Today's eagerly awaited installment of WWII fighter pilots goes out to Illu Juutilainen, Finland's top scoring pilot.
Juutilainen was born in 1914. His father was a railway worker who lost both legs in an accident. Living near an airbase and the reading of Manfred von Richtofen's (the Red Baron) book, "The Red Fighter Pilot", caused Juutilainen to want to become a fighter pilot from an early age.
Juutilainen did his military service in Signal Corps during 1932-1933 and was trained as a telegraphist. After acquiring a private pilot's liscense, he was accepted, in 1936, into the Air Force NCO pilot course. Juutilainen did well, but ended up spending a lot of time in the brig, primarily for excessive drinking. He started his career as a pilot in a reconaissance squadron and earned a reputation as a good and reliable pilot. In 1939 he was transferred to a fighter squadron and began flying the Fokker D XXI. He quit drinking and soon became a good fighter pilot with excellent shooting skills.
When the Soviet Union invaded Finland during the Winter War, Juutilainen went into service, at first by flying strafing missions against the Red Army which inflicted considerable casualties. He also shot down two Soviet planes before the Red Army breached the Mannerheim Line and Finland sued for peace.
When Germany invaded the Soviet Union, in June 1941, Finland entered the war on the German side. Juutilainen went back into service, flying a Brewster F2A Buffalo. In 1941 he shot down 13 Soviet planes and in 1942 shot down 21 more. In 1943 his squadron was re-equipped with the Messerschmidt Me 109G, which was a big improvement over the Buffalo. He shot down 19 planes in 1943 and 40 in 1944 before Finland surrendered. His total for the war stood at 94 planes shot down.
Juutilainen was an excellent pilot, aggressive without being foolhardy. During his 437 missions his plane was never hit by Soviet fighters (although his plane was once badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire). Twice he was awarded with the Mannerheim Cross.
After the war he bought an old DH Moth and toured around Finland, going to rural fairs and small towns, offering flights to people who wanted to fly with a famous ace and double winner of the Mannerheim Cross. He was a pall bearer at Marshal Mannerheim's funeral, in 1951. Finally, in 1999, Illu Juutilainen passed away at 85 years of age. With 94 planes to his credit, he was Finland's highest scoring ace.
Below is an image of a Fokker D XXI with skids for landing on snow, instead of wheels:
http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/foto1/juuti3.jpg
Originally posted by rwingettThe fighter pilot posts are very interesting, rwingett. I enjoy them.
Today's eagerly awaited installment of WWII fighter pilots goes out to Illu Juutilainen, Finland's top scoring pilot.
Juutilainen was born in 1914. His father was a railway worker who lost both legs in an accident. Living near an airbase and the reading of Manfred von Richtofen's (the Red Baron) book, "The Red Fighter Pilot", caused Juutilainen to ...[text shortened]... skids for landing on snow, instead of wheels:
http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/foto1/juuti3.jpg
Originally posted by Bosse de NageNo. I did two others on Romanian pilot, Constantin "Bâzu" Cantacuzino, and Italian pilot Teresio Martinoli. Lately I've had more interest in pilots that don't get as much press as some of the ones from the major powers. I could do one on Hartmann, though. I read his book once.
Oh, I only started reading the debating tabloids a couple of months ago...Have you posted anything on Erich Hartmann, the top German WW2 Expert?
Originally posted by rwingettBilly Bishop?
No. I did two others on Romanian pilot, Constantin "Bâzu" Cantacuzino, and Italian pilot Teresio Martinoli. Lately I've had more interest in pilots that don't get as much press as some of the ones from the major powers. I could do one on Hartmann, though. I read his book once.
Originally posted by dfm65Richard I. Bong. It's a curious thing that he's virtually unknown by Americans, despite being not only the top scoring American pilot of WWII, but the top scoring American pilot of all time. 40 planes shot down. This far surpasses the 26 claimed by Eddie Rickenbacker, who is much better known.
wasn't there an American fighter ace with the unlikely name 'Dick Bong'?
EDIT: yeah there was - i was a bit nervous about googling his name: http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_bong.html
Originally posted by rwingettwhat about the more recent pilots?
Richard I. Bong. It's a curious thing that he's virtually unknown by Americans, despite being not only the top scoring American pilot of WWII, but the top scoring American pilot of all time. 40 planes shot down. This far surpasses the 26 claimed by Eddie Rickenbacker, who is much better known.
the us airforce seems to be flying around shooting up stuff all over the planet on a reasonably regular basis - surely some of the present pilots have some long records.