FINNISH NAVY VESSELS

1939 - 1944

Armoured Vessels

Coast armoured vessels Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen named after the main characters of national epic Kalevala were the biggest and most powerful ships of the Finnish Navy. Designed by NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw (IvS) in Hague, Netherlands, and built by Chrichton-Vulcan Shipyard in Turku, Finland, between 1928 - 1933 they were intended to mobile coastal defence ships. They were not very agile and seaworthy, but without doubt very powerful ships at their class. Full complement during the war was about 400 men.

Although called "armoured vessels" in Finland they were rather lightly armoured because of their heavy main armament. Armour was comparable to cruisers of that time and placed in a similar way to a German armoured vessel Deutschland (later Lützow) designed and built at the same time. Hull was of double design between torpedo bulkheads.

Armour was as follows (CNS = Chrome Nickel Steel, KCS = Krupp C Steel [cemented steel]):
- upper deck: 15 mm CNS
- belt: 55 mm (belt width 3.25 m) CNS
- citadel (inside ship) i.e. torpedo bulkheads and main deck (between torpedo bulkheads): 30 mm CNS
- fore "battle tower" (conning tower): walls 120 mm, roof and floor 50 mm KCS
- connection cleft (between fore battle tower and battle center): 50 mm KCS
- aft stabilized "battle tower" for AA guns: splinter-proof
- main turrets: front 100 mm, floor, sides and back 50 mm, roof and rounded mantlet 75 mm KCS
- barbettes (above main 30 mm armoured deck only): 100 mm KCS

Main armament consisted of four powerful 254 mm (10") Bofors 254/45 B-2 guns in twin armoured turrets fore and aft. Elevation of main guns ranged between +45 and -10 degrees and maximum firing range was 36 kms at the rate of 2 - 3 shots per minute. The heavy 225 kgs weighted Bofors shells were deadly to any opponent. Also old 254 mm Durlacher coastal gun shells could be fired.

Secondary armament consisted of eight 105 mm Bofors 2/105/50-B dual purpose AA guns in four protected twin turrets. The four unreliable 40 mm Vickers 40/40 V34 AA guns ("Pom-Poms") were replaced by four stabilized 40 mm Bofors 40/60 B AA guns (two single guns and one twin turret) in 1941. Two (later eight on Väinämöinen) 20 mm Madsen 20/60-ML AA guns were also mounted.

By 1938 both vessels were equipped with modern electro-mechanic Dutch Hazemeyer fire control system. For range finding there were two 6 m stereo range-finders and one 4 m stereo range-finder for aerial targets.

Ships were powered by economic, smooth and reliable Krupp-Germania Diesel-electric system with four Diesel generators (4.800 hp, propeller output 3.400 hp). The two shafts were powered by electric motors with the full speed of modest 15 knots.
.

Submarines

In 1930 and 1931 Finnish Navy received three double hull type 500 ton submarines named Vetehinen, Vesihiisi and Iku-Turso according to mystical characters of Finnish national epic Kalevala. All vessels were built by Chrichton-Vulcan Shipyard in Turku, Finland. Crew was 27 men.

Boats were equipped with special 533 mm torpedo tubes with racks for firing older 450 mm torpedoes as well. Periscopes were made by Dutch Nedinsco (subsidiary of Carl Zeiss) and torpedo tubes by Dutch Fijenoord (subsidiary of Krupp). For the annoyance to Germans boats had American Western Electric radios (instead of Telefunken), Swedish Bofors guns (instead of Rheinmetall) and Swedish Atlas diesel engines (instead of M.A.N.). Electric motors were from Swiss Brown Boweri and batteries from Swedish Ackumulator Ab Tudor (subsidiary of AFAG-Hagen).

These three boats were the most modern in the world and built to meet all German WW I U-Boot standards according to directives of the German advisor and U-boat specialist Korvettenkapitän Karl Bartenbach. Unlike stated Vetehinen class was not a predecessor of German VII class but based largely on a newly designed German C III class which derived from an old layout from the year 1918 but was never built. Although rather succesful in construction Vetehinen class boats dived too slowly: it took 45 seconds to be in 9,5 m which was more than expected.

Originally only a 99 ton single hull type midget submarine Saukko ["Otter"] was launched in 1930 at Kone ja Silta Hietalahti Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland. It was the world's smallest attack submarine at that time and was intended to operate on Lake Ladoga as well although never used there. Saukko could be severed into two halves for land transport. It was not a succesful construction and it had to be upgraded already before the Winter War to improve boat's stability. Additionally it was powered by a bad Germaniawerft prototype diesel engine with constant technical problems which were never solved.

