VL Myrsky

Myrsky
275px
A VL Myrsky fighter
Type	Reconnaissance/fighter
Manufacturer	Valtion lentokonetehdas
Designed by	Edward Wegelius, Martti Vainio and Torsti Verkkola
Maiden flight	1941
Introduced	1943
Retired	1947
Status	Retired
Primary user	Finnish Air Force
Number built	51

VL Myrsky (Template:Lang-en) was a Finnish World War II fighter, designed by the State Aircraft Factory (Valtion lentokonetehdas) for the Finnish Air Force. The models of the aircraft were Myrsky I, Myrsky II, and Myrsky III.

History

The decision to start developing a new fighter for the Finnish Air Force was based on experience gained before the Winter War: in the "arms race" leading up to a war, it can be difficult for smaller nations to purchase top-of-the-range fighters without a significant political cost. The Finnish Air Force ordered premilinary proposal for domestic fighter from State Aircraft Factory before Winter War early 1939. State Aircraft Factory prepared five alternative proposals May 1939. After that, The Ministry of Defence ordered the design of fighter from State Aircraft Factory June 1939.

The premilinary design was made by the trio Arvo Ylinen, Martti Vainio, and Torsti Verkkola. Ylinen move to Helsinki University of Technology in August 1940, and Edward Wegelius was appointed to lead the design department of the State Aircraft Factory. Vainio took care of aerodynamics, Verkkola structural statics. State Aircraft Factory did not appoint any main constructor to its products.

Due to difficulties obtaining duraluminium, the wings were made out of plywood and the fuselage was metal with fabric or plywood coating. The planned Bristol Taurus III engine was not able to be purchased due to the war, so a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 (civil Twin Wasp) was chosen, instead: R-1830-S3C3-G for the first prototype, less powerful SC3-Gs for later prototypes and production fighters from Germany.

The first Myrsky I prototype flew December 1941. The prototype was fully functional, but too heavy. After some modifications they soon had three new prototype aircraft. The test flights showed some problems with the sturctural strength during high speed tests. All three prototypes were destroyed during test flights, and two test pilots died, one was seriously injured.

The series production started after German deliveries of Messerschmitt Bf 109s had begun in 1943. The series production version was called Myrsky II. 47 Myrsky II fighters were built and together with the Myrsky I version the production amounted to 51 aircraft. Although the aircraft met the specifications set for it, it did not fulfill all expectations, due to structural problems.

The Myrsky III was ordered in spring 1943, but none were built.

Operational history

Reconnaissance Squadron 12 received first Myrskys during August 1944. Thirty Myrskys were delivered to Reconnaissance Squadrons 12 and 16 before the end of Continuation War.

Fifteen Myrskys flew 68 missions during the Continuation War. On one mission, they met Soviet Yak-7s, but the fight ended without losses for either side. During two other missions, Finnish Myrskys damaged two Soviet fighters. Six Myrskys took part in a bombing mission on September 3, 1944.

During the Lapland War, six Myrskys flew 13 reconnaissance missions between March 2 and March 23, 1944. The wooden construction proved problematic in this theatre, not enduring wet weather or cold well.

Ten Myrskys were lost in accidents between 1943-1947 and four pilots died. Usage of the Myrsky ended in May 1947 and the last flight of one was in February 1948.

Versions

Myrsky I

Prototype aircraft, 4 built

Myrsky II

Series-production aircraft, 47 built

Myrsky III

none built

Operators

Template:FIN

Finnish Air Force

References

Bibliography

• Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume One. London: Macdonald & Co.(Publishers) Ltd., 1960. ISBN 0-356-01445-2.

External links

• VL Myrsky

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "VL Myrsky".