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Re: Finland OOB 10.1

OBAT 065 FINLAND

Unit 346 - StuG M40G end of service date incorrect. Given as 12/1975.

"Panzer III and it's variants" by Spielberger says that Finland's StuG 40s were kept in action thanks to spare parts purchased in 1948 from Norway, which included a complete StuG 40 and 20~ Pz III chassis.

Some of these vehicles were used for training purposes; while others were stored as Army Reserve Stocks.

In 1960, all 45 remaining StuG 40 were released for use in training, and they remained in service until December 1966, when they were scrapped.

Re: Finland OOB 10.1

NEW UNIT(S) -- Immobilized Tanks as Pillboxes

While looking at information on the web on Finnish StuG 40s, while trying to find photos of them on parade in the 1950s and 1960s, I found some info (mostly the same thing repeated over on multiple sites) that after the StuGs were withdrawn for scrapping/disposal in December 1966 a few StuGs found themselves dug in as motionless pillboxes at a few strategic airfields in Finland to protect against surprise attacks.

At first, I thought it was :re: because my BS alarms were going off; but I found a page on Finnish StuGs that specifically listed an exact hull # and the location where it was dug in.

LINK

Quote:

Sturmgeschütz 40 G # Ps. 531-27
Chassis number: 95476, MIAG ~ July 1943

After it's regular service ended in 1966 this StuG was dug in as a pillbox around Hamina and served on until the 1980's. After that the StuG has been on the Hätilä shooting range in Hämeenlinna. The hull is still quite intact.

A old forum post from 2007 was also found detailing other pillboxed vehicles and the modifications made to pillboxed vehicles:

LINK

Quote:

Finland report – September 2007

Artillery – Armor Auctions

Well it was quite a trip to Finland this month as I took part in both the artillery and armor auctions held by the Finnish Defense Forces.

This was interesting as it was the first time Finland had done such an auction for armor so this was a first for me along with being a first for Finland.

...

Tank-Armor Auction

The armor auction was a true historic event as this was the first time Finland has sold tanks in such a manner. In fact a government having an open auction such as this is indeed a rare event and I was pleased just to be there. There were 14 British Charioteers, 4 British Comets, and 3 German Stugs listed in the sale. The British tanks all came to Finland in the postwar years while the Stugs were bought from Germany in 1944.

The Finnish Army had advertised this sale in a number of media outlets and the general press in Finland also had covered the upcoming auction in detail. Due to these facts it was believed the auction would attract a number of bidders and a number of spectators.

I went to the preview with two of my Finnish friends to check over the British tanks and condition was as stated in the auction notes – varied. Some of the tanks were in decent shape while others were not so good. It was clear some of the tanks had been used as targets in one form or the other with some showing signs of being on fire in the past.

Most of the tanks lacked engines or gearboxes as they had been used as pillboxes. Many of the Charioteers had been in service at the Helsinki and other airports in security duties. In the tanks used as pillboxes the engine areas had been replaced by wooden floors to allow easy movement and access.

Re: Finland OOB 10.1

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkSheppard (Post 834920)

Quote:

http://yhdistykset-akaa.fi/reservila...sa_sodassa.pdf

Quote:

Samaan PsPr:n kalustosta taistelukelpoiseksi arvioitiin vain Sturm-rynnäkkötykit, joita käytettiin
1960-luvulle saakka. Sen jälkeen osa kalustosta sijoitettiin kiinteiksi asepesäkkeiksi
kriittisiin kohteisiin mm. Upinniemeen. Näiden vaunujen aseilla ammuttiin koeammuntoja
viimeisen kerran tiettävästi vuonna 1979.

(Text seems to have a typo or missing word, translating as I understood it should read. Samaan = "to the (very) same" which makes no sense at all, maybe "samaan aikaan" ~ "at that time")

Quote:

At that time the only equipment in Armoured Brigade (PsPr) thought to be usable in combat was Stug III assault guns (Sturm-rynnäkkötykit), which were used until 1960's. After that part of the equipment was placed as pill boxes to protect critical locations, such as in Upinniemi. The weapons of these vehicles were known to be fired last in year 1979.

Re: Finland OOB 10.1

Just when I thought I had done my homework before writing about the changes in weaponry FDF drops this shell:
http://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/2016...29469_uu.shtml

Finnish reports to OSCE had been under the true numbers for FGs. For example in 2014 Finland had reported zero 152mm FGs but in 2016 numbers they list 24 of them. This is because the treaty does not include the navy strength and some of the equipment was under navy control as coastal defense batteries. Quoting the article: "The military leadership was mostly fooling the civilians; that is, researchers, politicians and the general public, who are forced to rely on the OSCE public notices as the only source of information."

152 K 89 (2A36) will probably need an extension to what has previously been written in the light of this new information.

Re: Finland OOB 10.1

Finland continues shopping second-hand equipment: This time 8 Leopard 1 AEV engineer tanks (and 8 Leopard 1 ARV which aren't portrayed in SP) from Netherlands. Unit #102 in Dutch (#28) OOB. Delivers and training 2017-19, operational this 2020 or mid-2019. Link to Finnish defence ministry release: http://www.defmin.fi/ajankohtaista/t...nuja.8253.news

***
So in last few years Finland has purchased the following used, but fully serviceable equipment:

K9 Thunder, South Korea 2017
Leopard 2A6, Netherlands 2014
Stinger MANPADs, USA 2014 (overhauled, not used;) )
BV 206, Norway 2012
MT-LBV, Sweden 2011
Restocked Spike and TOW missiles from Netherlands and Denmark

Re: Finland OOB 10.1

Finland to purchase Leopard 1 tanks from Netherlands:
http://www.defmin.fi/ajankohtaista/t...nuja.8253.news

8 as recovery vehicles
8 as mine clearing / engineering vehicles

Training starts with professional officers in 2017, deliveries in 2018-2019. Conscript training timetable is not mentioned.

Re: Finland OOB 10.1

155mm K9 SPG has now a local designation:
K9FIN Moukari (Sledgehammer)
https://twitter.com/PasiPasivirta/st...20832911335424

Link above shows a model in Finnish colour scheme.