Virtual Flying Squadron Icebreakers and Virtual Pilots Finland (registered society) are more than happy to announce the release of a valuable historical document to the people interested in World War II aviation.
Captain H. Wind's Lectures on Fighter Tactics were written in 1943 to be used in training of new pilots. Afterwards, the lecture series was used in the Finnish Air Force for several decades. The lectures have been transferred into digital format in as original and accurate a form as possible - the way they were written in 1943.
The lectures, in their original form, were the first major historical document the Virtual Pilots Finland history folks started working with, and the Finnish language document was released in our WW2 History site (
http://www.compart.fi/icebreakers/WW2History.html) during winter 2000/2001. Since then four people have been working with the english translation, with a professional translator volunteering to give the document the final touch and proof reading.
So let me here first offer my thanks to (well, myself first but… <g> ) Jukka "Grendel" Kauppinen / VLeLv Icebreakers, Erkki "Eni" Nieminen / VLeLv Icebreakers, Timo "Kossu" Niiranen / VLeLv Icebreakers and Matti "My" Yrjölä / HLeLv 24. Proofreading and editing was done by Mika "Banzai" Ganszauge of / VLeLv Icebreakers.
Before continuing to advertise the air combat tactics lectures, I'd also like to mention the previous article we published just yesterday:
"Finnish Air Force's Rovaniemi Air Base hosted a gathering for the Lappi Air Command Guild members during March 2001. A large number of our WW2 veterans also arrived all around the country. Some were flown by Air Force transports from the other side of Finland. Two members of the Icebreakers virtual squadron were also invited, Korva and OK. They offered a ride to some of their local veterans and snapped lots of photos during these two days."
Our photographic, silent salute to all these and veterans from all over the world can be found at
http://www.compart.fi/icebreakers/WW2History-LappiAirCommandGuildGathering.html Then, back to the lectures.
This article is written by the 2nd highest scoring Finnish pilot of WW2: Hans "Hasse" Wind. 75 aerial victories, the highest scoring Brewster ace, double recipient of the Mannerheim Cross (the highest military award in Finland).
It includes an awesome view how air war was fought in the Finnish skies and gives a valuable lesson to anybody interested in military aviation. Hans Wind covers things from the moment a new pilots comes to a front line squadron, from taking off to mission, to how to wage war in the skies.
Birth of the lectures told by Brewster/109 ace Väinö Pokela: "It all started in 24 Fighter Squadron during '42 or '43 if I remember correctly. Someone suggested that one of the squadron pilots go to Kauhava (Air Force Academy) to lecture on tactics, 'how to wage war with Brewsters'. That was because the Americans also started waging war and they had no clue how to go about it. There in the Pacific when they started fighting it was completely pitiful. They had three engagements where Brewsters were used. And in the last one they had 17 Brewsters in one aerial engagement, and if I remember correctly, 13 were shot down. After that all the Brewsters were sent to Florida for their Air Force cadets.
And all of this was the result of them attacking Zeros. They didn't consider at all that the Zero had no armour, was made of wood and was much lighter. But it had an engine of the same size. And they (Americans) started turn-fighting them (Zeros). So, the Brewsters were shot down. They just should have used rocking-chair (vertical) tactics, attack and pull out.
The Finns had already learned that in the Winter War when they attacked the I-15s and I-16s with their Fokkers. You did not turn-fight them. And this lecture, the paper about air combat tactics written by Hasse, started right from this idea."
The article is in Icebreakers/Virtual Pilots Finland WW2 history site:
http://www.compart.fi/icebreakers/WW2History.html Or directly:
http://www.compart.fi/icebreakers/WW2History-CaptainWindsAirCombatTacticsLecture.html Snips'n'clips from the article to give you couple clues what's inside…
Arriving to front line squadronFor starters we must pay attention to such details as the arrival of a new pilot to a front line squadron and how to behave there. Many people think that it is enough that you report to the squadron commander and the leader of your flight. However, that is not so. The newcomer must get familiar with the pilots of his own flight immediately during the first day, and with the pilots of the other flights on the following day already. As to duty, new pilots must follow their flight into service and get thoroughly familiar with the plane type as quickly as possible. Specifically, they must pay attention to the engine and weapons. A good fighter pilot is familiar with those things, too.
And another couple of things: Consuming alcohol is allowed but you must definitely maintain moderation. Another thing is card playing. As everybody knows boys sometimes play all day and all night. In a front line squadron when there is action, night-time playing is forbidden.
The pilot must keep in mind that:1. The lookout sector for each plane is 360 degrees, that is, the whole airspace must be observed always and everywhere.
2. You'll find the enemy best if you don't trust your fellow pilot's eyesight.
3. You'll always remember to watch your high and low six o'clock positions. These sectors are the most dangerous ones, but an enemy coming from directly ahead of you often goes without noticing before it is too late to manoeuvre into a good attack position. We have many examples of this from the battles over the Gulf of Finland.
