Finnih Air Force

Thulin typ D

The first aircraft type of the
Finnish Air Force was the
Thulin typ D, a Swedish two-
seat scout and a derivative of
the French Morane-Saulnier
L. The aircraft has commonly
but erroneously been
referred to as the Morane-
Parasol in Finland. Two
Thulin typ Ds were donated
to the Finnish White Army by
Swedish individuals. The first
of these was flown from Sweden to Vaasa in March 1918.
As both aircraft were soon written-off they were flown little and their contribution to war
effort was negligible. The Finnish air service used just two examples of the type in 1918.

The Thulin typ D's wing span was 11 m, length 6.5 m, operating weight 635 kg, and
maximum speed 115 km/h.



N.A.B. typ 9 Albatros

The N.A.B. typ 9 Albatros
was a Swedish two-seat
scout and training aircraft.
Its design was based on the
German Albatros B.II. The
Albatros was the first
proper combat aircraft of
the Finnish Air Force. Three
examples were donated to
the White Army in 1918,
and two of them were flown
on a fairly wide scale on
reconnaissance missions.
The aircraft were retired in
1920.

The Albatros had a wing span of 13 m, length 7.8 m, operating weight 1,100 kg, and
maximum speed 110 km/h.





Finnih Air Force





N.A.B. typ 17 Albatros
Jagare

The N.A.B. typ 17 Albatros
J agare was a Swedish
single-seat fighter and the
scaled-down derivative of
the N.A.B. Albatros scout.
The sole example of the type
was received in 1918. Being
unarmed, it could not be
used in the fighter role, and
as a single-seater it was
poorly suited for reconnaissance purposes. The aircraft was flown relatively little with the
final flight taking place in 1919.

The Albatros J agare had a wing span of 10 m, length 6.7 m, operating weight 895 kg, and
maximum speed 130140 km/h.



Thulin LA

The Thulin LA was a
Swedish two-seat primary
trainer and the first aircraft
type of the Finnish Air Force
suitable for training
purposes. One example was
donated to Finland in 1918
and was used in Utti to train
the first pilots in-country. Up
to that time, Finnish pilots
had received their training
abroad. However, the aircraft
was written-off as early as
February 1919.

The Thulin LA's wing span was 11.5 m, length 7.8 m, operating weight 800 kg, and
maximum speed 120 km/h.







Finnih Air Force



N.A.B. typ 12

The N.A.B. typ 12 was the
Swedish license-built version
of the American Curtiss Twin
J N reconnaissance aircraft.
This twin-engined two-seat
"Large Battle Aircraft" was
ordered by the Finnish
Councillor of State
Gripenberg but it
disappeared with all its crew
on the ferry flight to Finland
on J une 29, 1918. Debris
was later recovered floating off Signiskr, Ecker, on the land Islands.

The N.A.B. typ 2 had a wing span of 16.2 m, length 9.66 m, operating weight 1,900 kg,
and maximum speed 135 km/h.




D.F.W. C.V

The D.F.W. C.V was a German two-
seat reconnaissance aircraft.
Compared to its contemporaries, it
had exceptionally good performance
and flight characteristics and it was
among the most produced German
aircraft types during World War I.
Two D.F.Ws were bought in March
1918 but they saw little use in the
Civil War. Both were written-off, one
in 1919 and the other in 1921.


The D.F.W. C.V had a wing span of 13.3 m, length 7.9 m, operating weight 1,430 kg, and
maximum speed 160 km/h.










Finnih Air Force



Nieuport 10

The Nieuport 10 was a
French two-seat
reconnaissance aircraft,
which was also built under
license in Russia. It was
among the successful
designs of the first half of
World War I. Three aircraft
were sourced in 1918; of
these, two were obtained
from Petrograd through
bribery while the third was
a captured enemy aircraft. One aircraft flew a number of reconnaissance missions during
the Civil War. All three were, however, soon lost due to various reasons, the last remaining
example being written-off in March 1919.

The Nieuport 10's wing span was 7.8 m, length 6.9 m, operating weight 658 kg, and
maximum speed 140 km/h.


Stetinin M-9

The Stetinin M-9 was a
three-seat reconnaissance
and bomber aircraft based
on a design of the French
F.B.A. company. This flying
boat, also known as
"Devjatka" ("Niner"), was
built in large numbers and
operated by the Russian
Navy's air station network
that extended across
Southern Finland up to the
land Islands. Eight captured aircraft were restored to airworthy condition and one was
flown by a defector from Petrograd to Finland. The M-9's flight characteristics were
considered poor, the aircraft was heavy on the controls, and it required a wealth of
experience from its pilot. The Finnish air service operated nine aircraft in 191822.

