The Estonian Air Force had more than 130 aircraft in the middle of the 1930s.[1] Estonian engineers had previously designed and constructed several trainer and light fighter aircraft types, of which the most famous is the PTO-4 which entered service in 1938 as a military training aircraft.[2]
Before the Soviet occupation, Estonia had placed an order for 12 Supermarine Spitfire fighters and 2 Westland Lysander aircraft from Britain, and was also seeking to purchase 12 Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters from Germany.[citation needed] Deliveries were interrupted by the start of World War II and the Spitfires later served in the Royal Air Force.
Aircraft
edit1918-1940: From independence to Soviet occupation of 1940
editThis is a list of aircraft formerly used by the Estonian Õhukaitse during the period starting from the Estonian independence of 1918 to the Soviet occupation of 1940:[1][3]
- Reconnaissance aircraft
- Halberstadt CL.IV: 4
- Halberstadt C.V: 5
- RAF BE2e: 2
- Shchetinin M-16: 1
- Farman HF.30: 1
- DFW C.V: 4
- AGO C.IV: 1
- FBA Type H: 1
- Friedrichshafen FF.41AT: 1
- Letov Šmolík 228E: 4
- Henschel Hs 126B-1: 5
- Short 184: 6
- Lebedev 12: 1
- Trainer aircraft
- Avro 504K: 12
- Avro 504R: 12
- Avro 594 Avian: 6
- Avro 626 Prefect: 4
- Avro Anson: 1
- PN-3: 1
- PTO-4: 6
- Hanriot HD.14: 2
- PON-1A: 4
- Miles Magister: 1
- Fighter aircraft
- Sopwith Camel 2F1: 1
- Nieuport 17: 2[4]
- Nieuport 21: 1[4]
- Nieuport 23: 1[4]
- Nieuport 24bis: 3[4]
- Gourdou-Leseurre GL-22: 15
- Grigorovich M-11: 1
- SPAD S.VII: 2
- Bristol Bulldog Mk.II: 12
- Siskin IIIDC: 2
- Bomber aircraft
- RAF RE8: 8
- Potez 25 A.2: 9
- Hawker Hart: 8
- Airco DH.9: 13
- Multi-role aircraft
- Flying Boat
1991-present: After the end of Soviet occupation
editThis is a list of aircraft used and in use by Estonian Air Force after the end of post-WW2 Soviet occupation and resumption of Estonia's de facto independence in 1991 (de jure independence having been continuous during Soviet occupation due to Estonia's government in exile):
- Transport aircraft
- Let L-410UVP: 2
- M28 Skytruck: 2[5]
- Antonov An-2: 2[6]
- Helicopters
- Mi-2: 3
- Mi-8: 4
- Robinson R44: 4[6][7]
- Jet Trainer aircraft
- Trainer aircraft
See also
editNotes and references
edit- ^ a b Humberstone 41-45
- ^ Gerdessen, Frederik; Kitvel, Toivo and Tilk, Johannes. "Aeg, mehed, lennukid" Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus 2001
- ^ Eesti kaitseväe väljaõpe[permanent dead link], (Training and equipment of the Estonian Defence Forces)
- ^ a b c d "World Air Forces - Historical Listings Estonia (EST)". Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ "Estonian Air Force to get two M-28 transport aircraft from US". Baltic Times. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
- ^ a b c "Õhuvägi saab kingiks neli USA väikekopterit". www.postimees.ee (in Estonian). 30 October 2001. Archived from the original on 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
- ^ "Rebtech completes Estonia Air Force's R44 helicopter upgrade".
- ^ "Two Estonian Air Force planes accidentally violated Finnish airspace". Republic of Estonia Defense Forces. 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- Gerdessen, Frederik "Estonian Air Power 1918 - 1945". Air Enthusiast No 18, April - July 1982. Pages 61–76. ISSN 0143-5450.
- Humberstone, Richard. Estonian Air Force, 1918-1940 (Insignia Air Force Special No.3). London: Blue Rider Publishing, 1999.
- Gerdessen, Frederik; Kitvel, Toivo and Tilk, Johannes. "Aeg, mehed, lennukid" Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus 2001
- Kitvel, Toivo and Tilk, Johannes ""Eesti lennukroonika: tekste ja pilte aastani 1940" Tallinn: Aviopol 2003