Fighter Squadron 21 history, Page 1

1. Sortavala 1918 - 1924

The Finnish Air Force was founded on 6 March 1918, and its first aircraft was donated by a Swedish count, Erik von Rosen, and bore his own personal insignia, blue swastikas, painted on its wings. This was the origin of the first official Finnish Air Force markings, which thus have nothing to do with the Nazi swastikas of the 1930s.

Morane Thulin Parasol (18455 bytes)

A replica of the first Finnish Air Force aircraft, Morane Thulin Parasol with Swedish Count von Rosen's lucky signs, blue swastikas on the wings.

There was one exceptional feature in the founding of the FAF, that it was organized right from the start as an independent branch of the armed forces. This foresight on the part of the Supreme Commander, Mannerheim, created a good basis for its development and made it one of the oldest air forces in the world.

The FAF flew its first combat operations in the War of Independence in 1918, its main missions being reconnaissance sorties, with equipment that included a modest total of 19 Thulin Parasol, Albatros, Friedrichshafen, Rumpler, D.F.W.C.V and Nieuport aircraft.

In summer 1918, after the War of Independence was over, the FAF was organized into five air stations, of which three acted as training centers as well. Because of the enormous number of lakes in the country, sea planes were regarded as the most suitable type of aircraft, thus four out of the five air stations were in effect sea plane harbours. All of the stations were located in southern Finland, as their main mission was surveillance and in this way the network served well to cover the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga areas. The total number of aircraft was increased to 31, representing 14 different types. This type variety was to prove a fairly permanent problem in later times, especially for the FAF technicians. (from "Air Defence in Northern Europe")

Hallamaa, Mikkola, Lindberg and Heinricius (18807 bytes)

The original four pilots: From the left ensign Rafael Hallamaa, captain Väinö Mikkola (commander), captain Leonard Lindberg (Kotsalo) and sergeant Eero Heinricius.

The establishment of I Field Air Station at Sortavala was given to lieutenant Väinö Mikkola. The detachment came to Sortavala on the 23rd of June 1918. The mission of the air station was to patrol the Lake Ladoga (Laatokka) sea front. Aerial reconnaissance was important to the Finnish Army supreme command.

Karelia map

Lieutenant Väinö Mikkola established the Sortavala Air Station and was the first commander. He was undisputedly the most experienced pilot in Finland. He had received his pilot training during 1915 - 1916 in Russia, St. Petersburg and Baku. During World War I Mikkola served as the commander on the aircraft hangar ship Orliza on the Gulf of Finland and after that as the commander of the Hermanni Air Station. Mikkola joined government service in January 1918 and in May he was registered in the Finnish Army. He was promoted to captain in July and given the first Finnish military pilot's wings number 1 on the 17th of September 1918. He served as the commander of the Sortavala Air Station till the 4th of December 1919 when he was ordered to take command of the Aviation Battalion at Santahamina. On the 16th of May 1920 he was promoted to major. Mikkola was killed on the 7th of September 1920 together with lieutenant Leijer and ensign Durchman when their Italian flying boats destroyed on the Alps during transfer flight to Finland. This date is now the annual Finnish Air Force memorial day.

Capt Väinö Mikkola

Capt. Väinö Mikkola established the Sortavala Air Station and was the first commander. First Finnish military pilot's wings no 1/17.9.1918

Sortavala Air Station remained as the most important - and till autumn, only - peacetime operational air base till the Germans left the country in November - December 1918. After all the support that was given to the station there was only one aircraft there - Friedrichshafen 49C.

The location for the air station was on the western shore of the Vakkolahti bay that divided the town of Sortavala into two parts. Later Vakkolahti turned out to be too small for air operations and in 1924 the unit moved south to Kasinhäntä. See the Sortavala map on the right.

Sortavala map

Organization

I Field Aviation Station was renamed on the 1st of August 1918 as I Aviation Detachment. The name changed again in 1919 to Aviation Detachment 1. In 1920 the unit was renamed the I Air Station (Air Station 1). 1921 different aircraft types were combined into single-type squadrons and the squadrons into larger units, aviation detachments. Every aviation detachment consisted of two squadrons. The new name became Aviation Detachment 3.

With larger numbers of flying personnel and aircraft the squadron operations started in 1923. It became a necessity to combine similar squadrons into tactical units which was done in 1924. The name was changed into Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron 2.

Ensigns Alexander Tschernichin and Rainer Ahonius in their flight suits on the pontoon of the Stetin M-16 sea plane. Both served later as the commander of the air station: the first at Vakkolahti and the latter at Kasinhäntä.

Aircraft in the early years

Finnish Air Force had several aircraft types in 1918. There were 31 aircraft of 14 different types. By 1920 the air force aircraft situation was still poor. During 1918 and 1919 the air force had acquired 54 aircraft and now they were mostly destroyed or in poor condition without leaving a mark in the development of the Finnish Air Force. In October 1920 the air force had 26 aircraft of seven different types. Of those aircraft the six Georges-Levy flying boats could be operated only during open water season. In crisis the air force could operate nine aircraft during wintertime and 15 during summertime. In the beginning of 1921 the air force was practically without sea planes.

The solution was the German, W.W.I "Terror of the Baltic", Hansa Brandenburg W 33 maritime reconnaissance plane. Finland acquired the license for the aircraft which also meant the beginning of the domestic aircraft industry. The first batch came out of the production line in November 1922. By 1926 122 aircraft had been produced.

Friedrichshafen 49C, n:o C.72-18 (34149 bytes)

The "basic aircraft" of Sortavala Air Station was the Friedrichshafen 49C, n:o C.72-18. Under the pontoons there are rollers for ground transport. Maintenance sergeant O. Koivunen beside the aircraft. Information: produced in Germany, wooden, two-seat, wingspan 16,7 m; length 11,6 m; empty weight 1485 kg; Max speed 140 km/h; Bentz Bz IV 6-cylinder engine 220 hp; used at Sortavala 26.6.1918 - 22.3.1919.

The aircraft situation at Sortavala Air Station was poor from the beginning. Up to October there was only one reconnaissance aircraft for operations, Friedrichshafen FF 49C seaplane, number C.72/18. In October 1918 the air station received a Rumpler 6B (D.60/18) from II Aviation Detachment at Santahamina and a Friedrichshafen FF 49C (C.49/18) also from V Aviation Detachment at Turku a flying boat Stetin M-15 (C.68/18). In December the air station received a land fighter plane Nieuport 23 (D.61/18) and a Rumpler C.VIII (C.74/18). Also a Stetin M-5 flying boat (S.81/18) was received.