Finnish Air Force history

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Ilmavoimat

Halli (EFHA)
RWY 08/26 POS 61°51'21"N 024°47'29"E ELEV 486 ft Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Timeline	Aircraft Type(s)	Fate
-	KoeLtue	1 Dec 1952 - 1 Dec 1991	various	renamed KoeLntK

	KoeLntK	1 Dec 1991 - 2013	various	renamed IlmaStK & relocated to Tampere

For a long time the Finnish Air Force has used a mix of Western and Russian aircraft. An iconic one of the latter is this MiG 21bis MG-131 of HävLLV 31.

April 1996, Jyrki Laukkanen

Saab 35FS Draken DK-267 taxiies out for a mission.

August 1994, Jan Jǿrgensen

The Ilmavoimat has used four Piper 28RT-201 Cherokee Arrow IVs to augment the fleet of Piper 28R Cherokee Arrow IIs. This particular one was used by the air forces test unit.

June 1997, Stephan de Bruijn

Used for liaison purposes is Piper 28R Cherokee Arrow II PA-2.

August 2004, Jyrki Laukkanen

Jyväskylä (EFJY) Tikkakoski
RWY 12/30 POS 62°24'03"N 025°40'22"E ELEV 459 ft Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Timeline	Aircraft Type(s)	Fate
1. Lennosto	TiedLtue	1 Dec 1952 - 31 Dec 1956	Vihuri Pembroke C53 (56->) MiG-21F-13 (73->)	renamed Hämeen Lennosto

Hämeen Lennosto	TiedLtue	1 Jan 1957 - 1 Sep 1973	Vihuri (->59) Pembroke C53 (->Oct68) MiG-21F-13 (73->)	renamed TiedLLv

	HävLLv 21	1 Aug 1958 - 1 May 1962	Vihuri Vampire FB52 (timeline) Gnat MkI (timeline)	relocated to Pori

	HävLLv 11	1 May 1962 - 16 Aug 1973	Gnat MkI (->Oct72) CM170R MiG-21F-13 (66-73) Saab 35BS(72->)	relocated to Rovaniemi

Satakunnan Lennosto	TiedLLv	1 Sep 1973 - 31 Dec 1996	MiG-21F-13 (->17Jan86) PA-28R (74-Sep04) Ce402B (31Dec77-Apr84) PA-31-350 (83->) MiG-21bis (86->) F27-100 L-70 Vinka Hawk Mk51 L-90TP Redigo (91->)	renamed TukiLLv

	TukiLLv - 1 Kuljetuslentue	1 Jan 1997 - 1 July 2013	PA-28R (->Sep04) L-70 Vinka F27-100/400M PA-31-350 (->11) L-90TP Redigo (->?) C295M (6Mar07->) PC-12/47E	relocated to Tampere

	TukiLLv - 2 Teidustelulentue		Lj35A Hawk Mk51

	TukiLLv - 3 Viestikoelaitoslentue		F27-100 C295M

Training Air Wing	HävLLv 41 / 1 & 2 Flight	2014 - present	Hawk Mk51/51A Hawk Mk66

	HävLLv 41 / 3 Flight		L-70 Vinka (->31Ag22) Grob G115/G115E

A pair of Pembroke C.53s, paid for by the National Land Survey of Finland, were used for aerial photography and geography survey missions but also performed general transport duties.

collection Dick Lohuis

Cessna 402B Businessliner CB-52 was used in the liaison role.

September 1983, Gerard Beerens

MiG-21F-13 MG-47.

September 1983, Klaus Niska

F-27-400M FF-3 in June 1997.

Stephan de Bruijn

Kauhava (EFKA)
RWY 17/35 POS 63°07'37"N 023°03'05"E ELEV 151 ft Airfield Guide Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Timeline	Aircraft Type(s)	Fate
Satakunnan Lennosto	KoulLLv	1 Nov 1966 - 1 Sep 2005	S-91D Safir (->82) CM170R (->88) PA-28R (80-Sep04) L-70 Vinka (80->) Hawk Mk51 (80->) L-90TP Redigo (91->) Hawk Mk51A (93->)	relocated to Tikkakoski where flying training is outsourced to Patria

	Midnight Hawks	1997 - 1 Sep 2005	Hawk Mk51

	HävLLv 41	1 Sep 2005 - 2014	Hawk Mk51(A) L-90TP Redigo Hawk Mk66 (07->)	relocated to Tikkakoski

	Midnight Hawks		Hawk Mk51

Saab S-91D Safir SF-14 in front of Kauhava’s hangar 1. During 1958 – 63 Finland received 35 Safir 91D and one Dutch-built 91B model.

June 1977, Klaus Niska

CM170 Magister FM-65/L on the flightline at Kauhava in July 1977.

George Kamp

As replacement for the Fouga CM-170 Mgister the British Aerospace Hawk was selected with first delivery on 16 December 1980. Hawk Mk.51 HW-331 in its original camouflage scheme is taxiing at Kauhava on 20 May 1988.

Jan Jǿrgensen

Valmet L-70 Vinka VN-10.

