switzerland, at the controls of the 9./JG 7 Me 262A-1a ‘white 3’. He claimed to have become lost during a combat mission and to have landed there by mistake, although defection was suspected. The Swiss authorities never attempted to fly the aircraft, keeping it in storage before returning it to Germany on 30 August 1957. Mutke unsuccessfully sued the post-war German government to recover the aircraft, arguing that it belonged to him. Mutke also made the controversial claim that he had broken the sound barrier in 1945 in an Me 262.

resin Tankanhänger /refuelling trailer from customscale.de

 

from Michael Baldeweg customscale.de

" ..May I introduce my latest project: The Ah. 454, one of the most important refueling trailers used by the German Luftwaffe during WWII. Often incorrectly referred to as the "Sd.Ah. 454," this two-axle vehicle was a true powerhouse. Thanks to its eight wheels, it could transport over 3,000 liters of fuel across soft ground without sinking—making it perfect for the improvised frontline airfields of the era. Highlights for scale modelers: 

✅ Highly detailed 8-wheel chassis 

✅ Complete pumping system in the rear 

✅ Authentic details for the perfect diorama (e.g., alongside a He 111 or Me 262) 

This is the first test model—I am absolutely thrilled with the level of precision that modern 3D printing allows us to achieve..."

More Luftwaffe tankers and fuel bowsers on this blog here

The mysterious ‘swoosh’ - late-war Fw 190 colours by Giampiero Piva

 The mysterious ‘swoosh’   by Giampiero Piva

In the second half of 1944, the use of the new RLM 81 and 82 colours began to become widespread in production, alongside the practice of leaving the undersides of the wings partially in bare metal. On a number of Fw 190s - both short and long-noses - a section of the fuselage also appears to be painted in a darker shade than RLM 76, perhaps RLM 75, which generally extends beneath the fuselage itself. There is no certainty regarding the purpose of this ‘swoosh’, as British and American experts and researchers call it; there are only many hypotheses. Finally, it should be noted that it is present on both the FW 190 A/F/G (photo 1) and the FW 190 D (photo 2).

Do 24 of 7. Seenotstaffel -archive photo scan #49

Coded 'DJ+ZM' of 7. Seenotstaffel, WNr. 087 was one of five Do 24s delivered during January 1943. Under CO Hptm. Hans Tretter, 7.Seenotstaffel, together with 6. Staffel, was in constant action operating in support of the Panzerarmee Afrika. In addition to 'DJ+ZM' Tretter also took on charge 'VH+SK' (WNr. 071) during this month. 'DJ+ZM' was lost on 23 December 1943 crashing into a house on the seafront whilst landing in Kapsali Bay (Kythira) to pick up wounded. Three airmen were killed and three others injured. Click on the image to view large.

 

last issue of Batailles Aériennes (no.116) - Legion Condor fighters

 

"...Dear readers, Here it is - the latest -and final -issue of your magazine *Batailles Aériennes*(issue no. 116) dedicated to the fighter aircraft of the Condor Legion, written by Jean-Louis Roba. If I am not mistaken, these 116 issues represent 29 years of publication, which is not bad at all! Of course, all this work – the research, the writing, the illustrations (colour profiles) – is the result of a collaborative effort. I would therefore like to thank all the authors and illustrators who have contributed over the years to producing all these issues of Batailles Aériennes. In recent years, the number of authors has fallen dramatically… to just Bernard Baeza and Jean-Louis Roba. I would like to thank them warmly, for without them we would not have managed to reach issue 116. Rest assured, they are continuing their work, which will be published as special editions of AVIONS magazine. But this will be less difficult to manage as it will be irregular, without a quarterly schedule. Finally, I would like to thank all the readers who have followed us over the years; without you, none of this would have been possible! So a big thank you to everyone. Enjoy this final issue and see you soon for other projects..."    Michel Ledet 

  A photograph taken from a period magazine shows the first six German fighter pilots in Spain, August 1936. From left to right: Lt. Gerhard Klein, Lt. Ekkehard Hefter, Oblt. Hannes Trautloft, Oblt. Herwig Knüppel, Oblt. Kraft Eberhardt and Lt. Wolf-Heinrich von Houwald. Half of this small detachment would perish in Spain.

