The Finnish Air Force (FAF or FiAF; ; ) is the aerial warfare branch of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its primary peacetime tasks include airspace surveillance, identification and interception missions, and maintaining operational readiness for wartime operations. The Finnish Air Force was founded on 6 March 1918.
History The origins of Finnish military aviation date to the final years of Russian rule, when Russian military aircraft were stationed in the Grand Duchy of Finland, then an autonomous part of the Russian Empire. Following the Finnish Declaration of Independence on 6 December 1917, the Finnish Civil War broke out in January 1918 between the socialist Reds, supported by Soviet Russia, and the conservative Whites. The White Guard managed to capture a small number of aircraft from Russian forces, but initially relied heavily on foreign assistance for pilots and equipment. Although Sweden officially declined to provide military support, individual Swedish volunteers assisted the Finnish government. One such contribution was organized by Valdemar Langlet, editor of the Swedish newspaper , who raised funds through the organization to purchase a N.A.B. Albatros aircraft from the Nordiska Aviatik A.B. company.
This aircraft, the first to enter service with the Finnish Air Force, was flown from Sweden to Finland via Haparanda on 25 February 1918 by Swedish pilot John-Allan Hygerth and Per Svanbäck. Hygerth later became the first commander of the Finnish Air Force on 10 March 1918. During the delivery flight, the aircraft stopped at Kokkola and made a forced landing at Jakobstad due to engine failure. It was subsequently assigned the designation F.2, derived from the Swedish word ("aircraft").Keskinen, Partonen, Stenman 2005. Insignia of the Finnish Air Force (1918–1945)
The Finnish Air Force adopted its insignia following the donation of its second aircraft, a Morane-Saulnier Type L built under licence by AB Thulinverken, by Swedish count Eric von Rosen.A photograph of this plane appears in the book by Shores 1969, p. 4. Von Rosen had painted his personal symbol, a blue swastika, on the aircraft. The swastika was at that time used in various cultures as a symbol associated with good fortune and had no political or ideological connection to later National Socialist use. This symbol was subsequently adopted as the official insignia of the Finnish Air Force. The white circular background originated when Finnish personnel painted over the original Thulin factory markings.Heinonen 1992. The swastika was formally adopted as the Finnish Air Force insignia by order of Commander-in-Chief C. G. E. Mannerheim on 18 March 1918. Following the Moscow Armistice in September 1944, Finland was required to remove symbols associated with fascism under the supervision of the Allied Control Commission. As a result, the Finnish Air Force replaced the swastika insignia on its aircraft. The symbol continued to appear in certain unit emblems, flags, and decorations after the war. In 2020, the Finnish Air Force removed the swastika from the emblem of the Air Force Command.
First aircraft The aircraft donated by Eric von Rosen received the designation F.1. Its pilot, Lieutenant Nils Kindberg, flew the aircraft to Vaasa on 6 March 1918, carrying von Rosen as a passenger. Because the flight had been conducted without official permission and contravened Swedish government policy, Kindberg was fined 100 kronor upon his return to Sweden. The arrival of F.1 is regarded by the Finnish Air Force as the birth of Finnish military aviation, and 6 March is commemorated as the founding date of the service. However, the aircraft was destroyed in an accident later that year, resulting in the deaths of its crew.
During its early period, the Finnish Air Force also operated several aircraft obtained from Russian pilots who had defected during the Finnish Civil War, as well as additional aircraft purchased abroad or received as donations. On 7 September 1920, two newly acquired SIAI S.9 flying boats crashed in the Swiss Alps while being ferried to Finland, killing all four people on board—three Finns and one Italian. Since 1922, the date has been observed as a memorial day for Finnish airmen killed in service.
The Finnish Air Force assigns aircraft serial numbers using a two-letter type code followed by a hyphen and an individual number. The type code typically refers to the aircraft type or name, for example HN for the F/A-18 Hornet, DK for the Saab 35 Draken, and VN for the Valmet L-70 Vinka.
Finnish Civil War Air operations of the Reds
Following the withdrawal of Russian forces from Finland after the Russian Revolution, several aircraft and airbases remained. Most of these were taken over by the White forces, but the Reds retained control of some airbases and aircraft. In total, the Reds had approximately 12 aircraft, mainly amphibious types. As they had no trained Finnish pilots, they relied on Russian pilots who had remained in Finland.
On 24 February 1918, five aircraft arrived in Viipuri and were soon transferred to Riihimäki. The Reds established air units in Helsinki, Tampere, Kouvola, and Viipuri. There was no centralized command structure; instead, air units operated under local front commanders. A flight school was established in Helsinki, but no pilots were trained before the city fell to White forces.
Two aircraft, a reconnaissance Nieuport 10 and a Nieuport 17 fighter, were sent to Tampere, while three were based in Kouvola. Four Russian pilots and six mechanics also arrived in Tampere. The first Red combat sortie was flown on 1 March 1918 over Naistenlahti. Red air operations consisted primarily of reconnaissance, artillery spotting, bombing missions, and propaganda leaflet drops. Their effectiveness was limited due to poor coordination, aging aircraft, and shortages of trained personnel. Some aircraft were captured by the Whites, while others were destroyed or abandoned.
