Hattinen, Lars Paul Erich

     
Příjmení:
Surname:
Hattinen Hattinen
Jméno:
Given Name:
Lars Paul Erich Lars Paul Erich
Jméno v originále:
Original Name:
Lars Paul Erich Hattinen
Fotografie či obrázek:
Photograph or Picture:
Hodnost:
Rank:
rotný Staff Sergeant
Akademický či vědecký titul:
Academic or Scientific Title:
- -
Šlechtický titul:
Hereditary Title:
- -
Datum, místo narození:
Date and Place of Birth:
16.05.1923 Kuorevesi
16.05.1923 Kuorevesi
Datum, místo úmrtí:
Date and Place of Decease:
03.01.1961 Koivulahti
03.01.1961 Koivulahti
Nejvýznamnější funkce:
(maximálně tři)
Most Important Appointments:
(up to three)
- -
Jiné významné skutečnosti:
(maximálně tři)
Other Notable Facts:
(up to three)
- stíhací eso; 6 vítězství
- nejmladší finské stíhací eso
- Fighter Ace; 6 victories
- the youngest Finnish Fighter Ace of WW2
Související články:
Related Articles:

Zdroje:
Sources:
Keskinen, K. - Stenman, K.: Ilmavoitot, osa 1 - Aerial Victories, Espoo 2006
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Hattinen-Lars-Paul-Erich-t87311#323632 Version : 0
Ylikersantti Lars Paul Erich Hattinen


Between 1940 and 1942 he underwent pilot and fighter training and on 3 April 1943 he was sent to LeLv 28 with the rank of alikersantti (corporal). This unit was armed with French Morane MS.406 fighters and undertook mainly ground troop protection and reconnaissance over enemy territory, its commander was Maj. Maunula (3 victories). Although the Morane's performance was by then already lagging behind the new Soviet aircraft, older types such as the I-16 fighter, LaGG-3 and British-supplied Hurricanes and Tomahawks were still in service here in the north. Against these adversaries, Moran pilots still performed well.


Although Hattinen joined combat operations immediately, his "star" did not shine until almost a year later, in the summer of 1944. In the meantime, however, he performed his duty faithfully, for on 20 August 1943 he was promoted to the rank of kersantti (sergeant). His unit also changed its name to HLeLv 28 on 14 February 1944.


On 9 June 1944, the Soviets launched a major offensive on the Karelian Isthmus, aimed at knocking Finland out of the war and securing the north before the main campaign into Germany. The Red Army was greatly outnumbered and outgunned, and this was reflected in the air. The Russians deployed the latest machines, such as La-5 fighters, Yak-9, P-39s, Il-2 fighters, and Il-2 bombers.The Finns, along with a few Luftwaffe units, did not even have 300 machines. However, the Finns fought valiantly and one of the most successful fighters in this period was Hattinen.


Hattinen scored his first victory on 23 June, when the Finnish situation was already critical and they deployed all available aircraft in support of the ground forces. Hattinen managed to damage one Pe-2 bomber.


Lars gained his first certain victory two days later. His unit was just taking off for a mission over the front when a lone Boston bomber appeared. Hattinen waited for nothing and sent him down with a precision shot. The very next day, Lars was successful again when he shot down a fighter Yak-9 probably from 197. IAP. On 8 July, he damaged one Airacobra near Suojärvi.


Four days later, a pair of Morans were patrolling over the front when the pilots spotted four La-5s below them. The Finns took advantage of the superior altitude and attacked. Confusion broke out in the Soviet formation and it broke up. Hattinen took advantage of this, got behind one of the LaVoches and sent it down in flames.
The next day Hattinen was promoted to the rank of ylikersantti (sergeant) and at the same time his unit began to rearm with new machines. On 11 July, the pilots in Värtsilä took delivery of the first three Mörkö-Morane fighters, which were MS.406s modified by installing more powerful, looted Soviet Klimov VK-105P engines. However, deliveries then ceased and no more machines were delivered from the USSR by the end of the war.


