Fighter Squadron 21 history, Page 1b

1. Sortavala 1918 - 1924, Page 2

Nieuport 23 (22023 bytes)

Captain Mikkola with his pilots on the ice of Vakkolahti in front of the Nieuport 23 fighter in March 1919. Pitkäsilta is visible between the wings and in the middle is the Sortavala church. To the left of the church is the Sortavala school.

Pilot training in the Sortavala air station was started in 1919. Because of many technical problems with the aircraft there weren't many to be used. The situation eased a bit when Capt. Mikkola flew the Stetin M-16 flying boat "Winter-Farman" to Sortavala in July. This aircraft type was the most important in the early 1920s until the I.V.L. A22 Hansas arrived in 1923. 20 Brequet land planes and 12 Georges-Levy flying boats were bought from France in the spring of 1919.

Stetin M-5 and M-15, Nieuport 23, Rumpler C.VIII and 6B, also Friedrichshafen 49C

Various aircraft types lined up at Sortavala on the 5th of February 1919 for the inspection of General Mannerheim. In the front two Stetins, M-15 and M-5, behind them Nieuport 23, Rumpler C.VIII and 6B, also Friedrichshafen 49C.

In February 1920 I Aviation Detachment at Sortavala had four aircraft, two Georges-Levys (3.B.401 and 3.B.402), one Farman (2.b.101) and a Rumpler C.VIII (2.B.350). In the end of July another Farman arrived from Turku. From the Russian war booty Farmans two more were assembled in 1921 which started high training activity till 1923. In summer 1923 Aviation Detachment 3 had one flyable Caudron (1.E.15), one Rumpler in repair (2.B.350) and one Farman stored.

Hansa-Brandenburg (30721 bytes)

Hansa-Brandenburg. Technical information: Wooden, two-seat sea plane. Weight 2124 kg, Max speed 170 km/h, wingspan 15,85 m, length 11,10 m, endurance 6 hours. Weapons: navigator's twin machine gun, bombs 4x10 kg.

Aviation Detachment 3 at Sortavala received its first Hansa-Brandenburgs in mid-August 1923. At the of the year the detachment had four Hansas and one Rumpler. During next year the situation improved a lot. At the end of February the detachment had already seven aircraft in its use. At the beginning of August the detachment had for the first time all its planned eight aircraft. The Fiat engine of the Hansa aircraft proved to be unreliable. Only after the Hansas were received could the maritime air stations convert into effective advanced flying training.

Because of the strategic location of the Sortavala Air Station it had a very important mission in the surveillance of the eastern border till the Tartto Peace Treaty. Because of skirmishes along the border during 1921 - 1922 two Brequet reconnaissance planes fitted with skis were transferred to Sortavala. The planes returned to their base in March 1922.

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Revised: tammikuu 01, 2006.