August 2004, Jyrki Laukkanen

Kuopio/Rissala (EFKU)
RWY 15/33 POS 63°00'26"N 027°47'52"E ELEV 323 ft Airfield Guide Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Timeline	Aircraft Type(s)	Fate
Hämeen Lennosto	HävLLv 31	1 Aug 1961 - 1974	CM170R MiG-15UTI (1962 ->) MiG-21F-13 (1963->) MiG-21U (1965 - 1974)	renamed Karjalan Lennosto

Karjalan Lennosto	HävLLv 31	1974 - present	MiG-15UTI (->1977) MiG-21F-13 (->1986) MiG-21U (->81) PA-28R (1974 - Sep 2004) MiG-21UM (1974 - 1998) MiG-21bis (1976 - 1998) Hawk Mk51 PA-31-350 (1983 - 2011) L-90TP Redigo (1980 - ?) F-18C/D (1998 - ->) PC-12/47E (2011 - ->)

CM170 Magister FM-8.

11 July 1975, Klaus Niska

Main role for the four MiG 15UTI’s was for transition training for pilots who were going to fly the MiG 21. Secondary roles included proficiency training.

July 1977, George Kamp

MiG-21F-13 MG-63.

July 1977, George Kamp

First of the MiG 21UMs withdrawn from use was MK-126 which was photographed on it last flight on 14 December 1993.

Jyrki Laukkanen

Pori (EFPO)

Wing	Squadron	Timeline	Aircraft Type(s)	Fate
2. Lennosto	HävLLv 11	4 Dec 1944 - 31 Dec 1956	VL Myrsky Curtiss Hawk 75A Me Bf109G Vihuri Vampire FB52 (53-58)	renamded Satakunnan Lennosto

Satakunnan Lennosto	HävLLv 11	1 Jan 1957 - 1 May 1962	Vihuri Vampire FB52 (53-58)	relocated to Tikkakoski

	HekoLtue	Jan 1961 - 1 June 1962	PZL SM-1 (11Mar61->) Mi-4 (61->)	amalgamated in to KuljLLv at Utti

	HävLLv 21	1 May 1962 - 1 Aug 1985	CM170R (->81) PA-28R (74->) Hawk Mk51 (81->) PA-31-350 (83->)	relocated to Tampere

Rovaniemi (EFRO)
RWY 03/21, 12/30 (gravel) POS 66°33'45"N 025°49'37"E ELEV 645 ft Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Timeline	Aircraft Type(s)	Fate
Lapin Lennosto	HävLLv 11	16 Aug 1973 - present	CM170R Saab 35BS (->96) Saab 35S (74-24Aug00) Saab 35CS (76-00) Saab 35FS (84-00) PA-28R (74-Sep04) Ce402B (26May75-Apr84) PA-31-350 (83-11) L-90TP Reddigo (91-11) F-18C/D (00->) PC-12/47E (11->)

CM170 Magister FM-39/Y photographed at Kauhava in July 1974.

Klaus Niska

Saab 35S Draken DK-203 in its original metal c/s in August 1975.

Klaus Niska

L-90TP Redigo RG-2 seen at Oulu in June 1997.

Jan Jǿrgensen

Saab 35C Draken DK-270 manoeuvring in the sky above central Finland in July 2000.

Jyrki Laukkanen

Tampere/Pirkkala (EFTP)
RWY 06/24 POS 61°24'59"N 023°36'54"E ELEV 390 ft Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Timeline	Aircraft Type(s)	Fate
Satakunnan Lennosto	HävLLv 21	1 Aug 1985 - June 2014	Hawk Mk51 (->?) PA-28R (->Sep04) PA-31-350 (->11) Saab 35CS (->95) Saab 35FS (->95) L-90TP Reddigo (91-11) F-18C/D (95->) PC-12/47E (11->)	disbanded

	TukiLLv / 1 Flight	1 July 2013 - present	F27-400M C295M

	TukiLLv / 2 Flight		Lj35A

	TukiLLv / 3 Flight		F27-100 C295M (ELINT/SIGINT)

	TukiLLv / 4 Flight		PC-12/47E

Aircraft and Weapon Systems Training Wing	IlmaStK	2013 - present	various

Saab 35FS Draken DK-225 slowing down after landing with the tail wheel protecting the tail cone from scraping.

June 1997, Stephan de Bruijn

Piper 31-350 PC-3 in July 1997.

Jan Jǿrgensen

Utti (EFUT)
RWY 07/25 POS 60°53'47"N 026°56'17"E ELEV 339ft Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Timeline	Aircraft Type(s)	Fate
3. Lennosto	HävLLv 31	4 Dec 1944 - 31 Dec 1956	Me Bf109G Vihuri CM170R	renamed Karjalan Lennosto

Karjalan Lennosto	HävLLv 31	1 Jan 1957 - 1 Aug 1961	Vihuri CM170R	relocated to Kuopio

	KuljLtue	1 Aug 1958 - 1 Sep 1960	S-91D Safir C-47A (Mar 1960 - ->)	renamed KuljLLv

	KuljLLv	1 Sep 1960 - 31 dec 1996	C-47A (->18Dec84) Il-28R (->30June81) PA-28R (74->) F27-100 (18July80->) Lj35A (28Sep82->) PA-31-350 (83->) F27-400M (1Feb84->)	relocated to Tikkakoski

	KuljLLv - HekoLtue	1 June 1962 - 31 dec 1996	SM-1 (->28Apr66) Mi-4 (->21Sep79) SE3130 (28Mar66-20Mar75) AB206A (13Dec68-9Mar79) Mi-8T (28May73->) H500C (17Apr75->?) Mi-8P (78->) H500D (?->)	disbanded

Although developed as a tactical-bomber, the Ilyushin 28 was only used for non-offensive missions in the Ilmavoimat. Tasking included target-towing, photomapping, reconnaissance, maritime surveillance, pollution control and later ELINT.

collection Dick Lohuis