On 16 July at around 18.00, an air raid alert was issued at Värtsilä Airport and Hattinen in MSv-617 immediately took to the air. After a while he saw a Soviet formation consisting of six Il-2s flying close to the ground, with two pairs of fighter Yaks circling above them, one at 1,000 and the other at 3,000 metres. Hattinen attacked the first pair, but the Russians spotted him in time and turned on him. Then the top pair joined the fray and things were not looking good for Lars. The fight had been going on for about 15 minutes when he managed to get behind the aircraft he was attacking first and hit it with one burst. The machine then slowed down and Lars hit it a second time, as it then crashed into one of the many swamps. 1)


Lars then broke away from the fighters and attacked the battleships, but his gun jammed, and since the two rifle-caliber machine guns were ineffective against the well-armored Ilyushin, he returned to base. He thus scored the first Mörkö-Morane type victory.


On 27 July, Hattinen damaged one Airacobra, scoring his last aerial victory on the 30th. On that day between 9-10 am, a large battle between Moranes from TLeLV 14 with over thirty Soviet aircraft occurred. To their aid were sent Bf 109 G from HLeLv 28 and also Hattinen on his Mörkö-Moran MSv-617 from the same unit. Lars did well and managed to shoot down two Airacobras. He became the ace and the youngest in the Finnish Air Force, and the only pilot to win in a Mörkö-Morane. After that he attacked a group of Il-2 battleships, but the gunner of one of the attacked "šturmoviks" had good aim and set fire to the tank of Lars' machine. The Mörkö-Morane was immediately engulfed in flames and Lars had to use his parachute.


The Finns eventually managed to halt the Soviet advance, thanks mainly to a successful defence in the Tali-Ihantala area, where the Red Army suffered heavy losses, including more than 300 tanks and two hundred aircraft. The Soviet offensive was thus only partially successful, but because the Soviets wanted to concentrate on operations in central Europe, they proposed to Finland to sign a ceasefire. It accepted the offer and on 5 September 1944 the so-called Continuation War ended and Finland entered a state of war with Germany.
As early as 31 December 1944, Hattinen was demobilized and went into civilian life. For his achievements in combat - he shot down a total of six aircraft and damaged three others, and made around 80 combat sorties - he received the Vapauden Mitali 1st Class.


After the war Hattinen joined Finnair as a pilot. On 3 January 1961 he piloted a DC-3 OH-LCC "Tiira" transport aircraft on a flight from Kokkola to Vaasa. However, the weather during the flight was very bad and the aircraft crashed near Koivulahti 2). All the people on board, two pilots, a stewardess and 22 passengers, were killed in the crash.


Notes:
1) Some sources state that it was a La-5.
2) It appears that both pilots had consumed alcoholic beverages prior to the flight and were unfit to fly.



Victory table
Date
Time
Unit
Aircraft type
Location
Enemy
23.6.1944
12.20-13.05
1/HLeLv 28
MS.406 MS-318
Latva
Pe-2 ps.
25.6.2944
12.50-13.35
1/HLeLv 28
MS.406 MS-308
Äänislinna
Boston zn.
26.6.1944
19.30-20.20
1/HLeLv 28
MS.406 MS-639
Aitalampi
Yak-9 zn.
8.7.1944
11.45-12.45
1/HLeLv 28
MS.406 MS-305
Sujärvi
Airacobra pš.
12.7.1944
18.30-19.55
1/HLeLv 28
MS.406 MS-305
Kitelä
La-5 zn.
16.7.1944
18.0-19.05
1/HLeLv 28
Mörkö-Morane MSv-631
Urusjärvi
As known.
27.7.1944
21.00-22.45
1/HLeLv 28
MS.406 MS-644
Tolvajärvi
Airacobra pš.
30.7.1944
9.05-10.15
1/HLeLv 28
Mörkö-Morane MSv-617
Tolvajärvi
2 x Airacobra brand.

Total: 6 victories certain, 3 aircraft damaged


Sources:
Keskinen, K. - Stenman, K.: Ilmavoitot, axis 1 - Aerial Victories, Espoo 2006
Keskinen, K. - Stenman, K.: LeR 3, Espoo 2001
Keskinen, K. - Stenman, K.: Suomen Ilmavoimat VI - 1944, Espoo 2008
www.network54.com
www.geocities.com
www.wikipedia.org
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