Finnish Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 23) [Paperback]

Kari Stenman (Author), Mark Styling (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 1998 | Series: Aircraft of the Aces (Book 23)

Always outnumbered by their Soviet counterparts, the small band of Finnish fighter pilots who defended their Scandinavian homeland from the 'communist hordes' in three separate wars between 1939 and 1945 amassed scores only bettered by the Luftwaffe's Jagdflieger. Initially equipped with a motley collection of biplane and monoplane fighters garnered from sources across the globe, the Finnish Air Force was thrust into combat in November 1939. Given little chance against the massive Soviet force, the Finnish fighter pilots confounded the sceptics and decimated the attacking fighter and bomber formations, prompting the Russians to call a halt in March 1940. This scenario was repeated in 1941, and by 1943 the Finns had become uneasy allies with the Germans. Complete with first-hand accounts and detailed colour illustrations, this book profiles aces like Juutilainen and Wind, who proved unbeatable in the final months of conflict.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Finland's valiant stand against communist fascism is little known in the annals of the Twentieth Century. It is yet another shining example of how a free, democratic, small, motivated country with good tactics and doctrine can prevail in the face of seemingly overwhelming brutal regimes." -Fred Rick Boucher, AeroScale (September 2006)

From the Publisher

Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series combines full colour artwork, the best archival contemporary photography, and first hand accounts from aces to bring history's greatest airborne conflicts to life.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (October 30, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 185532783X
• ISBN-13: 978-1855327832
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.2 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #626,842 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #35 in Books > History > Europe > Finland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book about an interesting but obscure topic, November 24, 2003

By 

Kenneth P. Katz - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Finnish Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 23) (Paperback)

I'm sure that I'm not the only student of military and aerospace history that has had enough of the usual subjects: B-17s and P-51s of the 8th Air Force, the invasion of Normandy, panzers and their battles, and so on. What this books offers is information about an unusual subject: Finnish fighter aces in World War II.

To most readers, the Finnish-Russian battles are an obscure sideshow to World War II. Yet this was a fascinating theater of the war. Outnumbered and often with obsolescent aircraft, the Finns fought with bravery and skill. Warrant Officer Eino Juutilainen was the top Finnish ace, with 94 victories. This made him one of the top-scoring fighter aces of World War II, with other Finns also having impressive records.

The color plates are the highlight of Osprey publications, and the ones in this book are outstanding. They encompass both the aircraft and their pilots. The photographs are also good. The text is a little dry and there are too many typos. This is a minor point but does detract from the book. The only significant omission in the book is a map. I don't know the geography of Finland, I doubt that most other readers do either, and it is hard to follow the narrative without a map. Given the excellent maps in other books from this publisher, this is a big disappointment.

In summary, a decent book about an interesting and obscure subject.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Overview of the Finnish AF in WW2, May 1, 2000

By 

J. Collins (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Finnish Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 23) (Paperback)

This book is one of the Osprey Aviation Series. Osprey books are aimed at the model enthusiast and wargamer, with good photos, some color plates, and a concise overview of the subject. This volume is an excellent addition to the series. Well writtend accounts of the air war in the Winter, Continuation, and Lapland Wars are matched with the aces that flew in those campaigns. Appendices have the aces' scores sorted by aircraft flown, 1/72 scale line drawings, and thumbnail unit histories.

All in all, this book delivers exactly what it promises. Since the book concerns itself with aces, only the fighter arm is considered. Almost no mention is made of the recce, or bomber units in the Finnish AF at this time. If you are a modeler or wargamer and need details about aircraft camoflauge, uniforms, or air battles, this book is recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthy read, September 21, 2008

By 

John N. Fulmore "Idaho John" (Payette, Idaho) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Finnish Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 23) (Paperback)

Considering the lack of resources and the unenviable position of being almost cut off from the rest of Europe, the Finnish Air Force did a wonderful job of defending the airspace of Finland. This book is a fine testament to these wonderful people and the courage they exhibited. I find the shortcomings mentioned in the other reviews to be too harsh...this book is a find, an excellent resource and if you end up wanting a map of Finland, well get on the internet and do a little exploration.