VL Pyorremyrsky

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VL Pyorremyrsky
VL Pyorremyrsky
Type: Fighter plane
Design country:

FinlandFinland Finland

Manufacturer:

Valtion lentokonetehdas

First flight:

November 21, 1945

Number of pieces:

1 prototype

The vl pyörremyrsky (in German: Cyclone) was a state of Finnish aviation company valtion lentokonetehdas built fighter aircraft for the Finnish Air Force in World War II .

History and construction

The Finnish Air Force ordered two Pyörremyrsky prototypes on November 26, 1942 . The aircraft should be completed by May 1944. One of the prototypes was later canceled, so that ultimately only one aircraft was built. Due to the transition from Valtion Lentokonetehdas to Valmet , the aircraft is also known as VMT Pyörremyrsky .

Due to the lack of light metal, the aircraft was largely made of wood. The aim was to build a fighter aircraft with similar flight characteristics as those of the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 G . The engine and propeller corresponded to that of the Bf 109 G. The landing gear was made wider to simplify take-off, landing and taxiing on the ground. The Pyörremyrsky was able to climb even faster than the Bf 109 G-6 and showed good steering characteristics. For lack of money and because a sufficient number of Bf 109 G were already available to equip the air forces permitted under the conditions of the Moscow Armistice , the program was canceled after the prototype had been flying for about 30 hours .

The first flight of the prototype with the registration number PM-1 took place on November 21, 1945 in Härmälä with Esko Halme as the pilot. After a flight time of 25 minutes, part of the canopy came off and when smoke from the engine penetrated the cockpit, Halme had to land. He was saved by wearing an oxygen mask. The aircraft completed three test flights in Tampere . On the third flight, the aircraft was transferred to Kuorevesi on January 16, 1946 . There it completed a further 31 test flights and achieved a total of 27 flight hours by 1947. It was flown by a total of eight pilots: Esko Halme, Lauri Hämäläinen, Erkki Itävuori, Osmo Kauppinen, Lasse Heikinaro, Martti Laitinen, Heikki Keso and Lauri Lautamäki. The last flight lasted 20 minutes and was flown by Osmo Kauppinen on July 22, 1947. On April 1, 1953, the PM-1 was officially decommissioned.

The only problems with the Pyörremyrsky were the poor quality of the glue used and, accordingly, poor glue joints. Due to the end of the war, there was no longer any series production. However, the wing construction was still adopted for the construction of the Valmet Vihuri training aircraft .

The only prototype is on display today in the Aviation Museum of Central Finland .

Technical specifications

Behind the Valmet Vihuri is a VL Pyörremyrsky (green)
Parameter Data
crew 1
length 9.13 m
span 10.38 m
height 3.89 m
Wing area 19 m²
Empty mass ? kg
Max. Takeoff mass 3310 kg
Cruising speed ? km / h
Top speed 620 km / h
Service ceiling 11,250 m
Range 700 km
Engines 1 × Daimler-Benz DB 605 A-1 with 1,100 kW (1,496 PS)
Armament 1 × 20 mm MG 151 cannon,
2 × 12.7 mm LKK / 42 machine guns,
4 × bombs of 50–100 kg each

See also

literature

  • William Green: War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume One. Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., London 1960, ISBN 0-356-01445-2 .

Web links

Commons : VL Pyörremyrsky  - collection of images, videos and audio files