Jorma Karhunen, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetJorma Karhunen
Finnish flying ace
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Pyhäjärvi, Northern Finland Regional State Administrative Agency, Finland
About Jorma Karhunen
- Jorma Karhunen (17 March 1913 – 21 January 2002) was a Finnish Air Force ace. He scored 31.5 kills in World War II; 25.5 of his air victories were achieved while flying the Brewster F2A Buffalo, American fighter. Soon after the outbreak of Operation Barbarossa, on 25 June 1941, when he was 1st Lt, Karhunen led the 3rd Flight (of eight Brewster Buffalo) of Lentolaivue (LLv) 24, based at Vesivehmaa.
- On 9 July, he was one of the dozen Brewster pilots led by Major Gustaf Magnusson on a patrol over Lahdenpohja, that in a ten-minute air combat shot down eight out of 15 Soviet bombers and fighters At the end of July, his 3/LLv24 was ordered to support the offensive against the Karelian Ishtmus, scheduled for 31 July.
- Karhunen unit's opponents were 5th SAD, 7th and 153rd IAP and 65th and 235th ShaPs. On 1 August Karhunen's unit of seven Brewsters shot down six I-16s near Rautjarvi, WO Ilmari Juutilainen, claiming two of them. Eleven days later, on 12 August, Capt Karhunen was involved in the heaviest air combat over the Karelian Isthmus, while leading six Brewsters from 3/LLv 24 on a patrol.
- On Antrea area they attacked a formation of about 20 aircraft from 65th ShAP.
- During the ensuing 30 minutes air combat, Karhunen and his pilots shot down nine Polikarpov I-153s "Chaikas".On 26 September, Soviets suffered further losses.
- That day, Capt Karhunen's formation of seven Buffalos shot down six I-15s north of Petajaselka.
- The Finnish came back in the area a short while later and encountered eight I-15 bis from 65th ShAP.
- The Brewster pilots shot down three of the enemy aircraft. Capt.
- Karhunen later recalled: After the end of hostilities, Karhunen, the captain and commander of the 3rd flight of LeLv 24, recalled: He retired from active duty on 13 December 1955.
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