No. 46 Squadron ( fi, Lentolaivue 46 or ''LLv.46'', from 3 May 1942 ''Le.Lv.46''), renamed No. 46 Bomber Squadron (Finnish: ''Pommituslentolaivue 46'' or ''PLe.Lv.46'' on 14 February 1944) was a
bomber squadron of the
Finnish Air Force during
World War II. The squadron was part of
Flying Regiment 4.
Organization
Winter War
*1st Flight (''1. Lentue'')
*2nd Flight (''2. Lentue'')
*3rd Flight (''3. Lentue'')
The Squadron was equipped with 9
Bristol Blenheim Mk.Is and 11
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IVs.
Continuation War
*1st Flight (''1. Lentue'')
*2nd Flight (''2. Lentue'')
*3rd Flight (''3. Lentue'')
**1st Flight of No. 48 Bomber Squadron (''1./PLe.Lv.48'')
*Separate Photography Flight (''Erillinen valokuvauslentue'')
The equipment consisted of 15
Dornier Do 17Zs, 3
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IVs, 4
Ilyushin DB-3
The Ilyushin DB-3, where "DB" stands for ''Dalniy Bombardirovschik'' (Russian: Дальний бомбардировщик) meaning "long-range bomber", was a Soviet bomber aircraft of World War II. It was a twin-engined, low-wing monoplane that f ...
Ms, 3
Ilyushin Il-4
The Ilyushin Il-4 (DB-3F) (russian: Ильюшин Ил-4 (ДБ-3Ф)) was a Soviet twin-engined long-range bomber and torpedo bomber, widely used by the Soviet Air Force and Soviet Naval Aviation during World War II.
Design and development
In 19 ...
s, 1
Douglas DC-2
The Douglas DC-2 is a 14-passenger, twin-engined airliner that was produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Company starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247. In 1935, Douglas produced a larger version called the DC-3, which b ...
, and 1 Junkers aircraft.
The following 15 Do 17s were received:
[Green 1967, p. 158.][Kalevi and Stenman 1999, pp. 50–53.]
* Dornier Do 17 Z-2, WkNr 3323, BC+NE. Redesignated DN-51. Flew 454 hours 25 minutes mission time. Destroyed/written off on 9 October 1944. + Ten were lost between January 1943 and January 1945, the remaining five were not scrapped until in 1952.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-3, WkNr 2608, DM+DV. Redesignated DN-52. Scrapped 19 September 1952.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-3, WkNr 4242, DC+PZ. Redesignated DN-53. Flew 220 hours 5 minutes mission time. Destroyed 8 August 1943.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-3, WkNr 2856, PF+CW. Redesignated DN-54. Flew 358 hours 35 minutes mission time. Destroyed 9 October 1944.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-3, WkNr 3498, V5+MH. Redesignated DN-55. Logged 812 hours 5 minutes flying time. Scrapped 19 September 1952.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-2, WkNr 3425, V5+BK. Redesignated DN-56. 639 hours 40 minutes mission time. Destroyed 9 October 1944.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-1, WkNr 1155, C4+BZ. Redesignated DN-57. Logged 812 hours 5 minutes flying time. Scrapped 11 December 1952.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-3, WkNr 2905, 5K+DV. Redesignated DN-58. Scrapped 19 September 1952.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-1, WkNr 3228, V5+GL. Redesignated DN-59. Flew 884 hours 50 minutes mission time. Destroyed 9 September 1944.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-3, WkNr 2818, 5K+CR. Redesignated DN-60. Flew 479 hours 5 minutes mission time. Destroyed 11 January 1945.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-2, WkNr 4187, CQ+HG. Redesignated DN-61. Flew 348 hours 15 minutes mission time. Destroyed 9 October 1944.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-3, WkNr 1218, V5+3L. Redesignated DN-62. Flew 704 hours 30 minutes mission time. Destroyed 9 January 1943.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-3, WkNr 2873, PF+DN. Redesignated DN-63. Flew 505 hours 5 minutes mission time. Destroyed 9 September 1944.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-3, WkNr 2622, 5M+L. Redesignated DN-64. Scrapped 19 September 1952.
* Dornier Do 17 Z-1, WkNr 1175, PG+GA. Redesignated DN-65. Flew 95 hours 30 minutes mission time. Destroyed 16 July 1943.
References
Bibliography
* Goss, Chris. ''Dornier 17: In Focus''. Surrey, UK: Red Kite Books, 2005. .
* Smith, J.R. ''The Do 17 and Do 215'' (No. 164). London: Profile Publications, 1967.
* Keskinen, Kalevi and Kari Stenman. ''Suomen Ilmavoimien historia 2: Dornier Do 17Z, Junkers Ju 88A-4''. Hobby-Kustannus Oy, 1999. .
Citations
External links
Lentolaivue 46
{{Finnish Air Force structure
46