Flying Squadron 16

Lentolaivue 16
1939 - 1944

Pilot S.Sgt E. Komonen (on the left) and observer Lt. O. Halmetoja (WIA, on the right) of 3rd Flight / Reconnaissance Squadron 16 (3./TLe.Lv.16) pose next to their Fokker C.X (FK-115) recon plane at Värtsilä airbase, eastern Finland. Plane was damaged over Kuolismaa on 26.7.1944 by a light anti-aircraft shell explosion. In the middle Flight Leader Lt. T. Auvinen. (Photo: V. Ilvonen Collection.)

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Winter War
30.11.1939 - 13.3.1940
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Number of Planes 30.11.39 31.12.39 1.2.40 15.3.40
Blackburn Ripon IIF (RI) 8 5 4 4
Fokker C.VE (FO-19, FO-23 & FO) - - 1 2 & 4
Junkers W 34 & K 43 (JU) 1 & 3 1 & 3 1 & 3 -
Fokker C.X (FK) - - - 3

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Flying Unit
Finnish Name (and Abbreviation), Airbases, Notes
(Name in English)		 Squadron Commander / Flight Leader
Flights and Planes
.		 Rank Name
Lentolaivue 16 (LLv.16)
(Flying Squadron 16)
Värtsilä

Reconnaissance squadron.
1st and 2nd Flight subordinated to IV Army Corps (IV AK).

1. Lentue (1st Flight) (RI, 3.1.40- FO)
Operational area north from Lake Ladoga.
- 6.1.40, 5.2.40- Värtsilä, 6.1.-5.2.40 Suistamo

2. Lentue (2nd Flight) (-25.2.40 RI -> 25.2.40- FK)
Operational area north from Lake Ladoga.
Two remaining RIs were handed over to 1st Flight on 25.2.1940.

3. Lentue (3rd Flight) (-28.2.40 JU -> 28.2.40- FO)
Lahdenpohja and Mensuvaara, 17.12.39- Rovaniemi,
23.12.39-28.2.40 (JU), 29.2.40- (FO) Kuluntalahti
Subordinated to Naval Defence of Lake Ladoga for reconnaissance
on Lake Ladoga. Since mid-December subordinated to Lapland
Group (LR). Operational area North Finland. JUs were given to
Supplement Flying Squadron 39 (T-LLv. 39) on 28.2.1940.
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 Capt.
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Lt.
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Lt.

Lt.
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Capt.

 A. Viherto
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R. Rautakoura
(-23.1.40, 13.2.40-)
E. Uotinen (23.1.-13.2.40)

P. Hyvönen
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J. Vatanen

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Continuation War
25.6.1941 - 4.9.1944
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Number of Planes

25.6.41

2.7.41

27.10.41

29.12.41

 1.7.42 1.1.43 29.1.43 31.12.43
Gloster Gladiator II (GL) 6 8 5 3 8 7 9 3
Fokker C.X (FK)

4

5

5

2

 5 1 3 3

Westland Lysander I (LY)

 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 4
Koolhoven F.K.52 (KO-129) * - - 1 1 1 - - -
Fokker F.VIIa (FE-2) - - - 1 1 1 1 -
VL Sääski II (SÄ-121, 133) 1 1 - - - - - -
De Havilland Moth (MO-9) - - - - - - - 1
* KO-129 was in LLv./Le.Lv.16 between 25.9.1941 - ?.1942. It was not used much because its flying characteristics
were so bad. Additionally in the summer 1942 a bird constructed a nest on it!!

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Unofficial Flight Emblem

2./Le.Lv.16 (LY) 1942 - 1943

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Flying Unit
Finnish Name (and Abbreviation), Airbases, Notes
(Name in English)		 Squadron Commander / Flight Leader
Flights and Planes
.		 Rank Name
Lentolaivue 16 (LLv.16, since 3.5.1942 Le.Lv.16)
(Flying Squadron 16)
Rissala, 29.6.41- Joensuu, 10.7.41- Höytiäinen,
23.7.41- Haarajärvi (Kitee), 8./9.41- Uomaa
8./9.10.41- Solomanni, 6./8.10.43- Hirvas
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Reconnaissance squadron. On 29.6.1941 subordinated to
Karelian Army (Kar.A), on 1.3.1942 to Maaselkä Group
(Maa.R) and on 3.5.1942 to Flying Regiment 2 (Le.R 2).

Esikuntalentue (HQ Flight) (FE-2, 16.11.42-1.7.43 LY)
Operational between 8.6.1942 - 1.7.1943.

1. Lentue (1st Flight) (GL) Fighter flight.
Rissala, 29.6.41- Joensuu (Linnunlahti) also Höytiäinen,
22.7.41- Haarajärvi (Kitee), 23(or 24?).8.41- Uomaa,
9.10.41-?.6.42 Solomanni, [part *] 24.11.41-30.4.42,
19.1.-9.4.43 Viiksjärvi, [part *] 30.4.-9.12.42, 9.4.43- Vitska
(Karhumäki), 9.12.42-19.1.43 Hirvas
Received more GLs on 4.7.1941 from 2./LLv.12 and on
9.7.1941 from 1./LLv.14.

