Joel Savonen, born 22.8.1914, joined the Finnish Air Force's reserve officer training on 6.6.1934 and his aviation career continued until the end of the Second World War. Virtuaalilentäjät – Virtual Pilots Finland association will be proud to present his memoirs for the first time ever in English language. The memoirs will appear first through a surprise partner and then appear to our aviation history site at
http://www.virtualpilots.fi/hist/Flying the Brewster B-239 and Messerchmitt 109 fighters during the World War II Joel Savonen scored 8 confirmed victories during 313 combat sorties. He was awarded Cross of Freedom class 4 and Cross of Freedom class 3.
Few selected snippets to tease you...
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After this we got an assignment to pick up American Brewster-239 fighters, planes which were designed for carrier use, from Saab aircraft factory in Trollhättan. The planes had been delivered there dismantled in crates. They were assembled in the factory with the aid of foreign technical staff to test flight condition.
After the first BW was damaged in landing after a test flight flown by Captain J. Karhunen, probably because of inadequate information of the plane's technical features, the manufacturer sent Robert Winston from USA to Trollhättan to act as a test pilot.
26.2.1940 I flew a 30-minute familiarization flight with BW-352. The maximum altitude was 2000 meters (6670 feet). 27.2. I performed a 30-minute test flight with BW-353 at an altitude of 1000 meters (3300 feet). 29.2. I flew a 45-minute test flight with BW-355 at an altitude of 3000 m (10000 feet) and during the same day another 25-minute test flight with BW-353 at an altitude of 3500 m (11700 feet). Although Robert Winston had wondered the low total flying hours of the pilots that had been sent to pick up the Brewsters, with the instructions of the test pilot the planes were easy to control and their flying characteristics were almost identical.
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14.7.1941 I was with my patrol comerade corporal R. Malin ordered to Nummela airfield. Our duty was to protect the field hospital ant Hanko front against attacks of Russian airplanes. On midday of 15.7. I flew an one-hour reconnaissance flight over the northern part of Hanko peninsula at an altitude of 3000 meters (10000 feet) and between 15:00 and 16:30 I flew an cover flight at 6000 meters (20000 feet). No Russian planes were sighted on these flights. In the next night we received an alarm and climbed to 1000 meters over the area to be covered. There we intercepted one attacking plane and I got a chance to fire long bursts at it from behind. At that time my plane was suddenly hit and got about a football-sized hole in the left wing, between the ammunition box and fuel tank. Because of this I returned to Nummela airfield. Later we got information from the coast guard that the plane I had fired on had crashed into the sea. On 16th our patrol flew back to Mikkeli.
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(1942)
While the flight progressed the weather got so bad that it was hard to keep both transports in sight at the same time and Rimminen as an experienced pilot suggested that each of us would follow just one plane. We continued to Immola this way. At the airfield I lost sight with the other planes and to reduce risk of collision I decided to land on the short crossing runway. After I landed at 13:25 I watched the landing of one of the transports. While the heavy plane was breaking heavily, it looked like the brakes were smoking. I was waiting by my plane when major Carlsson approached me and asked why I hadn't come to report to Hitler after the escort mission. It was only at this point when I found out who had been in the planes that we were escorting. During meal I was sitting by a German officer who I had been told was the pilot of Hitler's plane. During our discussions he did not mention any problems while approaching the airfield. When the weather later improved, also Wind's patrol was able to fly to Immola.
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This is not yet proof read but it will be.
Other interviews and aviation history articles we're working on is the HUGE interview of Kyösti "Kössi" Karhila, world's leading Curtiss Hawk ace, highest scoring still living Finnish ace, who gained notorious fame by insisting to fly the "cannonboot" Messerchmitt instead refusing to remove the cannons. Alongside his other victories Kössi shot down two P-51s with the 3 cannon Me. Also coming interviews of the aces Hemmo Leino, Antti Tani and Jussi Huotari, who flew Morane Saulniers, Brewsters and Fokker D.XXIs. Not forgetting the story of mr. Tapani Lampimäki, radio operator and machine gunner 1st class, who first worked in LeLv16 as a bombardier/gunner in the dive bombers and later in Blenheim bombers.
Peek at our historical articles at
http://www.virtualpilots.fi/hist/ for more.
