Fighter Over Finland

by Eino Luukkanen

Book Overview

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0809496208
• ISBN13: 9780809496204
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Time Life Medical
• Length: 254 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Really well written book by one of Finlands top WW2 Fighter Pilots

Finnish Title -"Hävittäjälentäjänä kahdessa sodassa" ("Fighter pilot in two wars") This book is really well written and worth reading if you want to know more about Finland's fighter aircraft and pilots. Luukkanen concentrates largely on the Winter War, far less so on the Continuation War (a focus he explains in his book and which, when you read his explanation, is entirely understandable). Here's some additional information for those interested - summarised from an article from the Finnish newspaper 'Keskisuomalainen' on December 6th, 2001 - author Juhana Lepoluoto, original article translated into English by Lt(jg) Markku Herd, Finnish Navy. INDEPENDENCE DAY, 2001 The lonely grave of the Knight of the Mannerheim Cross awaits caretakers. One day, back in the distant 50's, the restaurant table of a Jyväskylä merchant was approached by a penniless man. An ex-soldier who had suffered his punishment, stripped of honor after a closed-doors trial. Said person asked the occupant of the table, if he could join him. - The Commander is always welcome to my table, the recently passed-on Ture Mattila is said to have responded. Until his premature death almost three decades ago in 1964, the Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, a fighter ace with 56 victories, Lieutenant Colonel Eino Luukkanen worked in his ex-subject's family business and lived in a city apartment owned by Mattila. Mattila had also been a fighter pilot in the war, fighting successfully under the command of Luukkanen, the latest in the famed 34th Fighter Squadron. - Ture Mattila had very warm relationship with his former superior, Nyyssönen said. - Mattila regretted the last stages of his commander's life and he sought for the redemption of his superior. The Knight's honour must be returned The difficult time of Luukkanen's life rose to headlines again last year (200), when Juha Pohjonen's book of Finnish cases of treason was published. Luukkanen and one of his subjects was accused of handing Finnish air photo maps to the Swedes during the so-called great espionage case of Jyväskylä. Nyyssönen has perused the book thoroughly and agrees with the late Mattila. Luukkanen never admitted revealing any material to Sweden's Säpo (Secret police), but he said he had taken an Air Force plane over the western border to bring fruits and drinks to his pilots. At that time, Finland was still poor and everything was rationed. Nyyssönen says also that many of Air Force officers currently on duty agree, that the brilliant pilot knight who had done great services to the Fatherland must be rehabilitated. Getting stripped of honour must have been so hard a blow to Luukkanen, that it probably quickened his death. His heart failed in October 1964, but still before his death he worked in Mattila's company. - After his commander's death, Ture Mattila contacted his fellow pilots and arranged a collection. This stone was erected with those funds, Nyyssönen told. A ten year contract was made with the paris

Any aviation enthusiast will find this book hard to set down

One of the most interesting things about this book is the sheer variety of aircraft involved. One cannot help but feel admiration for the author and his compatriots for the courage and bravery they showed in spite of the odds they faced. What they lacked in numbers they more than accounted for in skill. Although often equipped with aircraft that were considered obsolete by the "great powers", they still managed to outfly their opponents who were usually equipped with technically superior aircraft.Another admirable trait is the authors modesty. Unlike many combat pilots, Luukanen gives a great deal of credit to the humble mechanics and ground crew who kept his aircraft flying in spite of often poor conditions. All in all, an excellent story.

Any aviation enthusiast will find this hard to put down.

One of the most interesting things about this book is the sheer variety of aircraft involved. One cannot help but feel admiration for the author and his compatriots for the courage and bravery they showed in spite of the odds they faced. What they lacked in numbers they more than accounted for in skill. Although often equipped with aircraft that were considered obsolete by the "great powers", they still managed to outfly there opponents who were usually equipped with technically superior aircraft.Another admirable trait is the authors modesty. Unlike many combat pilots, Luukanen gives a great deal of credit to the humble mechanics and ground crew who kept his aircraft flying in spite of often poor conditions. All in all, an excellent story.

A first class narrative of the Finnish-Soviet air wars

I first read this book 15 years ago, intrigued by the cover. It tells the experiences of a fighter pilot and his unit during the two wars between Finland and the Soviet Union 1939-1945. It describes the incredible bravery and skill of the Finns, as they fought to preserve their independence from Stalin's empire - an endeavour in which they were largely successful. Despite being vastly outnumbered and equipped with obsolete aircraft, the Finns managed to destroy an incredible amount of Soviet aircraft, while protecting their vulnerable cities from bombing. This book stands as another testament to the rugged spirit of the Finns during WWII.