Red Wings in the Winter War 1939-1940

[Paul Frawley]

[Moderated for apparent belligerence] just buy the book [Moderated for apparent belligerence]. I've just ordered it from Book Depository [Moderated for apparent belligerence]. Never judge a book until you've read it.

Regards

Sid

At that time, NKVD air units of the frontier forces already existed. Although they did not have modern equipment, which they got after the Winter War (SB 2s, Neman R-10s), but something had to stand, defend and guard a long border like R-5, U-2 and MBR-2. There were definitely no combat flights, and as for some liaison and courier flights. That is why this type of aviation is not visible in such a conflict. It was similar with the attack on Poland in September 1939. NKVD aviation flew but as an auxiliary force.

While Finnish fighter pilots have benefited greatly from the German experience of the civil war in Spain. The issue of combat tactics, the issue of Soviet equipment, how to deal with I-16, which was very useful during the Winter War. However, the Russians were unable to generate such experience and introduce it to their squadrons during the first two years of the Great Patriotic War.

I fully understand the official position of Russian professional and military historians. At the same time, I know their official publications.

Their low professional competence is evidenced by the fact that they placed in a very dignified, very thick publication published on the 100th anniversary of Russian aviation a photo of the destroyed British fighter Hurricane Mk I from the 1940 war and signed as their own fighter destroyed in 1941.

We both know that formal and titled historians have little relative knowledge on the subject. Instead, they often like empty phrases of low value on a given topic.

One Oleg Kiselev has more knowledge, more wise he wrote about the Winter War than this whole esteemed group of official historians with many long academic titles.

By the way, d[d you manage to determine what the overclaiming ratio of the victories of Finnish pilots looked like compared to the real losses of the Soviet Union? Is the ratio of two to one right here?

This is probably how it looked from the research that Oleg Kiselev did several years ago.

Regards

mirekw