The Stetinin M-9 had a wing span of 16 m, length 9 m, operating weight 1,540 kg, and
maximum speed 110 km/h.






Finnih Air Force



Nieuport 17 and 21

The Nieuport 17 and 21
were fighter aircraft of
French design, built under
license at the A/O Duks
factory in Russia.
Nieuports were among the
outstanding fighters of
World War I. The White
Army captured two
Nieuport 17s and one 21
during the Civil War. They
saw relatively limited use,
and no reliable records
have been found to prove that the 21 was actually flown by the air service. The aircraft
were operational in 191823.

The Nieuports had a wing span of 7.52 m, length 5.64 m, operating weight 550 kg, and
maximum speed 165 km/h.




Friedrichshafen FF33E

The Friedrichshafen FF33E
was a German two-seat float
plane that was widely used
for maritime reconnaissance
in World War I. During the
closing stages of the war the
Germans used the aircraft
primarily for training, and it
was the most produced type
of all Friedrichshafen
seaplanes. The Finnish air
service had three FF33s in
191820.


The Friedrichshafen FF33E had a wing span of 16.8 m, length 10.3 m, operating weight
1,530 kg, and maximum speed 125 km/h.






Finnih Air Force




Friedrichshafen FF49B and
C

The Friedrichshafen FF49
was a German two-seat
maritime reconnaissance
aircraft derived from the
FF33. The "Fredika" was
solidly built, extremely
seaworthy, and it had good
flight characteristics. Finnish
FF33s flew several bombing
missions against Russian
naval bases and ships that
had violated Finland's
territorial waters. The Finnish air service operated a total of five aircraft of the type in
191822.

The FF49 had a wing span of 17.15 m, length 11.6 m, operating weight 2,135 kg, and
maximum speed 140 km/h.



Rumpler 6B-1

The Rumpler 6B-1 was a
German single-seat float
plane fighter based on the
Rumpler C.1 reconnaissance
land plane. The "Rumpler
Einsitzer" ("Rumpler Single-
Seater") had good flight
characteristics and it was the
first seaplane to perform a
loop in Finland. Of two
aircraft acquired in 1918, one
was destroyed in 1919 while
the other did not enter service until 1922 and was then flown until 1926. The Finnish air
service operated two aircraft in 191826.


The Rumpler 6B-1's wing span was 12.20 m, length 9.05 m, operating weight 1,134 kg,
and maximum speed 153 km/h.





Finnih Air Force

The 1910s

Spad S.VII


The French single-seat
Spad S.VII fighter was one
of the best and widely used
Allied combat aircraft of
World War I. Almost 6,000
aircraft were produced in
France, while an additional
200 examples were built in
the United Kingdom. The
aircraft was renowned for
being small, fast, and
sturdy. The sole Spad of
the Finnish air service was captured in Kaipiainen in 1918 and saw a fair amount of
service in 191923.

The Spad had a wing span of 7.8 m, length 6.16 m, operating weight 740 kg, and
maximum speed 193 km/h.



Stetinin M-16

The Stetinin M-16 was a
maritime reconnaissance
and training aircraft whose
design was essentially
based on the French Farman
F.30. Despite being a
floatplane, the aircraft could
also be operated from snow.
These aircraft, which were
often referred to as
"Farmans", were in a
somewhat decrepit condition
upon their entry into service,
and their flight characteristics were poor. The first parachute jump in Finland was done
from an M-16. The Finnish air service had five captured aircraft, and a sixth was
assembled from parts. They were used in 191923.

The Stetinin M-16 had a wing span of 18 m, length 8.6 m, operating weight 1,450 kg, and
maximum speed 110 km/h.





Finnih Air Force



Stetinin M-15

The Stetinin M-15 was a
Russian long-range
reconnaissance flying boat.
When fitted with skis and a
tail skid, it could also be
flown in winter. The
Russians called the M-15
"Hispano Fighter" due to the
make of the engine fitted and
regarded is as the best
product in the Stetinin M
series of aircraft. The Finns
captured two aircraft, one of
which was in operation in 191819.

The Stetinin M-15 had a wing span of 11.9 m, length 8.43 m, operating weight 1,320 kg,
and maximum speed 125 km/h.




Rumpler C.VIII

The Rumpler C.VIII was a
German two-seat
reconnaissance and trainer
aircraft and one of the first
aircraft in the world specifically
designed for these roles. The
C.VIII's origins were in the
earlier successful
reconnaissance aircraft of the
Rumpler company, from which
it differed mainly with respect to
its lower-powered engine. The
C.VIII entered German service
in 1917. The aircraft was liked by pilots, but it suffered from damages in several occasions during
its service life in Finland. The Finnish air service acquired one example of the type and operated it
in 191824.

