Jorma Karhunen
Encyclopedia
Jorma Karhunen was a Finnish Air Force
ace
.
He scored 31.5 kills in World War II; 25.5 of his air victories were achieved while flying the Brewster F2A Buffalo, American fighter.
Soon after the outbreak of Operation Barbarossa
, on 25 June 1941, when he was 1st Lt, Karhunen led the 3rd Flight (of eight Brewster Buffalo
) of Lentolaivue (LLv) 24, based at Vesivehmaa.
{
On 9 July, he was one of the dozen Brewster pilots led by Major Gustaf Magnusson
on a patrol over Lahdenpohja, that in a ten-minute air combat shot down eight out of 15 Soviet bombers and fighters
At the end of July, his 3/LLv24 was ordered to support the offensive against the Karelian Ishtmus, scheduled for 31 July. Karhunen unit's opponents were 5th SAD, 7th and 153rd IAP and 65th and 235th ShaPs.
On 1 August Karhunen's unit of seven Brewsters shot down six I-16s near Rautjarvi
, WO Ilmari Juutilainen
, claiming two of them.
Eleven days later, on 12 August, Capt Karhunen was involved in the heaviest air combat over the Karelian Isthmus, while leading six Brewsters from 3/LLv 24 on a patrol. On Antrea area they attacked a formation of about 20 aircraft from 65th ShAP. During the ensuing 30 minutes air combat, Karhunen and his pilots shot down nine Polikarpov I-153
s "Chaikas".
On 26 September, Soviets suffered further losses. That day, Capt Karhunen's formation of seven Buffalos shot down six I-15s north of Petajaselka. The Finnish came back in the area a short while later and encontered eight I-15 bis from 65th ShAP. The Brewster pilots shot down three of the enemy aircraft.
Capt. Karhunen later recalled:
After the end of hostilities, Karhunen, the captain and commander of the 3rd flight of LeLv 24, recalled:
He retired from active duty on 13 December 1955.
Finnish Air Force
The Finnish Air Force is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of readiness formations for wartime conditions...
ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
.
He scored 31.5 kills in World War II; 25.5 of his air victories were achieved while flying the Brewster F2A Buffalo, American fighter.
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, on 25 June 1941, when he was 1st Lt, Karhunen led the 3rd Flight (of eight Brewster Buffalo
Brewster Buffalo
The Brewster F2A Buffalo was an American fighter aircraft which saw limited service early in World War II. Though the Buffalo won a competition against the Grumman F4F Wildcat in 1939 to become the US Navy's first monoplane fighter aircraft, it turned out to be a big disappointment...
) of Lentolaivue (LLv) 24, based at Vesivehmaa.
{
On 9 July, he was one of the dozen Brewster pilots led by Major Gustaf Magnusson
Gustaf Magnusson
Gustaf Erik Magnusson was a Finnish Major General and Mannerheim Cross Knight. He was the commander of No. 24 Squadron and Flying Regiment 3 during World War 2...
on a patrol over Lahdenpohja, that in a ten-minute air combat shot down eight out of 15 Soviet bombers and fighters
At the end of July, his 3/LLv24 was ordered to support the offensive against the Karelian Ishtmus, scheduled for 31 July. Karhunen unit's opponents were 5th SAD, 7th and 153rd IAP and 65th and 235th ShaPs.
On 1 August Karhunen's unit of seven Brewsters shot down six I-16s near Rautjarvi
Rautjärvi
Rautjärvi is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the South Karelia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is....
, WO Ilmari Juutilainen
Ilmari Juutilainen
Eino Ilmari Juutilainen was a fighter pilot of the Ilmavoimat , and the top scoring non-German fighter pilot of all time...
, claiming two of them.
Eleven days later, on 12 August, Capt Karhunen was involved in the heaviest air combat over the Karelian Isthmus, while leading six Brewsters from 3/LLv 24 on a patrol. On Antrea area they attacked a formation of about 20 aircraft from 65th ShAP. During the ensuing 30 minutes air combat, Karhunen and his pilots shot down nine Polikarpov I-153
Polikarpov I-153
The Russian Polikarpov I-153 Chaika was a late 1930s Soviet biplane fighter. Developed as an advanced version of the I-15 with a retractable undercarriage, the I-153 fought in the Soviet-Japanese combats in Mongolia and was one of the Soviet's major fighter types in the early years of the Second...
s "Chaikas".
On 26 September, Soviets suffered further losses. That day, Capt Karhunen's formation of seven Buffalos shot down six I-15s north of Petajaselka. The Finnish came back in the area a short while later and encontered eight I-15 bis from 65th ShAP. The Brewster pilots shot down three of the enemy aircraft.
Capt. Karhunen later recalled:
After the end of hostilities, Karhunen, the captain and commander of the 3rd flight of LeLv 24, recalled:
"The Brewster model 239 was good against the older Russian fighters, Polikarpov I-153Polikarpov I-153The Russian Polikarpov I-153 Chaika was a late 1930s Soviet biplane fighter. Developed as an advanced version of the I-15 with a retractable undercarriage, the I-153 fought in the Soviet-Japanese combats in Mongolia and was one of the Soviet's major fighter types in the early years of the Second...
Chaika (Gull) and I-16. Hence the period 1941–42 was the best time for us. In 1943 it was already significantly more difficult when the Russians began to use their newer fighters against us... Later, with the Yaks, Hurricanes, Tomahawks, LaGG-3 and MiGs, it became a fight to the death."
He retired from active duty on 13 December 1955.