The fifth Finnish submarine, a 250 ton single hull coastal boat originally known as CV-707 (German codename Liliput), was not initially ordered by the Finnish Naval Forces but secretly financed by the German Navy and built by Chrichton-Vulcan Shipyard in Finland as a prototype of German IIA class. Boat was based on a small succesful WW I era UB II class. CV-707 was launched in spring 1933. Like Saukko it was partly welded (instead of then usual riveting) while all later German boats were fully welded. It was also the first boat to be made of new stronger steel quality.

Machinery consisted of Motoren-Werke-Mannheim AG (M.A.N.) RS 127 S diesel engines and Siemens PGVV 322/36 electric motors with MAD Tudor batteries. Radios were Telefunken Spez 72 2 S (short wave), Telefunken Spez 72 3 S (long wave) and Finnish naval radio M 1257 P-12-14. Kristall-Hydrophon listening device was made of Atlas Werke AG. Sonar, which was of drawing type, was MS XII/1973 by Henry Hughes & Son Ltd. Bifocalic attack and observing periscopes were made by Nedinsco. Compass was Anschütz HMK.

All Finnish submarines were designed by - like armoured vessels - the Holland-based German cover shipbuilding agency IvS. Many details and gears used later in German submarines were developed and tested properly before their own production started. German vessel Grille was used in testing boats' submerged sound characteristics which all were proven excellently silent. Like Vetehinen class boats also CV-707 dived initially too slowly and boat was improved in 1933 and 1934. Later it dived 10 m within 39 seconds which was a fair result although Germans would have wanted it to dive 10 m within 30 seconds!

Already in the summer 1933 and 1934 CV-707 was used for experimental and training purposes with German crews. For example ten forthcoming submarine skippers and other personnel (about 80 men) were trained. The most famous was later skipper of U-48 and Führer der U-Boote West Kapitänleutnant (later Admiral) Hans Rösing. In July 1934 Germans tested their brand new electric torpedoes by Firma Julius Pintsch with new bubbleless 533 mm torpedo tubes which were in CV-707. German Minister of Defence Werner von Blomberg visited in Finland during the torpedo tests and it is likely he was watching these trials.

CV-707 was purchased in 1936 by the Finnish Naval Forces and named Vesikko ["European Mink"]. Boat had usually only three torpedoes (in torpedo tubes) but it could have two spare torpedoes. Later in war it was equipped with depth charge dropping rack for anti-submarine operations. Crew was 20 men.

During the trials of Iku-Turso it was used in filming of German movie Morgenrot (The Red Sky at Dawn) (Ufa, 1932) which tells about German submariners in WW I. Large Finnish submarines and Saukko were scrabbed after the war but Vesikko was restored and is on display at Suomenlinna, Helsinki.
.

Armament of Vessels

On certain ships their armament is difficult to specify because of constant refits and changes. Adds could on the other hand cause removing of other weapon systems to avoid dangerous over-weight. Especially in 1941 and 1944 ships were refitted to meet the growing need of AA weapons.

Main armament of Finnish vessels consisted usually of old Russian Obuhov naval gun models but British Vickers and Swedish Bofors guns were also used. Calibres varied between 75 and 130 mm but 75 mm and 120 mm guns were the most typical ones. 45 and 47 mm naval guns were used on smaller temporarily armed ships.

The most typical Finnish AA guns used on ships were Danish 20 mm Madsen ItK 40 cannons which were largely used since 1940. Larger calibre AA guns were usually 40 mm Bofors AA cannon models but also a few obsolete 40 mm Vickers AA guns ("Pom-Poms") were used.

Typical 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine guns used on ships were Finnish-designed Lahti L-33/36 MGs (also known as [AA MG] It.Kk.33-36) but Maxim MGs were also used. Heavy AA MGs consisted of various, usually captured, 12.7 mm Soviet models.
.

.
Finnish Navy Vessels 1939 - 1944

The following division of ships was used in Finland during the war. Within each category vessels have been listed in ascending order of the year a vessel was launched in. Many vessels were also used in other duties as their category indicates and changes in armament reveals this usually.

Most Finnish vessels were overaged, unarmoured, small and slow. There were also many auxiliary ships which had to be used during the war only due to the lack of "real" war ships. Only those built in the late 1920's or later can be classed modern or non-obsolete although most older vessels were renewed and modified to their new task.
.