On 27 September 1936 Lt.Ekkehard Hefter’s He 51 clipped the tower of the town hall in Vitoria - having just got airborne - and crashed into the town’s main square, killing the pilot. Engine trouble was cited as the cause. However, malicious tongues whispered that Hefter had celebrated his first victory a little too heartily the night before, whilst others suggested that he had been performing aerobatics for the locals (he had taken a course at Schleissheim). Probably a bit of all three.

Also on 27 September the He 51 detachment received an unexpected but welcome reinforcement: six aircraft and ten pilots: Oblt. Dietrich von Bothmer, Oskar Henrici and Günther Radusch, Lt. Kurt von Gilsa, Paul Rehahn and Hennig Strümpell, as well as Uffz. Willi Gödecke, Kowalski, Ernst Mratzek and Erwin Sawallisch. As was 'customary’, all these volunteer pilots had left Germany and travelled as 'civilians'. According to Strümpell; 

 ‘..I went out to Spain with, amongst others, Günther Radusch, whom I had known since Döberitz. We travelled to Berlin in civilian clothes to report to the Ministry. Then came the train journey to Hamburg. At the station, a man was waiting for us and we followed him. We were taken by bus to the port, where we boarded a small boat that took us to a ship. Once on board were issued with our kit. Near the Spanish coast, we were almost intercepted by a vessel, but we were protected by the Deutschland. We were flying, in principle, for HISMA (Note: the ‘front’ company ostensibly employing the volunteers). We then arrived in Tablada..”

It was decided to keep seventeen aircraft, enough for the fifteen pilots. The surplus He 51s (in fact the two or three oldest ones) were handed over to the Spanish, who accepted them reluctantly; they hardly used them as fighters and quickly transferred them to ground support units (or to training schools).

An impromptu lunch in Vitoria. Oblt. Knüppel is leaning over in the foreground. Behind him is Uffz. Erwin Sawallisch, who had recently joined the unit.

Siebel Si 204 with FuG - ebay photo find #388

 

A rare interesting ebay photo find from the Petrick repro sale. Siebel Si 204 trainer fitted with FuG airborne search radar for training Nachtjagd Bordfunker. Thanks to Pablo for the heads-up.

Jens Bechler 'Aufschlagbrand' - Ta 152, Alteno

Wartime crash researcher Jens Bechler has published three volumes in his 'Aufschlagbrand' series. The term 'Aufschlagbrand' (lit. 'impact fire') generally refers to two distinct aspects. On the one hand, it describes the moment when, typically as a result of enemy fire, an aircraft hits the ground and bursts into flames. Otherwise, it refers to the cause of death for pilots and crews involved in such accidents. The term was used extensively by the Luftwaffe in corresponding reports and loss lists. Author Bechler, based in Dresden, was the founder of the organisation 'Vermisstenforschung' devoted to wartime crash-site investigations. In his book(s) and work at crash sites, Bechler strives to elucidate the fates of those aviators 'killed in action' in the last few months of the war as the Soviets closed in on Dresden.

Bechler's 'Aufschlagbrand Band I'- first published in 2009 and reprinted last year - published a 'new' and particularly rare image of the well-known JG 301 Ta 152 line-up photographed at Alteno (near Dresden) in February 1945.  

 The airfield at Alteno - developed by the Russians post-war with the construction of a concrete runway - lies some 70 miles north of Dresden and south-west of the Focke Wulf production plant at Cottbus.  Unfortunately there are no credits and no information about the image in the book. Or anywhere else for that matter. The publisher Flugbücher Verlag in Pirna, on the Elbe river near Dresden, does not appear to be a going concern. I have attempted to contact the author himself but with no result. As for the image - well, the book has little or no Ta 152 content either!  Thanks to Gunter Lauser for pointing out that Bechler has produced three volumes of 'Aufschlagbrand' - that all look quite similar. 

