Id. Finnish equipment

[Mangrove]

Can somebody identify the model of these field kitchens? Finnish or Russian ?

They look like standard kenttäkeitin m/29 ("field kitchen m/29").

[Sturm78]

Thank you very much for your help, Mangrove.

A mine detector. Any idea about the model or manufacturer?

Image from SA-Kuva archive 24494
Regards Sturm78

[JTV]

Thank you very much for your help, Mangrove.

A mine detector. Any idea about the model or manufacturer?

Image from SA-Kuva archive 24494
Regards Sturm78

Captured Soviet mine detector. I have not seen any info about model or manufacturer in Finnish sources, so you might want to ask in Soviet Union at War 1917 - 1945 for details.

Jarkko

[Sturm78]

Thank you, Jarkko.

Were these boats a standard military equipment or simple improvisations?

Images from SA-Kuva archive (24578-25102)
Regards Sturm78

[JTV]

Were these boats a standard military equipment or simple improvisations?

The one in the top photo represents typical Finnish small fishing boat used in Baltic Sea - open top and with small inboard engine. It is probably a civilian fishing boat taken to military use. Although in some cases boats of these types were presumably used as AV-boats, check:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 9&t=198105

The second photo shows typical World War 2 era syöksyvene (assault boat), these were standard issue military boats operated by sapper units typically for the purpose of infantry crossing rivers and lakes. The design of this very fast boat was based to earlier Hungarian boat design (just like German sturmboot) and equipped with powerful Kovacs outboard engine. I wrote the specifications earlier here:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 9#p1055209

Jarkko

[Sturm78]

Thank you very much for your help, Jarkko.

Here another image from SA-Kuva archive of a small pontoon bridge.
How many models of pontoon bridges had the finnish Army during WW2?

Sturm78

[Prts]

A bit simplified answer: four types of bridging equipment (m/25, m/35, m/41R and Ruuhisiltakalusto). The last one is the model in the picture. It's based on wooden boat type of pontoons (ruuhi ~dinghy).

[JTV]

Actually the total number of pontoon systems seems to be five:
- (Russian) motor-pontoon system m/17 (used with deck system m/36).
- (German) pontoon system m/25.
- (French) pontoon system m/35.
- (captured Soviet) pontoon system m/41-R.
- Ruuhisilta (flat-bottom rowing boat) pontoon system.

As noted this bridge is what Finnish military called ruuhisilta, a light bridge built on punts/flat-bottom rowboats. The concept for this system originated from Sweden and was officially approved in year 1938. Plans for its flat-bottom rowing boats were drawn by shipbuilder E. Estlander (**) and deck system was designed by Major Iivari Kauranen. Kauranen was a jaeger officer, who retired as Colonel from duty of Inspector of Engineer Corps.

Most of the info above: Pages 115 - 121 of Pioneeriaselajin historia 1918 - 1968 (History of Engineer Corps 1918 - 1968) by Eero-Eetu Saarinen.

Ptrs, do you have much info about pontoon system m/41-R? I have manuals for all the others.

(**) I have a nagging suspicion that there might be a error in the particular book and the person that planned the boat used in ruuhisilta was actually Gustaf Estlander (rather famous architecht, yachtsman and designer of sailing boats), whose brother Ernst Estlander was a professor and politician.

Jarkko

[Prts]

Yes I have also some manuals including the Ponttoniopas 3, Kalusto m/41-R, 1942.

As minor addition to bridging equipment: Lauttapussit. I have a manual: Lauttapussiohjesääntö (väliaikainen), 1935. Bags filled with straw or similar material and used as temporary bridges or ferries.

[Sturm78]

Thank you very much for your information, Jarkko and Prts

Any additional image of these pontoon bridge equipments will be wellcome

On the other hand, Any idea about this ?

Image from SA-Kuva archive
Sturm78

[Juha Tompuri]

deck system was designed by Major Iivari Kauranen. Kauranen was a jaeger officer, who retired as Colonel from duty of Inspector of Engineer Corps.

Kauranen also designed another floating bridge: Pikasilta M/32 ("quick build bridge") nicknamed after the designer: Iivarin pikasilta

[Juha Tompuri]

Were these boats a standard military equipment or simple improvisations?

The equipment of the assault squad was on the slightly rare side: captured Soviet PPD smg, Swedish origin 6.5mm Browning Automatic Rifle variant M/21 lmg (gunner wearing a WWI era earcut helmet) and (if I see correctly) Swedish origin Mauser rifles of same caliber.


SA-photo 24582

Regards, Juha

[Juha Tompuri]

On the other hand, Any idea about this ?

It seems to be a P-12-25 / VRLHI "Ilmasuojeluvastaanotin" ( Air Raid Protection Receiver)

That and other info about Finnish signal equipmentcan be found from this excellent book:

http://www.koalakustannus.fi/kirjat/kir ... id_prd=198

Regards, Juha

[Juha Tompuri]

A mine detector. Any idea about the model or manufacturer?

Perhaps captured during Winter War.

SA photo 6939 at Kuhmo, just after Winter War

Regards, Juha

[JTV]

The equipment of the assault squad was on the slightly rare side: captured Soviet PPD smg, Swedish origin 6.5mm Browning Automatic Rifle variant M/21 lmg (gunner wearing a WWI era earcut helmet) and (if I see correctly) Swedish origin Mauser rifles of same caliber.

You are correct - the rifles are Swedish 6.5-mm (Mauser) infantry rifles m/96. The weapons shown are rare compared to small arms typically used by Finnish infantry or infantry small arms in general are used as a frame of reference. But the soldiers in the photo seem to be coastal infantry and if the equipment issued to that service branch is used as a reference, then the weapons that they carry are quite typical to that time. Admitted - German steel helmet m/1918 was (very) quite rare by any reference.

Jarkko