Fokker, Morane, Me 109 ace interview preview. Darn amazing stuff inside!
Hemmo Leino. Fokker D.XXI, Morane-Saulnier 406, Messerschmitt 109 ace.
11 official victories. 20+ recently confirmed.
These texts are PREVIEW from the full interview coming soon to the Finnish Virtual Pilots Association
aviation history site. You will find this and many other excellent articles from the site
at address:
http://www.virtualpilots.fi/hist/http://www.virtualpilots.fi/hist/http://www.virtualpilots.fi/hist/Please visit it for many interesting aviation history interviews and stories
The original interview has been translated by mr. Ossi Juntunen, many thanks!
I especially recommend the quite unbelievable feat in the end of this preview, where Hemmo shoots down 4 Yak-9s in two days - all Yaks from the same squadron!
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Q. When converting from the Fokker to the Morane, what kind of training did you get?
A. We did have type training. We had to go to A/B Hirvas where LeLv28 was operating from with the Moranes (M-S 406). We learned to fly them, it was a few hours' instruction course and then we continued in practice. When back in Tiiksjärvi we went on training on our own. As a matter of fact there was not much to learn! The Morane was just another aircraft with its quirks but when we were informed about them or instructed about them, they could be flown like any other plane.
Morane and her weapons, gunsight problems and about air-to air shooting skill
Q. What was it like to fly the Morane (M-S 406) after flying the Fokker? What was it like as a plane?
A. It was a jolly good plane. It was agile, the only fault was the miserably weak engine. She could not climb fast enough in an emergency, that was the problem. The armament could also have been better. The rat guns were miserably weak and the mags were of small capacity, it was not much good for anything. But the Berezina heavy machine gun was good. There have been complaints that it did not want to work but mine fired every time! I never wanted to blame it.
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Q. The gunsight illumination was out?
A. Quite so. There are some who think that you should be able to hit with the help of your tracers but I cannot believe that. It is the gunsight that tells you where you are hitting. The tracers do have their own trajectories! Before you can see where the tracer goes the target has already moved!
Q. So in your opinion you cannot aim with tracers?
A. I do not want to start an argument. In my opinion aiming by tracers cannot be successful, except at a bomber. You can approach to a very short range and then shoot, the target would be a big lump.
Q. Especially when you have to take deflection to shoot.
A. That is right. It would be darn difficult! You have to start by estimate and if the situation changes ever so little, your burst is going somewhere else. The ones who are saying that they have shot down planes by observing their tracers. I would like to tell them that you must have been dreaming and telling tales.
Q. Did you tell your opinion already in the war or afterwards?
A. I said that at least I never shot down a plane by observing my tracers. I am not able to do that. If anyone can, he is a better pilot! But not me. Someone boasted a little, saying he shot down a plane with the help of his tracers only. Allow me have my doubts!
Q. The ammunition consumption is considerable, if you start shooting and observe the tracers...
A. Yes, considering that the burst has its trajectory and the target its own course! And you have to take deflection! There is no way to be successful!
Q. Do you remember from which angle you used to shoot at a target?
A. It depended on the plane you were shooting at. The Il-2 had to be fired at from the side, you could not down him from any other direction. It was in vain to shoot a well armoured plane like the Il-2 from behind. You could not accomplish anything. But fighters were vulnerable from every quarter. And the bombers had a lot of weak spots. Although I did not get to shoot at bombers very often! I cannot tell much about them. We were shooting at a Boston and that was a piece of experience. You do know what would happen if you approach very close behind, you shall be hit by the debris. Next time you know to avoid that.
Hemmo and five I-15bis behind the enemy lines
Leino: The War Archive has no authentic records about that time, but only self-serving adventure stories. It ends spring 1942, and nothing later than that. It is a great pity, I cannot find out the facts but here are some clear cases. For example I have tried to find someone who was with the raid against the Jelijärvi Russian depot. In that case Matti Tainio was leading the flight. We were six. We arrived at Jeljärvi, he told us that Kalima and Leino stay at 4000 and observe the surroundings. The rest dived as something began to move on the ice. They went but Kalima joined them. They all bounced the alleged enemy planes moving on the ice. One tried to take off but it was shot up at the takeoff. I saw that but I also saw five I-15bis flying in a beautiful formation in the direction of Segezha, past Jeljärvi.
Well, of course I did not stay up there but started pursuing those planes. I had a lot of extra speed, diving from up there, and they were flying at the treetops. I could not decelerate in time, yet I hastily fired. I managed to get a shot at two of the planes as they were flying in a parade formation wingtip to wingtip! I don't know what happened to them. I passed them, but nothing happened, four planes kept flying in formation as I approached again. I went on shooting and wondered deeply when one of them is shot at and there is a plane on each side yet they appear unmoved by the fact that their neighbour is being fired at!
Then I thought it must be a training flight. These are no real military men! I did not have any time more... Finally we were pretty deep in the enemy rear. We crossed a railway line, it was the Murmansk railway. It did not worry me but while shooting at one of the planes I saw the chimneys of Segezha ahead. And there is an airbase behind them! Then fear overcame me! I thought, here I am alone deep in Russia and soon lots of planes shall be coming to attack me. I headed for home. Nobody else but me shot at those five planes. Now Geust comes with this data, and I would like to get it confirmed.
Q. To find out whether they really went down?
A. Yes, here is data about a five plane flight that lost three, these fellows were shot down.
(Studying the information about the battle provided by Geust)
Q. Does this mean that it is officially recorded?
A. This is recorded in a way... Our HQ approved two victories for me. Whatever way they examined my claim. They just informed the Squadron or the Flight that two downed planes are approved. I do not know how they approved them.
Q. The wrecks must have been found or a ground observation post may have seen the plane fall down?
A. Something like that, in principle, but these were deep in Russia! I don't know how they got the information but this here proves that all three went down. They must have been trainees all of them, because their rank was Junior Sergeant. They did fly like trainees! It did not make any sense, flying like that...They could have attempted to do something! The instructor must have had a hard time in explaining after landing where his trainees actually are.
Q. I think he paid dearly for this. One trainee out of four survived.
A. Obviously the instructor and one trainee survived. This is the data found, but there is no kind of Finnish contributing data to be found! No documents, all gone! All witnesses are dead!
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Morane equipment and weapons - well trimmed plane
Q. You mentioned that the Morane had small magazines. However, in this case you had shot down three planes, did you have any ammo left?
A. The Berezina did have a large magazine! It was enough if you only knew to spend them according to the situation. But the light MGs were just toys with tiny little magazines. They could be spent with one burst!
Q. Did the Morane have one or two triggers?
A. There was one. Each plane was different! I had an electric trigger installed in my plane! The airscrew was also electrically adjustable, usually it was pneumatic.
Q. You had the Escher-Wyss airscrew, the Swiss one?
A. Right.
Q. Then you must have had a well trimmed Morane.
A. You know about it?
Q. I have read about the Escher-Wyss airscrew. Did the Berezina also feature electric trigger?
A. Not in the MS-319. The MS MGs were operated with a finger trigger in the control column. For my own plane I had the system modified into a thumb operated push button. How were the wing guns selected again? Did they have a separate trigger...cannot remember now.