Hans Dieterle (Heinkel) captures the World Speed Record, 30 March 1939

 

Below; Oranienburg, 30 March 1939 - 24-year old Heinkel Werkspilot Hans Dieterle, pictured with his wife, has just attained a timed speed of 746 km/h with the (so-called) 'He 112 U' to achieve a World speed record. ( the 'U' may have stood for 'Udet' - who had test-flown some of the earlier He 100/112 'variants' during 1938). The aircraft was in actual fact the He 100 V8 coded D-IDGH with 'cut-down' windshield and canopy, powered by a modified DB 601 with methyl alcohol injection to produce around 1800 hp for a very short period. The aircraft covered the 3 km long Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) measured 'course' in just 14 seconds! Dieterle’s new record - 'schnellster Mann der Welt' -would last less than one month, however. On 26 April 1939, Fritz Wendel achieved 755 km/h (around 470 mph) in the Me 209, although some have argued that as this flight had taken place in Augsburg - which was much higher above sea level than allowed in FAI regulations-  Wendel's record was invalid.

'Rekordflieger' Dieterle (along with Chefpilot Gerhard Nitschke) had previously been involved in 'world record' flight attempts in another Heinkel prototype - the He 119 fast bomber/recce aircraft and earlier  in 1937 had achieved another world (distance) record in the He 116 four-engine long-range 'mail' aircraft (langstrecken Postflugzeug). Both pilots had been injured in the crash-landing of the He 119 V1 in December 1937. (on December 16, 1937 the He 119 SV-1, Wnr. 2402, D-AUTE crashed in Travemünde). The He 119 (below) featured a unique buried engine (coupled DB 601s designated DB 606) driving a nose propeller through an extension shaft.

Bundesarchiv caption - " World records being “processed” -  the two pilots of the twin-engine Heinkel aircraft, Flugkapitän Nitschke (left) and Pilot Dieterle (right), who on Monday set three world speed records over 1,000 km for Germany, together with the designer of the Heinkel aircraft, Dr. Ernst Heinkel (centre), with whom they are discussing their experiences on the record-breaking flight, November 23, 1937 .." 

new Luftwaffe books - LUFTWAFFE FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, Profile Book No 16

 

Due this month (April 2026) from Claes Sundin is his LUFTWAFFE FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, Profile Book No 16

- 136 full color pages with 130 aircraft profiles

- Many examples of single-seat fighter aircraft flown by Luftwaffe aces

- Included are all single-seat fighter types operated by the Jagdwaffe

- 140 additional illustrations of unit insignia and personal markings

- Detailed captions for each profile with historical and descriptive information of the pilots and their aircraft compiled with the assistance of David E. Brown, Jeff C. Clements and the FalkeEins blog!

- A comprehensive index section of all of Claes Sundin's Luftwaffe fighters profile books

- Exceptional high-quality paper and print quality, glossy hard-bound cover

- And of course, world-class profiles, all at a very reasonable price. The price for this new book is: 45 Euros

AK Real Colors - a revelation

 

I'm guessing that occasionally modellers have an epiphany. Mine just happened  - AK Real Colors. Having spent the last few months using them I rate them so highly I thought I'd endorse them here. They really appear to have 'revolutionised' my airbrush work - they spray beautifully, have great self levelling qualities and excellent color coverage in thin coats. I feel in full control of the airbrush which was rare with my usual enamels - Colourcoats, Xtracolor, Humbrol, whatever. I find they spray even better when thinned a little with Mr Color Leveling Thinner (MCLT). They are easy to gloss coat with Gunze GX100 or 112 or Galeria. No compatibility issues. They spray fine lines and handle even the smallest mottles (1:72 Luftwaffe fighters..) without issue. Even better, they clean up so easily! They come in 'dropper' type bottles, so a couple of drops into the cup, a quick dip of a brush into the Leveling Thinner and you are good to go! I have yet to try the own-brand thinner - AK Real Colors High Compatibility Thinner. Like MCLT this is formulated for lacquer-based paints and has a retarder. I was going to say that AK Real Colors are in the same category as Gunze and Tamiya - but they are better in my view; Gunze is very good too albeit a little thick, requiring more thinning compared to Tamiya and AK (thinned with MCLT). My ranking is AK first, Hobby Color a very close second and Tamiya third. Why is Tamiya third? I find that Tamiya colour occasionally requires mixing while the other two brands usually have the colour I want out of the bottle. As for colour accuracy - I think that is a given. In conclusion, a no-nonsense paint that works brilliantly. I rank them very highly. Buy with confidence - the various Luftwaffe sets come in packs of four or six bottles, which basically equates to one 'free'.

