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THE FINNISH FIGHTER TACTICS AND TRAINING BEFORE AND DURING THE WW II By Heikki Nikunen Fighter History Tactics Development The Winter War The Temporary Peace The Continuation War Conclusions Sources THE FLIGHT TRAINING SYSTEM Air Academy (5) The reserve pilot training was started in the Air Academy in September 1931. The age limit was from 17 to 25 years and the needed education was a high school graduate. The students were selected from a big number of applicants and a good physical condition and an earlier aviation hobby were benefits for the applicant. The aviation subjects contained 275 hours of lectures and 200 hours of exercises. The most important subjects were: flying techniques 20 h engine theory 40 h aircraft structure 40 h + 30 h navigation 30 h weaponry and air gunnery 28 h + 12 h air warfare 32 h telegraph and radio technics 20 h + 117 h Other special subjects included flying regulations, meteorology, signal theory, photography and military geography. The program contained 20 subjects with 40 % of lectures and 60 % of exercises. The flight hours per student were 50 hours. The program was modified in 1934. Aerodynamics was added to the program as well as more hours to air warfare and tactics, engine and aircraft structure, weaponry and air gunnery and photography. The flight hours per student were 62 hours and in addition to that there was a special navigation training for 16 hours. The next modifications in the elementary training came as follows: the night flight training was started in 1936 the air gunnery training was started in 1937 the flight hours for aerobatics and formation flying were added in 1938 the air combat training was started in 1938 During the years 1931 - 1939 there were 8 reserve pilot courses and the total number of students was 240. 113 of these became professional military pilots after attending the cadet course. The training for non-commissioned reserve pilots was started in 1934. The aviation subjects and the flight hours in the program were basically the same as in the reserve officers` courses. During 1934 - 1939 there were 5 non-commissioned reserve pilot courses with a total of 129 students. 74 of these became professional military pilots after advanced training. About half of the reserve pilots were called to rehearsal training which was concentrated on the air combat maneuvers and air gunnery. The number of flight hours per student was 25. An important supporter to the FAF in the flight training was Finland`s Air Defence Association. It arranged, in cooperation with the FAF, the flight courses for the international FAI A-license. The students were selected together with the Air Force, and Air Force instructors flew the check flights. The FAF also gave aircraft and instructors to the Association for training periods. Most of the students continued their training in the Air Force courses and quite many of the later fighter aces came in the Air Force via Finland`s Air Defence Association`s flight courses. The total number of the trained reserve pilots before the Winter War was 320 (6).   Squadrons The training in the squadrons was concentrated on the air combat and attacks on the bomber targets. The pilot had to know his fighter thoroughly and this was practiced in aerobatics and formation flights. The gun camera was used in the air combat training and also small paper parachutes were used as the aiming targets. Air gunnery was emphasized in the training program and shooting exercises at the target sleeve took 95 % of the total gunnery program. The standard practice was to analyze every day`s exercises together in the evening (7). There were fuel shortages during the last years of the 1930s and therefore clear priorities were set on the training program. The fighter combat maneuvers and air gunnery became the most important exercises. For example in 1939 every fighter pilot flew 15 - 20 hours in the air gunnery training. Many pilots told afterwards that it had been much easier to shoot down the enemy aircraft than to hit the small target sleeve over Lake Ladoga. The good self confidence which was acquired from the air gunnery camps and air combat training was the basis for the Finnish fighter pilots` success in the Winter War (3). The good self confidence which was acquired from the air gunnery camps and air combat training was the basis for the Finnish fighter pilots` success in the Winter War   Go to The Winter War Go back to Fighter History page

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