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The Winter War
In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded its neighbour Finland, sparking the Winter War. While Finland was heavily outnumbered in all respects, in few respects was the contest so uneven as in the air. In his book Winter War 1939–40 Repelling the Soviets from Finnish skies, veteran Finnish aviation historian Kari Stenman presents the first account in English of the Finnish Air Force‘s defence of the country’s skies, a clash that pitted its 114 combat aircraft against the Soviets’ 2,318.
He explains that, equipped initially with a handful of British and Dutch aircraft, Finland’s air force adopted similar guerrilla tactics to its infantry. Fokker D.XXI interceptors were scattered to remote landing grounds to ambush the Soviets and give an impression of strength, while the bombers were first used for long-range reconnaissance and harassment.
Over the course of the war, the Finns received new Gladiators, Fiat G.50s and French MS.406s, until at the close of the war, all flying units were thrown in to repel the Russian invasion across the frozen Gulf of Finland.
On Jan. 6, 1940, 6 DBAP (Long-range Bomber Aviation Regiment) took off from Krechevichy with 17 Ilyushin DB-3 bombers in two detachments to bomb the ammunition factory and traffic junction at Kuopio. The first detachment of nine planes led by Maj. Balashov carried out the attack without interference and returned to its base. The second detachment of eight DB-3s, headed by Maj. Maistrenko, drifted in the side wind too far to the east and crossed the coast at Kotka. Six Fokkers of 4/LLv 24 were stationed at Utti near Kouvola, based on the information that the Soviet bombers had been orienteering to the targets in the inner parts of Finland by the railway network.
Finnish Fokker pilot shooting down Six Soviet bombers
In this case, it was the rail from Kouvola via Mikkeli to Kuopio. When Maistrenko’s formation approached Kouvola, 1Lt Per Sovelius was flying from Lappeenranta to Utti and engaged the bombers, shooting one down. The remaining seven continued to Kuopio, bombed without any significant effects and then returned the same way.
Now, 1Lt Jorma Sarvanto had taken off, alone since his wingman’s aircraft refused to start. He met the bombers above Utti at 2,000 metres altitude and began shooting at 1203hrs. Four minutes later, he had destroyed six bombers.
Sarvanto recalls;
‘I approached the bombers so that I was simultaneously in a dead angle of the tails of the two bombers at the extreme left. The third from left appeared to be the most dangerous. I was wishing that the dorsal gunners were at ease after a long bombing mission, but from 300 metres my plane began to rattle unpleasantly and tracers flew all around; I had flown straight ahead up to now but now I swung my plane in order to hinder the aim of the gunners. I was still approaching with a good speed and the extreme left bomber was in the sight.
‘The distance was now 200 metres, when I fired the first short burst, which seemed to hit. Then I turned my plane and fired at the third from the left. A short burst silenced the gunner. I gave a similar burst to the second plane from the left; I was now about 100 metres behind them and the extreme left plane was lightly smoking. I shot a couple of short bursts into the smoking engine, which caught fire. Then I shot the third from left into flames from close range.
Ace in a Day
‘I continued shooting short bursts, first at the most dangerous dorsal gunners and then into the starboard engines.
‘The extreme right plane pulled up to the right, departing the formation and smoking heavily. I left it alone and continued my work as before. When I looked at right I observed that the departed plane was already in flames and was going into a spin to the death.
‘During the duel I only used short bursts and never fired unless I was certain of hitting. It was not too difficult as the firing distance was mostly under 50 metres, on occasion just the length of the bomber. As far as I can remember only part of one burst went under the wing when the pilot pulled tightly up.
‘Shooting down the sixth bomber took the longest time. I did a good job since in the dorsal turret of the seventh plane was an already a dead gunner. I shot at very close range and in bursts that were a bit longer. Now only the synchronized fuselage guns worked since the wing guns with higher rate of fire had run out of ammunition. The sixth bomber finally caught fire and I moved right behind the last one. I aimed from above and behind to the starboard engine and pulled the trigger.’
The last bomber
He concludes;
’The guns were silent. I did the cocking procedures but with no results. I was out of ammunition and there was nothing else to do than to turn back home.’
The last one escaped, but not for long since 1Lt Sovelius, after refuelling and rearming, had scrambled and caught the bomber over the Gulf of Finland, sending it down between Suursaari and Lavansaari.
The wrecks of all six victims of Sarvato were found, and they fell on a distance of 28km. As a result of the action, 22 Soviet airmen were killed, including Maistrenko, and two became prisoners of war.
Winter War 1939–40 Repelling the Soviets from Finnish skies is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.
Photo credit: Adam Tooby via Osprey