New and forthcoming from John McIllmurray - Modellers Guide to the Ju 388 via KLP Publishing

From John McIllmurray two new Ju 388 conversion sets (a J and an L set) and a 'modellers guide' to the Ju 388 via KLP coming soon. Not forgetting a book of rare archive photos of the type licensed from the Deutsches Museum, see picture below. From John, 

"..This is my forthcoming 'Modeller's guide to the Ju 388' - Kevin at KLP will post a link very soon I guess. Here's the draft cover! I am obviously using my own 1/32 kit as the basis of showing the modeller what details are needed for a 388 build whatever the scale - it will include a 1/48 and 1/72 chapter but only as an overview. The book will include reference photos under licence and revised profiles of my decal options. All in all a big work like my G-6 book! "

 

Also on this blog;

A Modellers Guide to the Ju 88 G-6 from KLP Publishing

Axis Wings volume 4 has landed !

Rich from Chandos Publications shows us Axis Wings Vol 4 and explains the 'bundle' deals available when purchasing this book series over at the Chandos Publications web site. This issue - 184-large format pages- features content from leading specialists such as Richard Dunn, Michael Claringbould, Dietmar Hermann, Alexander Steenbeck, Peter Kassak, Tim Oliver, J. Richard Smith and more.

" I could not love the 109 the way I loved my friend Brewster.." - F2A Buffalo - Brewster Model 239

 

Lentolaivue 24 Brewster being refueled in Tiiksjärvi. The Model 239 had two 300 ltr integral wing tanks

I guess most aviation enthusiasts know something about the F2A Buffalo - typically that the USMC, the RAF and other air forces suffered at the hands of the Japanese while north of the Arctic Circle the Finns achieved some success with the type against the Soviets during the Continuation war.

" The Marines on Midway had no combat experience and were fighting IJN pilots with extensive combat experience. The Dutch and British faced similarly experienced IJAAF pilots over the DEI and Malaysia, with limited time in the Buffaloes and experience in high altitude fighting over Europe. Fighting in the Pacific was at lower altitudes and required different tactics. The Finns were all combat veterans of the Winter War and when the later Continuation War began they were also quite familiar with their Buffaloes. They knew their aircraft and their enemy..."

The F2A was of course probably not as bad as it is often portrayed. Usually decried as being 'heavy and under-powered', on both counts the F2A-3 (Wright R-1820 Cyclone) came out with better numbers than the F4F Wildcat (Twin Wasp R-1830). The Finnish B-239s were modified from US Navy F2A-1s, featuring a more powerful engine, no armour, integral wing tanks, and extra machine guns. The elite Finnish Lelv 24 claimed 477 victories for the loss of 19 in combat and six more in accidents or destroyed on the ground during the period 1941-44 in their Brewsters. This blog is not about to suggest that the Buffalo - or Brewster Model 239 as the export 'version' was designated - was superior to the Bf 109 G. But by certain criteria it actually was. 

Take for example, 'drag coefficient'.  The drag coefficient is perhaps the most important aerodynamic parameter in aircraft design, representing how "streamlined" its shape is. A lower figure directly correlates to better performance, fuel efficiency and speed. Somewhat surprisingly the stubby, radial-engined, short-winged Buffalo had a lower drag coefficient than the Bf 109 G as this Finnish data table highlights.

The Buffalo had been extensively wind-tunnel tested during its design, while the Me 109 was - in its early variants - usually described as 'kantig' (or 'angular'). The 109 'famously' underwent a 're-design' to a more 'aerodynamic' profile with the Friedrich.  The F2A used the same NACA 230xx aerofoil sections that were employed in a number of US designs including the P-38, F4U, F6F and even the later Bearcat.

