Bruce,
Still, I am very touched that you changed to a Finnish subject. We don't really see them (ever) on SPAM.
So the least I could do for you, was to do some research of the DN-51.. A journey that took close to 4 hrs for me to go through.. but during these 4 hrs I learned myself a little bit more of DN-51 and the heroes that flew this bird until its end.. with a mixed ending of joy, sadness and perhaps some heroism
----
Dornier Do-17 Z-1
Werk. Nr. 3323
Original markings BC + NE
Arrived to Finland on the 5th of January 1942 after being in service in Luftwaffe for 91:55 hrs.
Handed over to FAF ( 2/LeLv 46) on the 9th of February 1942 around 5 AM
Shot down August 1st 1944, while returning from a bombing mission.
Total flying time in FAF: 343 hrs and 30 minutes
The fatal mission on Tuesday the 1st of August
DN-51 had been on a mission to bomb four different bridges south of Salonjärvi. No information regarding the success of the raid. 2nd Lieutenant Lars Von Hellens was the pilot of the plane. Other crew members were: Observer 2nd Lieutenant Alpo Lappalainen, telegraphist Sergeant 1st class Aarre Salminen and gunner Sergeant Jouko Ilkka.
The return flight towards Rissala airfield started well, no AA activity at all. While DN-51 was about to fly over the front, about two miles from it, a sudden loud bang was heard. At the same time it was noticed, that the right engine had received a hit and started to smoke. A very strong air suction was formed in the cockpit. Only now the crew saw a Russian Airacobra fighter flying around them. The crew started preparation to parachute from DN-51. The engine started to smoke even more and the plane started to turn slowly to right.
The bottom hatch was opened and first Lappalainen, the observer jumped. Immediately after him sergeant Ilkka and then the pilot von Hellens exited. The telegraphist Salminen waited for additional 10 seconds, but when the fire from the engine spread to the fuselage, he jumped as well.
The entire crew were safely out of the plane. While "hanging" in their parachutes, they could see their workhorse, DN-51 rotating clockwise around them, slowly descending towards the ground. The enemy fighter was following the bomber until the bomber crashed burning in the forest. The crew was still "hanging" in the air, but the Airacobra did not have any interested towards them, but instead it flew away. However, from the ground they heard and could see infantery soldiers shooting a few shots towards them. Luckily without causing any harm,
Salminen, the telegraphist who exited last the plane, dropped down in between own and the enemy lines. In 20 minutes time he was safe on the Finnish side. Salminen could brief that everyone had been able to exit the plane, so now the waiting for the remaining crew started.
Ilkka, the gunner who had jumped as second, fell in a tree immediately next to a russian artillery observer.. Ilkka could loosen himself off the tree and climb down. The russian artillery observer, who was very very big, spoke continuosly into the radio but strechted his hand back and forth towards Ilkka and shouting something in russian to him. Ilkka answered in Finnish; "I don't have anything to tell you" and started to run towards own lines. While coming closer to the own lines, shooting started from there.. He threw himself on the ground and stayed low... until he fall asleep ! He woke up when he heard finnish voices saying "there is no one here". It was a small patrol that had been sent to search for the crew. He run to them, greeted and after some hours he was also safe on the own side.
Lappalainen, the observer who had jumped first out of the plane was of course furthest behind the enemy lines, roughly 2 miles from safety. For him it took a full day to get back. A dangerous task. He was followed by a russian search patrol, but they could not find him. When darkness fell again, he started to be closer to the frontline. While slowly crawling on the ground, suddenly someone shouted in his direction in finnish: "Stop, who is there?" He shouted back, "This is a Finnish airman, are there any Finns there and if there is, don't shoot!". No one shot and at the same moment was Lappalainen also safe on the own side... and received a very heart warming welcoming from the infantry soldiers.
And what about the pilot, Lars von Hellens, what happened to him ?
No other crew member knew more about him, other than that they saw him leaving the plane and that the parachute had opened accordingly. However, a enemy radio message was intercepted, telling that the pilot had first been wounded and then later fallen. But what exactly happened to Lars, in the woods of Loimola is still a big mystery. To his fellow pilots he had several times told, that he will never ever surrender to the enemy. He had always on every flight two hand guns with him.
We can only imagine what might have happened. What we can be pretty sure of, he did not surrender but fought to the last bullet.
He is MIA, what I can tell based on my research ... his body has not been found or at least not been identified. He has probably a grave.. but is still it in the woods on the enemy side or burried in a graveyard as an unknown soldier, that we don't know.
What struck so much, when looking at the pictures of these young men, how ordinary they all look like.
***
Below the map of the last flight (my interpretation) + pictures of the last crew.
The flight path
Pilot 2nd Lieutenant Lars von Hellens
(far left, picture taken around 20th-21st of June 1944, midsummer festivities.. )
Observer 2nd Lieutenant Alpo Lappalainen:
(playing around with parachutes)
Telegraphist Sergeant 1st class Aarre Salminen :
(in the front)
Gunner Sergeant Jouko Ilkka:
(in the middle)
- Kari
