AV-boats

[Juha Tompuri]

Some info about fates and action of the Finnish Coast Guard/Navy AV-boats (AV = apuvene):

AV is rather generic term, it is not a class so there was no standard AV motorboat as such. Before the war they were just auxiliary boats assigned to actual to every patrol boat and ship as well as to coast guard bases (or maritime guard as it was known at the time). I'm not sure if any of them were armed in even in war time but if they were then it was unlikely to be any heavier than a single machine gun.

For example NV patrol boats (again, not a class, just Nopea Vene - Fast Boat, for being able to make just above 10 knots) were around 14 meters long, every one had AV listed as their equipment before their decommission in late 1930s. Then again when HV-63 (Hidas Vene, Slow Boat - built in 1907 at Turku, length 13.5 m, 32 horsepower engine) was 'decommissioned' in 1941 it was turned into AV-140 - mainly because it was one of the few steel hulled boats the coast guard had. So oddly enough a boat which previously had an AV-boat assigned for it became an AV-boat.

So AV-138 as minesweeper was just essentially a small motorboat towing the lightest mine-clearing rig possible.

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 2#p1782536


AV-boat trying to get from Island Lavansaari to Island Someri in order to avoid being captured by the Soviets:

The radio station in Kronstadt began to send codeword "FAKEL" on 30 November at 00.58. This was repeated through the whole red navy. On the sea front war began at 07.45 by aerial and naval bombardment of the outer islands. The personnel of Lavansaari Coast Guard station tried to escape to Someri, but their motor boat AV 45 was sunk by a Soviet destroyer. All four men lost their lives...

...Matti E. Mäkelä writes in his book "Miehiä Merellä" (Men at Sea) that the Coast Guard personel were ordered to stay at the island that long that they could report about the possible Soviet invasion. They obeyed the order, and left the island after sending a radio message:
"The Russians are entering the island ,
we will not surrender,
goodbye"

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 1689&hilit

Rankki (Coast) Guard area war diary:

About 11.00 o'clock enemy destroyer (AFAIK Finnish designation being type m/130) fired at Finniah Coast Guard motorboat at area 1369 South of Island Someri.
11.30 motorboat sank at halfway from Lavansaari to Someri

http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=1624381

It is stated, that GORDYI in 12.25 near Someri sunk cutter "V-14".

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 0#p1778819

According to Heikki Tiilikainen and Ilmari Pusa book Talvisodan Jäinen Loppunäytös ( Icy final act of Winter War) that the boat name was AV-114 and of the four persons on board three were from Coast Guard and one was a civilian fleeing from the Island.

Regards, Juha

[kansa2]

Hi?
As, guys, I am interested in small fleet a little, resolve a question -
whether there is at somebody a photo, sketches of a projection of these small powerboats (AV-114 for example ), whether they had arms, MG ?
Dest regards.

[Vaeltaja]

As said there is no class or anything. Apuvene was just general classification for small boat with motor (not a powerboat mind you) which was assigned to coast (or 'maritime' as it used to be) guard boats & ships and stations. Because those auxiliary boats seem to have been generally considered to be roughly akin to equipment assigned for a larger boat there is not much to go on - there are several photos of coast guard boats with small support boats next to them but the captions very rarely identify the auxiliary boats let alone tells the designation of the AV boat.

Given the size of the 'parent' boats which had been assigned AV boats it is unlikely that AV boat would have carried anything heavier than a machine gun, if even that. Soldiers carried (if any) would have had their personal weapons however.

[Juha Tompuri]

Hi?
As, guys, I am interested in small fleet a little, resolve a question -
whether there is at somebody a photo, sketches of a projection of these small powerboats (AV-114 for example ), whether they had arms, MG ?

Here a photo of a boat (at foreground) that is mentioned to have been a Lavansaari Island Border Guard boat type AV.
Book Miehiä Merellä (Men at Sea) by Matti Mäkelä (from where the scan is from) mentions at the text the boat being AV-45.
Book s/s Suursaari by Risto Anttila has the same photo, mentioning the boat being AV-114.
My own suggestion, judged from the photo would be AV and the number perhaps 54.
Mäkelä book mentiones that the sunken AV-boat was armed with a mg (and used it at her final battle).


Regards, Juha

[Vaeltaja]

Two images i had time to take which may - or may not - depict AV boats of pre-war time period. As said there is no clarification in the text that the smaller boats in the images would be AV boats other than the notes which state that both larger vessels in question had AV boats assigned to them.

[Juha Tompuri]

Two images i had time to take

From book Leijonalippu Merellä?

Regards, Juha

[Vaeltaja]

Yep, no scanner or excess of books where I'm currently at.

[kansa2]

Hi, guys, thanks for comments !
I understand - on small fleet of information a little
initially but nevertheless, thanks!
Best regards !
Sergey

[Juha Tompuri]

'HV-63' on the left and smaller boat, possible AV on the right.

According to book Isänmaan Portinvartijat by Matti Kosonen and Juha Pohjonen, yes.

AV-50?
SA-photo 145801
http://www.sa-kuva.fi/

Regards, Juha

[BarSeek]

AV-50?
SA-photo 145801
Regards, Juha

AV-130 seen in hi-res

[Juha Tompuri]

Thanks,

Regards, Juha

[Juha Tompuri]

Kai Säteri at book Rajavartiolaitos ( The Finnish Border Guard) mentions that the Island Lavansaari Coast Guard unit boat was AV-114 and that Island Seiskari Coat Guard unit boat (one female and four men onboard) was captured by a Soviet destroyer.
Total Coast Guard vessel losses during the Winter War were 11 AV-boats.

Regards, Juha

[Juha Tompuri]

According to Heikki Tiilikainen and Ilmari Pusa book Talvisodan Jäinen Loppunäytös ( Icy final act of Winter War) that the boat name was AV-114 and of the four persons on board three were from Coast Guard and one was a civilian fleeing from the Island.

The Heikki Piispa book Lavansaari agrees with both the boat name (with a photo) and the persons lost.

Regards, Juha

[BarSeek]

AV-106, SA-photo 42181

[Juha Tompuri]

Thanks,

Seems to be of a typical construction of that type: wheelhouse near the open rear.

Regards, Juha