Shortenigs indicating the reason for sinking are as follows:

S = unidentified shipwreck or obstacle under surface, storm
M = mine
TS = torpedo, submarine
TM = torpedo, MTB
TA = torpedo, aircraft
B = bombs, aircraft
DC = friendly depth charge
AR = air raid against shipyard
G = German gun fire

Speed:
[knots]

Karjala (Filin)
Turunmaa (Tshirok, Orlan?)
.

1918
(-B 2.5.43, repaired)

340

15

2 - 75, 2 -> 3 - 20 AA,
1 - 12.7 HMG, 30 mines

Viena (Conan Doyle)
.

1915

283 grt

9

1 - 130, 3 - 20 AA

Poseidon *3

Frej *1

Suomi *2

Loimu (M-4, T-21)
Lieska (M-5, T-17)
Paukku (M-1, T-25)

Louhi (Voin, M1)
.

Miina (M-6, KM-27, T-17)
Pommi (M-7, KM-28, T-22)

Ruotsinsalmi
Riilahti

Pukkio
Porkkala
.

1898

1900

1910

1915-16
.
(-S 13.11.41 )

1916 (-M 12.1.45)
.

1916-17
.

1940
(-TM 23.8.43)

1939-40

804 grt

561 grt

659 grt

60
.
.

776
.

80
.

310
.

162

10

10

12

8
.
.

10
.

9
.

15
.

10

1 - 75, 1 - MG, 60 mines

1 - 75, 1 - MG, 50 mines

1 - 75, 1 - MG, 40 mines

1 - MG -> 1 - 20 AA,
30 - 45 mines
.

2 - 75, 2 - 40 AA, 2 - MG
1 -> 2 - 20 AA, 140 mines

1 - MG -> 1 - 20 AA,
30 - 45 mines

1 - 75, (-42) 1 - 40 AA,
2 - 20 AA, 2 - MG, 100 mines

1 - 45, 1 - 20 AA,
40 mines

Ahven, Kiiski, Muikku,
Särki, Lahna, Kuore
(later Ahven 1 - Ahven 6)

SM 1 - SM 4
.

Kuha, Salakka, Siika,
Harjus, Säynäs, Karppi
(later Kuha 1 - Kuha 6)

Ajonpää, Kallanpää

Jurmo, Narvi
.
.

1936-37
.
.

1938-40
(-M 5.10.44 SM 3)

1941-42
(-M 15.9.44 Kuha 6)
(-M 30.9.44 Kuha 3)

1941

1942-44

17
.
.

20
.

18
.
.

52

400

10
.
.

9
.

9
.
.

10

10

1 - 20 AA,
later also 6 mines
.

1 - 20 AA
.

1 - 20 AA
.
.

1 - 20 AA

1 - 45, 3 - 20 AA,
40 mines

Saukko
.
.

Vesikko (CV-707)
.
.
.

1930
.
.

1933

114 / 142
/ 75 m
.

254 / 303
/ 100 m

7
/ 5.7
.

13
/ 8

1 - 12.7 HMG -> 1 - 20, 1 - MG,
torpedo tubes 2 + 0 - 450,
6 (- 9) mines

1 - 12.7 HMG -> (40-) 1 - 20,
1 - 7.62 L-33/36 MG,
torpedo tubes 3 + 0 - 533

Isku (MTV-3)

Nuoli (MTV-5)
Syöksy (MTV-4)

Vinha (MTV-6)
Raju (MTV-7)

Vasama (TK 52)
.

Viima 1 (TK 141)
Viima 2 (TK 64)
Viima 3
(also known as V 1 - V 3)

Jylhä (MAS 526)
Jyry (MAS 527)
Jyske (MAS 528)
Jymy (MAS 529)
(later Jymy 1 - Jymy 4)

Hyöky, Hirmu, Hurja,
Hyrsky, Häijy
(later Hurja 1 - Hurja 5)
.

Tarmo, Taisto, Tyrsky,
Tuima, Tuisku, Tuuli
(later Taisto 1 - Taisto 6)
.

1926

1928
.

1929
(-S 16.5.43)

1935
.

1938
.
.
.

1939
.
.
.
(Bought in 1943.)

1941
(Arrived in Finland
in 1943 from Italy.)
(-AR 26.2.44 Hurja 5)

1943
(-B 26.6.44 Taisto 1)

11

12
.

12
.

35
.

16
.
.
.

22
.
.
.
.

20
.
.
.

22

31

40
.

40
.

34
.

50
.
.
.

42
.
.
.
.

36
.
.
.