4. If the weather is clear you must always be prepared for surprises coming from the sun. Observation is easier if you cover the sun with your wingtip.
Intercept flightsDuring an intercept flight a new pilot is apt to concentrate on thinking about the enemy in the announced position only and to forget to observe the surroundings during the approach flight.
And yet this is a very important issue, because if the enemy is aware of our base, he will assign fighters to interfere with our planes presumably taking off while their aircraft are performing an assigned mission within our area of operation. The success of an intercept flight is dependent on speed. In the summer 1-2 minutes, in the winter 2-3 minutes is the longest time that may be allowed for a flight's take-off (5).
While performing an intercept flight the main objective of the mission must be borne in mind:
To prevent the enemy aircraft access to their assigned target. Because of this the attack against the enemy must often be performed from a disadvantageous position because there is no time to reach a better starting point for the attack.
Another issue to be remembered is that when defending a certain object personal, aerial victories are not the main issue but the breaking up of the enemy formation and preventing them from reaching their target. The chase of single enemy aircraft disengaging from the combat must not be undertaken, until the division leader gives permission.
So, the main purpose of the intercept flight is to prevent the enemy from reaching their target and not until their formation has been broken up and turned away, start destroying individual straggling aircraft.
Ground attacksOnly very few actual ground attack flights have been performed with fighter aircraft (Brewster B-239, Morane Saulnier 406 and Fiat G.50). However, while performing search flights trains, columns and single cars and vehicles have been attacked with success. The attack is carried out in a line formation with sufficient spacing between the aircraft. Someone has to be constantly high and ensure that there is no surprise from above. When attacking trains the engineer's cabin must be fired at and the steam boiler must be shot broken. A good example is when Captain Kokko's finger four terrorised the rail section between Tihvinä and Lotinanpelto shooting seven locomotives full of holes. When shooting columns it should be noted that dispersed units are hard to destroy. It is always best to shoot at each target individually, otherwise the desired results are not achieved. You must watch out for low-level anti-aircraft guns because they will be able to fire directly at you. They have a very high hit probability.
The chance of getting hit is at its greatest during pull-up (for example at Seesjärvi a Russian multi-barrelled weapon shot up Captain Törrönen's aircraft during the pull-up so badly that he had to perform a forced landing. He was barely able to reach our own side). Because of this, you must not pull-up steeply after the shooting., On the contrary, you must continue a high-speed low-level flight slightly obliquely away from the target, pull up there, and repeat the attack. Your first priority is to destroy the anti-aircraft weapons to avoid unnecessary casualties.
Air CombatIf the enemy plane is an I-16 or I-153, use the following tactics. Initially climb about 500 meters higher than the enemy, because our planes are faster. During the approach stay right behind the enemy, because visibility to the rear sides is good from both planes. The approach speed can be quite high. Just before reaching shooting distance, slip to one side, so you'll be able to shoot him slightly from the side. When shooting from dead 6 o'clock of these planes, the pilot armour has often absorbed even the 12.7 mm bullets. (For example W.O. Alho shot his guns empty at a Chaika's pilot armour over the Seiskari Island without any effect. The fuselage skin behind the armour was ripped apart, but the plane didn't go down.) You have to aim well from the start, because the I-16 and Chaika are so manoeuvrable that you can't hit them after they have seen you approach. Their most common evasive manoeuvre is a fast 180-degree turn. When you notice that the enemy starts this manoeuvre, it's better to pull up and set up for a new attack. It is not wise to try a head-on attack, because the hitting possibilities are the same for you and the enemy. When you have the faster plane, always go for the rear sector shot, and don't risk a head-on. When you have shot at an I-16 or I-153 pull up very tightly. Never get in front of these planes, because they are both manoeuvrable enough to pull up behind you and take a shot at you. Never stay and turn with either one of these planes, because they are both much nimbler than our fighters.
The easiest one to shoot down of the enemy fighters is the Hurricane. It is totally helpless against us below 3,000 meters. It is slow and very clumsy and unmanoeuvrable. Whenever you meet a Hurricane, engage it in a turn-fight, where it is totally at our mercy. It is best to shoot this plane in the forward part of the fuselage when it almost immediately bursts into flames.
All the "pointy-nosed" enemy planes, LaGG-3, MiG-1, MiG-3, YaK-1, Spitfire, and La-5, require almost the same tactics. These all belong to a category of fast and not so manoeuvrable planes. MiG-1s, MiG-3s and LaGG-3s have been seen over the front lines. These planes have patrolled between 1,000 and 3,000 meters, which is their optimal fighting altitude. In addition to these planes, the enemy's newest types have patrolled over the Gulf of Finland.
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Enjoy! Regards, your Finnish buddies
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Brewster into WB!
VLeLv Icebreakers
Überfinns Perkele
http://www.compart.fi/icebreakers
