Lentolaivue 24

Finland's premier fighter squadron during World War 2, Lentolaivue 24 (Flying Squadron 24) first saw action during the bloody Winter War of 1939-40, when the Soviet Red Army launched a surprise attack on the small Scandinavian country - the squadron enjoyed great success against numerically superior opposition. LLv 24 was once again in the thick of the action following the outbreak of the Continuation War in June 1941. Easily the air force's most successful fighter unit, LLv 24 claimed 877 kills, and its pilots won five direct and two indirect Mannerheim Crosses (Finland?s highest military award) out of a total of 19 presented to all Finnish soldiers. Most top aces also scored the bulk of their kills flying with this unit.

List of contents

CHAPTER ONE
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

CHAPTER TWO
WINTER WAR

CHAPTER THREE
FINNISH OFFENSIVE

CHAPTER FOUR
STATIONARY WAR

CHAPTER FIVE
SOVIET OFFENSIVE

APPENDICES
COLOUR PLATES COMMENTARY
INDEX

About the author

Kari Stenman, Kalevi Keskinnen, illustrated by John Weal, Jim Laurier

Summary

Finland's premier fighter squadron during World War 2, Lentolaivue 24 (Flying Squadron 24) first saw action during the bloody Winter War of 1939-40, when the Soviet Red Army launched a surprise attack on the small Scandinavian country - the squadron enjoyed great success against numerically superior opposition. LLv 24 was once again in the thick of the action following the outbreak of the Continuation War in June 1941. Easily the air force's most successful fighter unit, LLv 24 claimed 877 kills, and its pilots won five direct and two indirect Mannerheim Crosses (Finland?s highest military award) out of a total of 19 presented to all Finnish soldiers. Most top aces also scored the bulk of their kills flying with this unit.

Product details

• Authors: Kalevi Keskinnen, Kari Stenham, Kari Stenman, Stenman Kari
• Assisted by: Laurier Jim (Illustration), John Weal (Illustration), Weal John (Illustration)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 25.06.2001
• EAN: 9781841762623
• ISBN: 978-1-84176-262-3
• No. of pages: 128
• Dimensions: 184 mm x 248 mm x 8 mm
• Weight: 478 g
• Illustrations: 136 b/w; 16 col
• Series: Osprey Aviation Elite S.; Aviation elite units; Osprey Aviation Elite S.
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political administration; European History, Finland, HISTORY / Military / Aviation, HISTORY / Europe / Scandinavia, Military vehicles, Air forces & warfare, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, Warfare & defence, Second World War, c 1938 to c 1946 (World War Two period), Air forces and warfare, Modern warfare, c 1940 to c 1949