48

torpedoes 2 - 450

torpedoes 2 - 450,
2 - 3 mines

torpedoes 2 - 450,
2 - 3 mines

1 - 20, 2 - 12.7 HMG,
1 - 40 AA or torpedoes 2 - 450

1 - 12.7 HMG,
torpedoes 2 - 533,
4 mines
.

1 - 20, 1 - 12.7 HMG,
torpedoes 2 - 450
.
.
.

1 - 20,
torpedoes 2 - 450,
2 mines
.

1 - 20,
torpedoes 2 - 450

VMV 5, VMV 6
.

VMV 8
VMV 12

VMV 9, VMV 10,
VMV 11, VMV 17
.

VMV 13, VMV 14,
VMV 15, VMV 16
.

1931
.

1935 (-AR 6.2.44)
(-AR 26.2.44)

1935
(-B 18.6.44 VMV 17)
(-G 15.9.44 VMV 10)

1935
(-G 15.9.44 VMV 14)

35
.

35
.

35
.
.

35

23
.

23
.

23
.
.

23

varying -> 2 - 20, 1 -> 0 - MG,
4-5 mines -> 0

varying, 1 -> 0 - MG,
4-5 mines -> 0

varying -> (42-) 1 - 40, 1 -> 2 - 20,
4-5 mines -> 0 , 1 -> 2 - MG,
(-41) torpedoes 2 - 450 -> 0

varying -> 3 - 20, 1 -> 0 - MG,
4-5 mines -> 0

Rauma

Aura I

Kustaanmiekka (Sadko,
Gråhara)

VH 1 (Pekonlahti)

Aallotar (Allotore) *

Porin Karhu

Aura -> Aura II
(renamed in 40)

Suursaari

Herkules

Turku

Tursas (Baltic) *
Uisko (Celtic) *

Viipuri (Nr 761, KL-30),
Nr 762 - Nr 764
.

1899

1907

1915
.

1916

1918

1924

1924
.

1927

1931

1938

1938
(-TA 16.9.43)

1941

145 grt

400

169
.

110

75

76 grt

200
.

320

168 grt

320

460
.

335

9

12

10
.

10

10

?

10
.

11

13

12

11
.

10

1 - 75, 1 - 20 AA

2 - 75, 2 -> 1 - 20 AA

1 - 45, 2 - 20 AA
.

2 - 20 AA

?

1 - 47, 1 - 20 AA

2 - 45, 1 - 20 AA
.

2 - 45, 2 - 20 AA

1 - 75, 1 - 20 AA

1 - 40 AA, 1 - 20 AA

1 - 75, 2 - 20 AA
.

1 - 45, 2 - 20 AA

Sampo

Apu (Avance, Avans)
.

Tarmo
.

Voima
.

Jääkarhu

Otso

Sisu
.
.
.

1898

1899
.

1907
.

1917
.

1926

1936

1939

2.050

800
.

2.300
.

2.070
.

4.825

800

2.070
.
.
.

?

?
.

13.5
.

?
.

?

?

15
.
.
.

(39-40) 1 + 2 - 120

(39-) 2 - 75, (40) 1 - 20 AA,
(41:) 2 - 75, 1 - 40 AA, 2 - 20 AA

(39-) 2 - 120, (40) 2 - 20 AA
(41:) 2 - 75, 2 - 40 AA, 2 - 20 AA

(39-) 1 + 2 - 120, (40-) 2 - 40 AA,
(41:) 2 - 20 AA

4 - 120, 2 - 40 AA, (40-) 2 - 20 AA

(39-40) 1 - 75

(39-) 2 - 102 -> (44) 2 - 105,
(39-40) 2 - 40 AA, (41-) 2 - MG,
(41-) 2 -> (44) 3 - 20 AA

von Döbeln (T-2, Transport 2)
.

Merikotka (Nordvakten)

Viola (Fredrik Wilhelm)

Oihonna

Bore I (Grif, Hebe)

Suomen Joutsen
(Laennec, Oldenburg)

Hebe

Ariadne (1944)
.

Aranda
.

1876
.

1878

1893

1898

1898

1902
.

1912

1918
.

1920

666 grt
.

202 grt

324 grt

1.096 grt

791 grt

3.200
.

686 grt

?
.

592 grt
.

10
.

10

10

?

?

?
.

?

?
.

?
.

2 - 20 AA, staff and depot ship
(1940-)

unarmed, staff ship

varied, transport ship

varied, transport ship

varied, transport ship

unarmed, depot ship,
former school (sailing) ship

varied, transport ship

unarmed, hospital ship, between
1942 - 1944 hired to Germans

varied, transport ship