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Messerschmitt Me-109s to Finland, page 2
by Mauno Fräntilä
Fighter Squadron 34
Some of the new Me-109s received the blue Finnish Air Force swastika immediately at Malmi. Some of the aircraft were flown to Utti in German colour
The new Me-109s were used immediately for alert duties from Malmi airfield in the eastern suburbs of Helsinki. Only ten days after the arrival at Malmi Ilmari Juutilainen and Capt. "Pive" Ervi scrambled with the Me-109s and "Illu" Juutilainen shot down a PE-2 bomber over the Gulf of Finland close to the island of Suursaari.
The squadron commander, Maj. Ehrnrooth died in a Pyry trainer PY-25 accident three days later on the 27th of March 1943 while performing aerobatics at Utti. Maj. Eino "Eikka" Luukkanen took command of the squadron.
In May almost the same group of pilots flew to Erding, close Munich to get the second batch of Messerschmitts.
When the group was flying from Thorn to Königsberg Euramo had problems with his engine and he had to leave his Messerschmitt at Königsberg. The DC-2 "Hanssin Jukka" was again escorting the Messerschmitt team and Euramo hitchhiked a ride to Finland in the transport plane.
When the team landed at Riga an order had arrived from the Finnish Air Force HQ telling Euramo to go back to Königsberg by rail to wait for the repairs. He was to fly the fighter immediately to Finland when it was ready. Euramo had to wait a week at Königsberg before he could fly the aircraft to Finland.
Maj. Eino Luukkanen led the second group of Messerschmitts to Finland. Here one of the aircraft immediately after arriving at Helsinki Malmi airfield on the 16th of May 1943.
The other Messerschmitts landed at Helsinki on the 16th of May 1943. These planes were mainly used ones while the first 16 Messerschmitts were new. The numbers and German serial numbers (Werk Nr) for the first 30 Messerschmitt Me-109-G-2s were:
- MT-201 14718
- MT-202 14722
- MT-203 14726
- MT-204 14728
- MT-205 14738
- MT-206 14740
- MT-207 14741
- MT-208 14743
- MT-209 14745
- MT-210 14750
- MT-211 14752
- MT-212 14753
- MT-213 14754
- MT-214 14781
- MT-215 14783
- MT-216 14784
- MT-217 10357
- MT-218 10414
- MT-219 10481
- MT-220 10488
- MT-221 10522
- MT-222 13528
- MT-223 13564
- MT-224 13568
- MT-225 13577
- MT-226 14827
- MT-227 13736
- MT-228 13890
- MT-229 13993
- MT-230 14254
The total number of Messerschmitt Me-109s that the Finnish Air Force purchased during 1943 - 44 was 162.
(The Finnish Air Force achieved 663 victories with the Messerschmitt Me-109s during 1943 and 1944 with an exchange ratio of 25:1)
Capt. Lahtela flew MT-213 (GJ+QA) to Finland in the first batch. The fighter was destroyed on an intercept mission on the 29th of July 1943 when the engine stopped. The engine cooling fluid caught fire and soon the whole aircraft was burning. Master sergeant U. J. Lehto parachuted out. The aircraft was later replaced by MT-477.
Go back to Messerschmitt Me-109s to Finland
Information combined and translated from:
Mersuja hakemassa, Mauno Fräntilä, Suomen Siivet 4/1971
Double Fighter Knight, Ilmari Juutilainen
Suomen Ilmavoimien Lentokoneet 1939-72, Kalevi Keskinen, 1972
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