2. Lentue (2nd Flight) (-16.11.42, 9.4.43- LY, 8.6.42-10.43 GL)
Fighter flight 8.6.1942 - 9.4.1943.
Rautavaara, 10.7.-30.7.41, [part] 8.8.41- Höytiäinen,
30.7.-8.8.41, 28.8.41- Värtsilä, 9.10.-24.10.41, 30.4.-8.6.42,
4.11.43- Solomanni, 24.10.-27.11.41 Kuutamalahti,
[part] 27.11.41-30.4.42 Viiksjärvi, 8.6.42-27.1.43, 7.4.-4.11.43
Hirvas, 27.1.-7.4.43 Kumsjärvi

3. Lentue (3rd Flight) (FK, 19.2.-?.43 LY-120)
Rissala, 10.7.41- Joensuu, 25.7.41- Värtsilä,
3.9.41- Uomaa, 9.10.41-6.42 Solomanni, [part] 24.11.41-
Viiksjärvi, [part] 30.4.42- Vitska (Karhumäki), 19.7.42- Hirvas
All planes were inoperational occasionally in late 1941 and
early 1942.
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 Maj.
Capt./Maj.
(9.12.41)
Maj.
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Capt.
Capt.
Maj.
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Lt.
Capt
..
Lt./Capt.
(43)
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Lt./Capt.
(42)
Lt.
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Lt.
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Lt.

Capt.
Capt.
Lt.
Lt.

 R. Pajari
K. Kurimo (6.12.41-9.11.42)
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O. Seeve (10.11.42-11.2.43,
9.4.43-)
T. Kivilahti (acting 11.2.-4.4.43)
M. Somppi (acting 4.4.-9.4.43)
O. Holm (24.8.43-)
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B. Laaksonen
H. Pursiainen (?.6.41-13.7.42,
1.11.43-)
M. Somppi (13.7.42-1.11.43)
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V. Härmälä (-30.5.42, 11.7.-17.8.42)
M. Somppi (acting
30.5.-11.7.42)
H. Strömberg
(17.8.42-7.4.43 +)
J. Jäntti (25.4.43-)

J. Gabrielsson
L.-D. Saxell (21.9.41-)
P. Kahla (10.6.43-)
T. Auvinen (1.2.44-)

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Haarajärvi airfield...
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Temporary Haarajärvi "work airfield" (actually a flattened field) in Kitee used in the summer 1941 by the GLs of 1st Flight (1./LLv.16). Also HQ / Flying Squadron 16 was located there. In literature Haarajärvi is commonly said to have been in Tohmajärvi and airfield is also called in that name which is a mistake. (Photo: V. Ilvonen Collection.)

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Number of Planes

9.6.44

 1.7.44

5.9.44
Gloster Gladiator II (GL) 5 2 -
Fokker C.X (FK)

3

 3

-

Westland Lysander I (LY)

 4 1 -
VL Myrsky II (MY) - - 6
de Havilland Moth (MO-9) - - -

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Flying Unit
Finnish Name (and Abbreviation), Airbases, Notes
(Name in English)		 Squadron Commander / Flight Leader
Flights and Planes
.		 Rank Name
Tiedustelulentolaivue 16 (TLe.Lv.16) (14.2.1944-)
(Reconnaissance Squadron 16)
Hirvas, ?.6.44- Värtsilä, 4.9.44- Hollola

Subordinated to Flying Regiment 3 (Le.R 3) on 3.9.1944.

1. Lentue (1st Flight) (-19.6.44 GL -> 25.6.44- IT)
Osasto [Detachment] Somppi
Vitska, 19.6.44 Hirvas, 25.6.44- Kuutamalahti, 7.7.44- Värtsilä,
4.9.44- Hollola
On 25.6.1944 flight was re-equipped with Polikarpov I-153 (IT)
fighters. On 3.9.1944 attached to Fighter Squadron 26 (HLe.Lv.26).

Osasto [Detachment] Jäntti [2. + 3.] (1 LY, 3 FK)
Värtsilä, 31.7.-12.8.44 Onttola
Temporary detachment operational between 30.7. - 12.8.1944.

2. Lentue (2nd Flight)
Osasto [Detachment] Jäntti (-30.7.1944)
(-11.8.44 LY, 19.6.-16.8.44 GL -> 26.8.44- MY)
Solomanni, 17.6.44- Hirvas, 24.6.44- Kuutamalahti,
28.6.44- Värtsilä, 31.7.44- Onttola, 4.9.44- Hollola
Two LYs were handed over to Reconnaissance Squadron 14
(TLe.Lv.14) on 16.6.1944 and the last one on 11.8.1944.
On 19.6.1944 flight received three GLs from the 1st Flight and on
16.8.1944 the remaining two were given to Fighter Squadron 30
(HLe.Lv.30) for night-fighter training purposes.

3. Lentue (3rd Flight) (FK)
Hirvas, 27.6.44- Kuutamalahti, 3.7.-30.7.44 Värtsilä
Flight was suspended on 30.7.1944.
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 Maj.
Capt./Maj.
(44)

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Capt.
Capt.
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Capt.
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Lt./Capt.
(44)
Capt.
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Lt.
Capt.

 O. Holm (-16.3.44)
H. Pursiainen (17.3.44-)
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H. Pursiainen
M. Somppi (17.3.-3.9.44)
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J. Jäntti (30.7.-12.8.44)
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J. Jäntti
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P. Kahla (12.8.44-)
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T. Auvinen
P. Kahla (?-30.7.44)

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Sources: KESTE30, KESTE7, KESTE12...15, KESTE17, KESTE25, KUUON1, PAJRI1, PAJRI2
Special thanks to Mikko S. for invaluable information and photos.
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© 2002 - 22.6.2006 Harri Anttonen

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