The heroic and effective of not just the Finnish army, but the entire Finnish society allowed Finland to keep its independence, albeit at the cost of some territorial losses. In this conflict the Soviets suffered very heavy losses, even if they were fighting an enemy several times weaker in numbers.
That stance won worldwide sympathy for the Finnish, but that sympathy soon faded away when Germany attacked the USSR and Finland sided with the Axis, as it was the only way to maintain their independence.
Finnish pilots were renown for their remarkable successes in aircraft deemed unsuitable for combat in other countries, like the American Brewster Buffalo. This was, of course, mainly due to the conditions they faced,. the abysmal quality of their equipment and the lack of experience of most Soviet pilots, faced with the determination with the Finnish pilots fought for their country. Among the aircraft that composed the Finnish Ilmavoimat (Air Force) there were also some Curtiss Hawks.
Finnish pilots were renown for their remarkable successes in aircraft deemed unsuitable for combat in other countries, like the American Brewster Buffalo. This was, of course, mainly due to the conditions they faced,. the abysmal quality of their equipment and the lack of experience of most Soviet pilots, faced with the determination with the Finnish pilots fought for their country. Among the aircraft that composed the Finnish Ilmavoimat (Air Force) there were also some Curtiss Hawks.
The first Hawks delivered to Finland were sent by the Germans, after the conquest of Norway. These consisted on several A-6 models delivered in the spring of 1941. After Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, additional Hawks were delivered to Finland, this time captured from the French. The Hawks of this batch included seven A-4 and nine A-2/A-3. The next delivery took place between 28th July and 2nd August 1941 and included 11 Hawk 75A-1, one A-3 and one A-6. Two more A-3 arrived in Finland on 4th and 5th December 1941.
Many of those ex-French aircraft were only now being unpacked from the crates in which they were shipped across the Atlantic, as they were not assembled before the fall of France.
In the Finnish workshops, where they were being now assembled, their radio equipment and sights were replaced by German Revi 3D or C/12D ones.
In the spring of 1943, the Ilmavoimat received 15 additional Hawks, this time ex-Vichy France ones.
Many of those ex-French aircraft were only now being unpacked from the crates in which they were shipped across the Atlantic, as they were not assembled before the fall of France.
In the Finnish workshops, where they were being now assembled, their radio equipment and sights were replaced by German Revi 3D or C/12D ones.
In the spring of 1943, the Ilmavoimat received 15 additional Hawks, this time ex-Vichy France ones.
In total the Finns had 44 Hawks, including six A-1s, nine A-2s, nine A-3s, seven A-4s and thirteen A-6s. They affectionately nicknamed them "Curtissi" or "Sussu" (meaning 'sweetheart' in Suomi), but complains about their poor armament or problems with the Cyclone engines in their seven A-4s were common. At the turn of 1942/1943 only four A-4s remained operative and their engines were replaced with Twin Wasp ones.
In service with the Finns the Hawk was, overall well-liked with a good victory-to-loss ratio. In total Finns Hawks scored 190 and one-third kills for the loss of 15 of their own between 16th July 1941 and 27th July 1944, the dates of the Continuation War.
The Finnish Hawks were initially armed with either four or six 7.5mm machine guns. This was enough at the opening phases of the Continuation War, however, due to the increasing speeds and armour on Soviet aircraft, that arrangement was not powerful enough, so in 1942 the Finnish Valtion lentokonetehdas (State Aircraft Factory) replaced the fuselage machine guns with either one or to .50 in (12.7mm) Colt or Browning FN machine guns and installed two or four .303 in (7.7mm) Browning machine guns in each wing. Some cannibalized 12.7mm Berezin UB or LKk/42 heavy machine guns were also employed. This new arrangement did not change the good flying characteristics of the Hawks and the armament was much more effective against Soviet aircraft.
The Finnish Hawks were initially armed with either four or six 7.5mm machine guns. This was enough at the opening phases of the Continuation War, however, due to the increasing speeds and armour on Soviet aircraft, that arrangement was not powerful enough, so in 1942 the Finnish Valtion lentokonetehdas (State Aircraft Factory) replaced the fuselage machine guns with either one or to .50 in (12.7mm) Colt or Browning FN machine guns and installed two or four .303 in (7.7mm) Browning machine guns in each wing. Some cannibalized 12.7mm Berezin UB or LKk/42 heavy machine guns were also employed. This new arrangement did not change the good flying characteristics of the Hawks and the armament was much more effective against Soviet aircraft.
After Continuation and Lapland Wars, surviving Finnish Hawks remained in service with various Ilmavoimat squadrons, namely HLeLv 13, 11 and LeSK (training unit) until 30th August 1948 when the last operational Finnish Hawks were put into storage. In 1953 they were scrapped.
Sources:
1st AJ Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk part 1
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#Finland
1st AJ Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk part 1
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#Finland
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