The Messerschmitt Bf 109G in Finnish useIt was the 6 December yesterday local time when I began typing this topic. To most western nations it is the happy time of waiting for the Christmas. In Finland this is also our independence day. The 97th to be exact. Finland became independent on 6th December 1917 during the Russian revolution. During its relatively short existence Finland had to endure twice harsh and bloody fighting against the giant Soviet Union. On both occasions against all odds we kept our independence, albeit paying a heavy price.
To commemorate and to honor those who gave their utmost to defend our country in her hour of need, and by doing so gaining the undying respect and admiration of the nation and the whole world, I'm happy to present a series of skins for the Il-2 series combat flight simulator depicting some of the aircraft flown by the famous LeLv 34 and HLeLv 24 in 1943-1944.
During the truce of 1940-1941, which in Finland is better known as "the interim peace", "välirauha", the German influence in Finland was increasing fast. During this short period of peace the Finnish Army and Air Force officers made a number of visits to Germany (24.2-14.3.1941) in order to study the tactics and equipment of their new ally. During these visits the Finnish Air Force officers were pleased to see that the tactical doctrine used by the Germans relied much on similar ideas adopted by the Finnish Air Forces. The famous Bf 109 Messerschmitt was introduced to the Finnish Air Force officers in France. This happened in Abbeville the host being I/JG 51 under the command of Hauptmann Hermann-Friedrich Joppien. During the visit the German ace achieved his 36th victory.
On 1 February 1943 a contract was assigned with Germany for these fighters. Finland received 48 (some sources claim 30) Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 fighters which, after a brief familiarization course in Germany, were flown to Finland by their new pilots between March and May 1943. The Bf 109G-2 achieved its debut kill in 24 March when WO (Lentomestari) Ilmari Juutilainen shot down a Soviet photoreconnaissance Pe-2 near Suursaari.
LeLv 34 was re-activated in Immola airbase on 23 January 1943 just prior to the exchange of contracts for the Bf 109. Maj. Olavi Ehrnrooth was appointed it's commander. This "new" unit had actually already existed during the interim peace, but it had been deactivated. Since the new unit was to be equipped with modern high performance fighters it was decided that only pilots with considerable experience were to be accepted. Thus LeLv 34 became a "crack unit" of aces transfered from other fighter units of the Finnish Air forces.
LeLv 34 achieved with the Messerschmitt fighter 345 victories during its war time existence. 30 Bf 109s were lost of which 13 in air combat, 5 shot down by antiaircraft fire, 7 were lost in accidents and further 5 due to technical failures.
The unit produced aces as well as other of its aces kept increasing their already impressive tallies. The most famous of them being Warrant Officer Ilmari Juutilainen who has the honor of being the highest scoring non-German ace in the annals of aerial warfare with 94 confirmed aerial victories (to his own recollection the score may have been as high as 128). 2 of these victories were achieved whilst serving with the LeLv 24 flying the Dutch Fokker with the fixed landing gear during the Winter War in 1939. During the continuation war 34 victories in the controls of the popular Brewster Buffalo and further 58 while flying the famous Messerschmitt Bf 109G and serving with LeLv 34. It is said that during the entire war Juutilainen was never hit during air combat with the enemy. WO Ilmari Juutilainen was twice awarded the Mannerheim Cross, the highest decoration for bravery in the Finnish Army. He was also awarded with the German Iron Cross 2nd class and 1st class. Juutilainen survived the war. He passed away on his 85th birthday on 21 February 1999.
The second Highest scoring ace in the Finnish Air Forces was Capt Hans Wind with 75 confirmed victories. He served his entire combat career, from 1941 until being wounded in 1944, in LeLv 24. He achieved 39 victories while flying the Brewster Buffalo and further 36 victories in the controls of the Bf 109G. He was twice awarded the Mannerheim Cross. Wind survived the war despite being seriously wounded during his last combat sortie on 28 June 1944. Hans Erik Wind passed away on 24.7.1995.
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Sources:
Karjalan Lennoston Historia 1918-1980 by Veli Pernaa - Published by the Karjalan lennoston kilta ry with Otava publishing 1997.
Suomen Ilmavoimien Historia 18 LeR 3 by Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman - Published by Itä-Uudenmaan Paino 2001.
Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 23 Finnish Aces of World War II by Kari stenman and Kalevi Keskinen - Published by Osprey publishing 1998.
Osprey Aviation Elite Units, Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" by John Weal - Osprey Publishing 2006.

Bf 109G-2, W.Nr. ?, "Yellow 2" flown by WO Ilmari Juutilainen of 1/LeLv 34, Suulajärvi, July 1943.
Download Juutilainen Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6 Erla, W.Nr. ?, "MT-498" flown by WO Ilmari Juutilainen of 1/LeLv 34, Taipalsaari, as seen in late August 1944.
Download Juutilainen Bf 109G-6 Erla
Bf 109G-6, W.Nr. 200041 ?, "MT-462" flown by MSgt. Nils Katajainen of 3/HLeLv 24, Lappeenranta, 30 June 1944.
Download Katajainen Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6, W.Nr. ?, "MT-416 'Yellow 6 ?'" flown by SSgt. A. Nuorala of 3/HLeLv 34, Taipalsaari, at the end of June 1944.
Download Nuorala Bf 109 G-6
Bf 109G-2, W.Nr. ?, "MT-213 'White 3'" flown by Lt E. Riihikallio of 2/HLeLv 24, Suulajärvi, May 1944.
Download Riihikallio Bf 109G-2To all fighter pilots,
eMeL 6.12.2014.