Air operations of the Whites At the start of the war, the Whites had no aircraft or trained pilots and sought assistance from Sweden. Although the Swedish government, as a neutral party, refused official military support, private Swedish volunteers provided aircraft and personnel.
By late February 1918, one Morane-Saulnier Parasol and three N.A.B. Albatros aircraft had arrived from Sweden. Two were donated by private individuals and one was purchased. However, these aircraft were of limited operational value.
Due to the lack of trained Finnish personnel, most pilots and mechanics were foreign volunteers. These included Swedish, Danish, Russian, and Finnish personnel, many of whom had limited military aviation experience. During the Civil War, the White air force included:
29 Swedes (16 pilots, two observers, and 11 mechanics) 2 Danes (one pilot and one observer) 7 Russians (six pilots and one observer) 28 Finns (four pilots, six observers, two engineers, and 16 mechanics)
White air operations were primarily limited to reconnaissance missions. German forces operating in Finland also deployed aircraft, but their contribution to Finnish air operations was limited.
The first Finnish air base was established on the shore of a lake near Kolho. The first aircraft arrived there by rail on 7 March 1918, and flight operations began on 17 March. During the war, the Whites captured nine Russian Stetinin M-9 aircraft.
The first White reconnaissance mission was flown over Lyly. As the front advanced, the main base was relocated to Orivesi and later to Kaukajärvi near Tampere. Swedish Lieutenant John-Allan Hygerth commanded the Finnish Air Force from 10 March 1918 until he was replaced on 18 April 1918. German Captain Carl Seber assumed command on 28 April 1918 and remained in the position until December 1918.
By the end of the war, the Finnish Air Force possessed approximately 40 aircraft. Of these, around 20 had been captured from Red forces or found abandoned. Additional aircraft were obtained from Germany, Sweden, and other foreign sources.
Interwar period Following the Finnish Civil War, the Finnish Air Force—then known as the Aviation Force ()—was organised into four main air stations. Santahamina operated both landplanes and seaplanes, while Sortavala and Koivisto were seaplane bases, and Utti operated landplanes. In addition, a Flying Battalion was responsible for aircraft maintenance and the training of pilots and mechanics.
In its early years, the organisation relied heavily on foreign expertise. German instructors initially played a central role, followed by French instructors after Germany’s defeat in 1918, and later British instructors from the mid-1920s. Over time, the Finnish Air Force developed its own training and operational capabilities.
From 1922 onwards, the most important aircraft type was the German Hansa-Brandenburg W.33, produced domestically under licence by the Aviation Force Aircraft Factory as the I.V.L A.22. The first aircraft of indigenous design, the VL Sääski primary trainer, entered service in 1928. During the early 1920s, Finnish military aviation focused primarily on maritime reconnaissance. Fighter pilot training began in 1923, and the introduction of the Gloster Gamecock in 1927 marked a shift towards land-based fighter operations. During the 1930s, the Fokker D.XIII served as the main fighter aircraft, while the Bristol Blenheim and Fokker C.X formed the backbone of the bomber force. During the 1930s, the Air Force was reorganised from air stations into flying regiments consisting of fighter, bomber, and reconnaissance squadrons. On the eve of the Winter War in 1939, the Finnish Air Force had approximately 100 aircraft. Pilot training began in October 1918 within the Flying Battalion. This unit was renamed the Aviation Battalion in 1919 and the Aviation School in 1923. After operating in Turku and Santahamina, the school was relocated to Kauhava in 1928. In 1938, it was renamed the Air Warfare School.
Winter War (1939–1940)
The Winter War began on 30 November 1939 with large-scale bombing raids by the Soviet Air Force against Finnish cities and military targets. In 1939, the Soviet Union possessed approximately 5,000 aircraft, of which around 700 fighters and 800 medium bombers were deployed against Finland in support of Red Army operations. Despite the scale of the attacks, the overall damage to Finnish industry and infrastructure was limited.
At the outbreak of the war, the Finnish Air Force had 18 Bristol Blenheim bombers and 46 fighter aircraft, consisting of 32 Fokker D.XXI and 14 Bristol Bulldog fighters. In addition, there were 58 liaison and utility aircraft, although many of these were unsuitable for combat operations. The Fokker D.XXI, the main Finnish fighter, was relatively slow but highly manoeuvrable and well suited to Finnish conditions.
Although greatly outnumbered, the Finnish Air Force had adopted modern tactics, including the finger-four formation, during the mid-1930s. These tactics proved more effective than the older vic formation still used by many air forces at the time.
To reduce losses on the ground, Finnish aircraft were dispersed among numerous airfields and concealed in forests. Decoy aircraft and protective revetments were also used. These measures significantly reduced the effectiveness of Soviet airfield attacks.
During the war, Finland acquired additional aircraft from abroad, resulting in a highly diverse inventory that included American, British, French, Italian, German, Swedish, and captured Soviet aircraft. Many of these aircraft entered service only toward the end of the conflict or during the subsequent Continuation War.
Finnish fighter tactics emphasised attacking Soviet bombers while avoiding combat with escorting fighters whenever possible. Finnish pilots used surprise, superior situational awareness, and coordinated formations to offset numerical and technical disadvantages.