VMV-class patrol boat (Finnish: Vartiomoottorivene) was a series of Finnish patrol boats, which served with the Finnish Coast Guard and the Finnish Navy during World War II.
The VMV boats were designed by dipl.eng. Jaakko Rahola of the Finnish Navy. The design was good, giving the boats excellent seagoing qualities, fast speed and a light construction, and thanks to their wooden hull, resistance to magnetic mines. The boats only weighed about 30 tons, their length were between 20mand25mm (70feetand82feetm). The standard armament consisted of one 20 mm automatic cannon, although they could be armed with wide variety of weapons depending on the requirements. The first boat was ordered in December 1929 from U. Suortin Veneveistämö in Helsinki. However, construction of this boat was delayed, and two boats that had been ordered from Germany were ready before the first Finnish one. The following two boats were ordered in January 1931 from Uudenkaupungin Veneveistämö and they were ready by December, the same year. Another order was then placed for one boat from Turun Veneveistämö and it was ready by 1932. A further ten boats were ordered in 1934 from Turun Veneveistämö. These were ready by 1935.
VMV-1–VMV-7 were equipped with gasoline engines, and VMV-8–VMV-17 had diesel engines. VMV-3 and VMV-7 were destroyed before the war, the former due to an engine fire in 1931, and the latter due to an explosion in 1933.
The only remaining VMV boat, VMV-11, is today preserved at the Kotka Maritime Museum in its original outfit of the 1930s.
At the outbreak of the Winter War, the VMV boat armament was improved by fitting machine guns, depth charges and smoke dischargers. During the Continuation War, the extra armament varied depending on the mission; for example, they could be fitted with four or five naval mines or two 4500NaN0 torpedoes. Some VMV boats were also used as gunboats, and were fitted with a 40 mm Bofors gun and multiple 20 mm guns. Some were used as submarine hunters, and were equipped with a 20 mm gun and depth charges. Limited to patrol coastal waters, the VMV boats did not participate in any major action during the Winter War. During the Continuation War, their primary tasks were anti-submarine warfare and escort duty, although several boats participated in battles for control of islands on the Gulf of Finland.
Five VMV boats were lost during the war, all in 1944. Two were sunk during air raids in Helsinki, one was lost to Soviet aircraft near Koivisto and two were lost when the Germans attacked Hogland during the Lapland War.
Ship | Launched | Location | Speed | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|
VMV-1 | Germany | 25 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-2 | Germany | 25 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-3 | Helsinki, Finland | 23 knots | Lost (burned) | |
VMV-4 Former: Sterling | Norway | 16 knots | Retired | |
VMV-5 | Uusikaupunki, Finland | 23 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-6 | Uusikaupunki, Finland | 23 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-7 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Lost (burned and sunk) | |
VMV-8 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Lost (sunk) | |
VMV-9 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-10 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Lost (sunk) | |
VMV-11 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Preserved | |
VMV-12 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Lost (sunk) | |
VMV-13 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-14 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Lost (sunk) | |
VMV-15 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-16 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-17 | Turku, Finland | 23 knots | Lost (sunk) | |
VMV-18 Former: SP-1 | Porvoo, Finland | 11 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-19 Former: SP-41 | Tolkkinen, Finland | 10 knots | Decommissioned | |
VMV-20 Former: SP-42 | Tolkkinen, Finland | 10 knots | Decommissioned | |
Both VMV-1 and VMV-2 distinguished themselves in the battle against alcohol smugglers in the 1930s. VMV-1 made the largest ever confiscation of smuggled alcohol in Finland at Åland. VMV 2 intercepted a large smuggler vessel, the schooner Omar in 1931. The large smuggler ship S/S Relly came to the other smuggler ship's rescue and tried to sink VMV 2 by ramming it, and a wild duel with small arms opened up. A few smugglers were wounded, but the wild boat ride was solved through the good seamanship of the VMV crew, and when the VMV opened up fire with the 20 mm gun, the smugglers surrendered.
During the war VMV 1 served with the Varmistuslaivue, and VMV 2 was tasked with anti-submarinde warfare (1939–1941). In 1942, both vessels were part of the 1. Vartiomoottorivenelaivue. VMV 1 took part in the operation that led to the sinking of the . Facing the danger of explosion, she saved 57 men from the upside-down turned hull of Ilmarinen. She also participated in the battle of Bengtskär on 26 July 1941, together with VMV 2, VMV 13, and VMV 14. She was also part in the operation where the minelayer sank. She saved 11 men from the water, among them the commander of Riilahti, Captain Lieutenant Osmo Kivilinna, who later died of his injuries. After the war both vessels participated in mine sweeping operations. Both vessels were scrapped in 1951, having served far longer than initially intended.
Ship | Date | Location | Cause |
---|---|---|---|
VMV-8 | While moored to pier at Helsinki | Soviet bombing | |
VMV-10 | While moored to pier at Gogland | German naval gunfire | |
VMV-12 | While moored to pier at Helsinki | Soviet bombing | |
VMV-14 | While moored to pier at Gogland | German naval gunfire | |
VMV-17 | Near Beryozovye Islands | Soviet aircraft | |
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