No. 12 Squadron (Finland) Explained
| Unit Name: | No. 12 Squadron Finnish Air Force |
| Dates: | 30 November 1939 - 13 March 1940
25 June 1941 - 4 September 1944 |
| Country: | Finland |
| Branch: | Finnish Air Force |
| Role: | reconnaissance |
| Battles: | Winter War, Continuation War |
No. 12 Squadron (Finnish: Lentolaivue 12 or LLv.12, from 3 May 1942 Le.Lv.12), renamed No. 12 Reconnaissance Squadron (Finnish: Tiedustelulentolaivue 12 or TLe.Lv.12 on 14 February 1944) was a reconnaissance squadron of the Finnish Air Force during World War II. The squadron was part of Flying Regiment 1.
Organization
Winter War
- 1st Flight (1. Lentue)
- 2nd Flight (2. Lentue)
- 3rd Flight (3. Lentue)
- Separate Detachment Salo (Erillisosasto Salo)
- 3rd Flight of No. 14 Squadron (3./LLv. 14, temporary detached in December 1939)
The equipment consisted of 13 Fokker C.Xs, 6 Gloster Gladiators, and 1 Westland Lysander.
Continuation War
- 1st Flight (1. Lentue) the unofficial flight emblem "Chief Devil Himself" was carried by the Curtiss Hawk 75A aircraft of 1./LLv.12 in 1941. The "Ramming Ram" unit emblem was carried by the aircraft of 1./Le.Lv.12 between 1942 and 1943
- 2nd Flight (2. Lentue) the unofficial flight emblem "Merry Donkey" was carried by the aircraft of 2./Le.Lv.12 between 1942 and 1943
- 3rd Flight (3. Lentue)
The equipment consisted of 6 Fokker C.Xs, 3 Gloster Gladiators, 4 Curtiss Hawk 75As, 12 Fokker D.XXIs, and 4 Blackburn Ripon IIs. By the end of the war the unit also received 20 VL Myrsky IIs, 2 Bristol Blenheim Mk.Is, and 2 Polikarpov U-2s.
Bibliography
- Book: Keskinen. Kalevi. Stenman. Kari . Fokker D. XXI (Mercury) . 1974. 2000 . Hobby-Kustannus Oy . Helsinki . 952-5334-02-3 . fi. Suomen ilmavoimien historia. 3A.
- Book: Shores . Christopher F. . Finnish Air Force 1918–1968 . 1969 . Osprey Publications . Canterbury, UK . 0-85045-012-8. Aircam Aviation Series. S2.
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