The Rumpler C.VIII had a wing span of 12.18 m, length 8.02 m, operating weight 1,374 kg, and
maximum speed 140 km/h.






Finnih Air Force


Stetinin M-5

The Stetinin M-5 was a Russian
two-seat training flying boat that
bore some resemblance to
flying boats produced by the
French F.B.A. company. A
contemporary verdict was that
the "Pjatjovka" ("Five") was
easy to handle, and it was also
suitable for winter operations.
The sole example in Finnish
service was captured after it
had drifted ashore in Kuokkala
during a fall storm and was
operated in 191820.

The Stetinin M-5 had a wing span of 13.62 m, length 8.62 m, operating weight 960 kg, and
maximum speed 105 km/h.








Friedrichshafen FF41AT

The Friedrichshafen FF41AT
was a German three-seat twin-
engine maritime patrol aircraft.
The sole example in Finnish
service was received in
conjunction with a business
transaction. Initially it had
torpedo racks, which were
immediately removed, however.
The "Great Friedrichshafen"
was the Finnish Air Force's first
twin-engine aircraft, and its
wing span remained
unsurpassed among service aircraft until the entry into service of the DC-2. Due to persistent
engine problems, the aircraft was flown on no more than eight occasions in 191823.

The Friedrichshafen FF41AT had a wing span of 22 m, length 13.70 m, operating weight 3,725 kg,
and maximum speed 120 km/h.







Finnih Air Force


Breguet 14 A2

The Breguet 14 A2 was a
French two-seat
reconnaissance aircraft and
one of the outstanding designs
of World War I. The type saw
intensive service in Finland and
was even used for
reconnaissance over the
Petrograd area and bombing
sorties against the Kolomki
airfield, among other missions.
The aircraft had excellent flight
characteristics, and some
examples logged nearly 500
flight hours, which can be regarded as a remarkable achievement. The Breguet was a significant
type in the history of the Finnish Air Force. A total of 38 aircraft were in use in 191927.

The Breguet 14 A2 had a wing span of 14.36 m, length 9 m, operating weight 1,540 kg, and
maximum speed 180 km/h.





Georges Levy G.L. 40 HB2

The Georges Levy G.L. 40 HB2
was a three-seat French flying
boat. The "Sorslevi" turned out
to be a poor purchase in more
than one respect, and it has the
dubious reputation of being
perhaps the first type in the
Finnish Air Force that gained
the title of "flying coffin." Three
aircraft and seven lives were
lost in accidents until the
aircraft was declared a killer
and grounded permanently.
The Georges Levy was
overweight and had poor flight characteristics. The Finnish air service operated twelve aircraft in
191922.

The Georges Levy had a wing span of 18.5 m, length 12.4 m, operating weight 2,360 kg, and
maximum speed 145 km/h.






Finnih Air Force


Fokker D.VII

The single-seat Fokker D.VII
was Germany's best fighter in
World War I. Finland managed
to purchase three examples in
1919; unfortunately, two were
lost as early as 1920, and the
impact of this excellent aircraft
on the training of Finnish fighter
pilots remained almost
negligible. The first loops
performed in Finland were
flown with the Fokker. The last
example of the aircraft, which
gained unanimous praise from its pilots, was struck off charge in 1924.

The Fokker D.VII's wing span was 8.9 m, length 6.95 m, operating weight 900 kg, and maximum
speed 190 km/h.








Albatros C.III

The Albatros C.III was a two-seat
reconnaissance aircraft that was built
in Germany in no less than seven
factories in World War I. During the
closing stages of the war, it was used
for training purposes only. Finland
bought two C.IIIs from Germany in
1919. One of them was soon
destroyed due to engine fire, and the
other crashed in 1920 killing its crew.
Sabotage was suspected as the
cause of the accident.

The Albatros C.III had a wing span of
11.17 m, length 7.9 m, operating weight 1,345 kg, and maximum speed 140 km/h.









Finnih Air Force

S.I.A.I (Savoia) S.9

The S.I.A.I (Savoia) S.9 was a
two-seat Italian flying boat
derived from the French F.B.A.
seaplane. One example was
donated to Finland in 1919,
only to be written off the
following year. In the summer
of 1920, finances were secured
for the purchase of two
additional aircraft. They were,
however, lost over the Alps on
the ferry flight on September 7,
1920. The possible causes of
the tragedy include sabotage,
but clear air turbulence was not excluded. The day of the accident was subsequently declared the
Commemoration Day of the Air Force.

The Savoia had a wing span of 13.2 m, length 10 m, operating weight 1,740 kg, and maximum
speed 170 km/h.