The Buffalo performed well in Finland. Firstly, it was probably the easiest of the Finnish fighters to handle all round. In the summer of 1941 there were fighter pilots flying it with fewer than 150 total hours. Second, it was quite reliable. It was a sound design, no major faults and it was also "erk friendly". Third, for a significant period of time its performance was adequate (up to late 1942). The Soviets still used lots of I-153 and I-16. Fourth, the enemy pilots in general were not particularly good and especially their aggressiveness left much to be desired. 

Pure comparison accounts are surprisingly few even if most Buffalo pilots continued on to the 109. In the 1990s the-then director of the FAF museum published his 109 book which had a chapter with personal reports. The author had requested accounts from pilots and mechanics for their opinions on the 109. Basically very few were by "the aces" (most had died by then) and most were from pilots who flew it only post-war. There is quite a lot of variance. For example, Eino Luukkanen considered the 109 easier to handle than the Fokker D. 21. But he was one of the most experienced of them all.

Some Finnish pilots actually preferred the Buffalo - or the 239-  over their later 109 Gustavs received from Germany;

SSgt Heimo 'Hemmi' Lampi recounted his attachment to the Brewster to historian Dan Ford;

 

“The old friend Messerschmitt, who was a real hard fighter, was my next plane after the Brewster, but it totally lacked in humaneness.. [..]..I could not love it the way I loved my friend Brewster. Nor any other plane for that matter.” 

Having scored during the Winter War, Lampi became an ace on day 1 of the Continuation War - 25 June 1941 - then later became an ace on the Brewster 239 and added eight more victories in the 109. 

 Warrant Officer Juutilainen (with 34, second-highest scoring ace on the Brewster Model 239) referred to the 239s as “fat hustlers, just like bees. They had speed, agility and good weaponry, too.…We were happy to take them anywhere to take on any opponent.” The top three Buffalo pilots - Lt. Wind (with 39 victories in a Brewster), and 1st Lt. Jorma Karhunen (26.5)—claimed 23 Polikarpov I-16 monoplane fighters, 18 Polikarpov I-153 biplanes and 11 Hawker Hurricanes. Encounters with more modern Russian fighters—Yaks, MiGs and LaGGs—were rare until the Finns began the conversion to Messerschmitts in early 1943.

The men of Llv 24's 4th Flight putting CO Llv 24' Major 'Eka' Magnusson's aircraft BW-380 in the firing butts, Rantasalmi, July 10, 1941. The fuel drum on which the machine is about to be balanced is just visible. Note tactical number 'black 1'

 

Many have claimed that at 25-to-1 Finnish Brewsters recorded the highest victory-loss ratio of the war. Juutilainen described his combat experiences in the memoir Double Fighter Knight, referring to his two Mannerheim Crosses. He pressed attacks to minimum range to ensure lethal accuracy. Juutilainen recalled one particularly close-in dogfight with a Soviet Hurricane:

" I came in at high speed from above and behind and pulled the throttle back to idle. The target grew in my gunsight. It was a very clean airplane and looked brand new. Now I was approaching the perfect firing range and looked around me one more time. No other enemies were in sight. The pipper on my sight was just slightly in front of the nose of the Hurricane, and my glide angle was about 10 degrees. Now I could count rivets on the target..."

The Buffalo is often thought of as being obsolete by 1941. It could not survive in Western Europe and did not survive in the Pacific. Ultimately the Finns were successful with the type because they stripped out as much weight as possible, leading to even better performance. It was piloted by combat veterans who knew the tactics of their enemy and in an environment that better suited the aircraft. And for the first year or so of the Continuation War they were also up against ancient I-16s and other obsolescent Soviet types flown by poorly trained pilots.

(Thanks to Jukka for help with this post)

Captain Ahola's victorious flight crew around their aircraft at Tiiksjärvi, May 21, 1942.

Also on this blog;

The life and times of Finnish fighter ace Veikko Karu