My submitted proposal is WWII Finnish Air Force, and here's why:
The only Soviet strategic attack which failed was against Finland. Of WWII European combatants, only Finland and Great Britain were never occupied.
Finland boasts the highest scoring non-Luftwaffe/Japanese aces of the war. Ilmari Juutilainen scored 94 victories, many in Brewster Buffalos--even against Spitfires. The highest scoring individual western-built aircraft are also Finnish-flown.
Finnish aircraft of WWII will afford models of American, British, Dutch, French, German and Italian (and Russian--if you include captured planes): biplane Bristol Bulldogs and Gloster Gladiators (flown by Swedish volunteers) flew with monoplane Fokker DXXI, Brewsters Buffalos, Fiats G.50, Moranes MS-406, Curtiss P-36, Hawker Hurricanes and finally Bf-109s. Additionally, the FAF used captured Soviet I-16s, I-153, LaGGs, to name a few. Finnish bombers included Bristol Blenhiems and Junkers JU-88s, and others.
The world's oldest independent air force's war started on 30 November 1939 with a Soviet invasion. This WINTER WAR found the Ilmavoimat, or Finnish Air Force (FAF), facing 9-to-1 odds against the Red Air Force with less than fifty operational fighters, 18 bombers, and a hodge-podge of miscellaneous aircraft. Yet the Winter War ended 13 March 1940 with grievous Soviet losses.
THE CONTINUATION WAR was fought from 25 June 1941 to 4 September 1944, again with the Ilmavoimat giving harder than it got.
http://www.sci.fi/~fta/history.htm
Please note that the old Finnish Air Force national insignia, the blue swastika, dates back to 1918, when Swedish count Eric von Rosen donated the first aircraft for the Finnish Air Force. The blue swastika was the old Hindu lucky sign that the Rosen family used and had nothing to do with the later Nazi swastika. (source, http://www.sci.fi/~fta/FAFhist.htm The Finnish Air Force,
FAF, A HISTORICAL REVIEW, By Lt Gen (FAF ret) Heikki Nikunen)
Is anyone interested?
Campaigns
Where Armorama group builds can be discussed, organized, and updates posted.
Where Armorama group builds can be discussed, organized, and updates posted.
Hosted by Darren Baker, Richard S.
Finnish Aerial Suggestion
Posted: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 - 04:04 AM UTC
Removed by original poster on 11/01/07 - 01:51:02 (GMT).
Posted: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 - 10:42 AM UTC
Hi Fred!
I seem to say yes to every campaign proposal these days so I'm afraid for this one I can only say... YES! Count me in...
Jean-Luc
I seem to say yes to every campaign proposal these days so I'm afraid for this one I can only say... YES! Count me in...
Jean-Luc
Emeritus
Uusimaa, Finland
Joined: March 30, 2004
KitMaker: 2,845 posts
Armorama: 808 posts
Joined: March 30, 2004
KitMaker: 2,845 posts
Armorama: 808 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 - 10:39 PM UTC
That campaign idea sounds really good. I would really like to participate, but now I can't promise anything. I have to go to the army next January and I'll be sitting there for at least 6 months. What time frame are you planning? If it's going to start at mid-06, I might be able to join in.
Posted: Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 04:21 PM UTC
Eetu, everyone,
I proposed it for January, but I'd be happy to await your return from service, Eetu.
And if it is not selected as an official campaign, I'll run it as a group build.
I proposed it for January, but I'd be happy to await your return from service, Eetu.
And if it is not selected as an official campaign, I'll run it as a group build.
Emeritus
Uusimaa, Finland
Joined: March 30, 2004
KitMaker: 2,845 posts
Armorama: 808 posts
Joined: March 30, 2004
KitMaker: 2,845 posts
Armorama: 808 posts
Posted: Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 11:59 PM UTC
That would be very nice.
Postponing the start date would give people time to look out for their kits of choice and you could promote the campaign better. More participants = more fun.
Postponing the start date would give people time to look out for their kits of choice and you could promote the campaign better. More participants = more fun.