The Finnish Air Force signed an agreement on 24 March 1934 for the purchase of seventeen Bristol Bulldog Mk.IVA fighters. The aircraft were to be used as front-line fighters and were delivered to the country in February 1935. The serial numbers were 7810 to 7826 and they were coded from BU-59 to BU-75.
After the outbreak of the Winter War, the Swedish State donated two Bulldog Mk.IIAs, which were received on 15 December 1939, and coded BU-214 and BU-216. The Swedish Air Force called the Bulldog for J7 (J=jaktflygplan which means fighter) and used twelve between 1931 and 1940.
On 7 November 1938 the Finnish Bulldogs were transferred to LLv 26 of Lentorykmentti 2 (2nd Flying Regiment) and this were they were in service at the time of the outbreak of the Winter War on 30 November 1939. The Squadron was at the time under the command of kapteeni (Captain) Erkki Heinilä and based at Heinjoki (Heinilä was to leave command to majuri Raoul Harju-Jeanty during December). The 2nd and 3rd Flights (these Flights were flying Fokker D.XXIs) of the squadron were subordinate to LLv 24. The remaining of the squadron was called Osasto (Detachment) Heinilä and tasked with interception and protection duties in the rear lines of the Karelian Isthmus with ten remaining Bulldogs.
The first contact between Soviet aircraft and Finnish fighters happened at 11:45-11:55 on 1 December 1939 when six Polikarpov I-16s from 7 IAP jumped a Bulldog pair of LLv 26. While the other Bulldog was separated, BU-64 piloted by ylikersantti Toivo Uuttu was left alone to fight the Russians. After scoring hits on one I-16, he himself was also shot down and he crashed at Muolaanjärvi getting injured in the process. Uuttu’s victim reportedly also crashed and became the first aerial victory ever over Finland. Since the claim wasn’t witnessed it was only credited to him as a probable.
Uuttu reported:
I flew southeast of Muolaanjärvi but I did not see any movements so I descended lower. Suddenly I saw tracers flying all around me. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw three I-16s attacking me. I pulled up and left and as they overtook me, I was able to fire a short burst on passing I-16. I hit his engine and saw black smoke coming out of the engine. It started sliding downward smoking. Tracers were flying all around my plane. Suddenly my plane shuddered and when I pulled on stick, it did not move. I considered jumping, but in fear that they might shoot me on parachute I decided to fight it out to the last. I continued evading my attackers using only rudder and aerlions. We had descended to altitude of 200m and when I looked behind, I saw one still shooting. I shut off my engine and tried to make a forced landing to forest. When landing, I pulled with all of my strength on the stick and it moved back a little bit, but then the Bulldog hit the woods and I passed away.The fighters of 4./7 IAP claimed one reconnaissance aircraft shot down between 12:30-13:15 at Muolaa. The aircraft was claimed as a shared between Starshiy Leytenant Fedor Shinkarenko (Eskadrilya leader), Starshiy Politruk Gabriel Didenko and B. A. Grigoryev. Leytenant Petr Pokryshev from the same eskadrilya force-landed his I-16 at Kerrola, Muolaa, after reportedly engine-malfunction and it is thus possible that he also had been involved in the combat with ylikersantti Uuttu.
On 6 December, the detachment moved to Mensuvaara and three days later on to Käkisalmi.
On 23 December, a patrol led by luutnantti Pentti Tevä took off on an interception mission towards Lake Laatokka (Ladoga). Over Käkisalmi at 11:55, they encountered a formation of 6 to 7 SBs from 24 SBAP, which were bombing from the altitude of 1700 m and 100 meters above clouds. Tevä shot one down and it crashed into the Lake Ladoga confirmed by the coastal units. Lentomestari Lennart Mildh dove after the formation but could not gain enough speed until surprisingly one SB passed beneath him. He had an opportunity to fire at the SB for several minutes. The SB received hits and dove steep into a low-lying cloud and Mildh was credited with a damaged aircraft.
On 25 December, a formation of forty SBs escorted by twenty I-16s approached to bombard Käkisalmi. A swarm of Heinilä’s Bulldogs took off in defence and shot down one of the escorting fighters while the bombers managed to escape.
At 12:00 on 27 December 1939, kersantti Valio Porvari claimed a damaged I-16 over Käkisalmi.
On 28 December the detachment moved with five Bulldogs to Immola and on to Parola. On the last day of 1939, the unit moved to the ice-covered Lake Littoinen for protection of the city of Turku (Åbo) in Western Finland.
22 bombers were reported over Turku on 31 December, dropping 105 bombs without human losses. The port tug Vetäjä III was sunk by a direct bomb hit, and the mud-lifter Karhu was damaged and sank later. Several buildings were damaged. The Bulldogs of Osasto Heinilä attempted to intercept the bombers and reported some hits.
This was fifteen SBs of 10 AB flying in waves at 3,500 – 4,000 meters altitude, which returned reporting that they had bombed seven transports in the port.
On 14 January 1940 Turku was bombed again and several buildings were destroyed. Six Bulldogs of the Osasto Heinilä/LLv 26 took off from Littoinen. One SB was shot down jointly by lentomestari Lauri Lautamäki (BU-72) and AA artillery. The bomber crashed at Perniö.
The bomber was from 10 AB, which reported that ten SB2 bombed fuel stores in the port of Turku.
During January there were numerous combat engagements but the detachment didn’t manage to claim any further victories.
On 2 February the detachment’s remaining Bulldogs were submitted to Täydennyslentorykmentti 2 (2nd Conversion Regiment) and the personnel returned to LLv 26.
After the end of the Winter War in April, the Bulldogs were transferred to T-LLv 35 and LLv 34. At the outbreak of the Continuation War on 22 June 1941, these units still had eight Bulldogs in working order. Some of them were later in service in T-LLv 17, before all the remaining seven Bulldogs were submitted to LeSK (Air Fighting School) in the summer of 1942. Three Bulldogs broke down during the rest of that year, two during the following year. The very last mission with a Finnish Bulldog ended when BU-59 overturned during landing on 22 February 1944.
During the Winter War Finnish Air Force claimed 2 victories with Bulldogs (all with pilots from LLv 26). During the same period, LLv 26 lost one Bulldog in combat (on 01/12/39).
Finnish claims with Bulldogs:
| Kill no. | Date | Type | Result | Pilot | Plane type | Serial no. | Locality | Unit |
| 01/12/39 | I-16 | Probable | Ylikersantti Toivo Uuttu | Bulldog | BU-64 | SE Muolaanjärvi | LLv 26 | |
| 23/12/39 | SB | Damaged | