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Finnish Aces of World War 2

Paperback / softback

Main Details

Title Finnish Aces of World War 2
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Kari Stenman
Illustrated by Mark Styling
SeriesAircraft of the Aces
Physical Properties
Format:Paperback / softback
Pages:100
Dimensions(mm): Height 248,Width 184
Category/GenreSecond world war
ISBN/Barcode 9781855327832
ClassificationsDewey:940.54494897
Audience
General
Illustrations 100 b/w; 40 col

Publishing Details

Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Publication Date 30 October 1998
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

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.

Author Biography

Kari Stenman in undoubtedly the most knowledgeable authority on the Finnish Air Force in World War 2, having written over a dozen books on the subject since the late 1960s. He runs his own publishing company in Finland. Kalevi Keskinnen is an expert on Finnish aviation of World War 2. He works full time as an aviation author and lives in Finland. Mark has illustrated several books in both the Aces and Combat Aircraft series. He has recently switched mediums from airbrush to Mac art, and has produced some of the best profiles Osprey has used to date in Combat Aircraft 18

Reviews

"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)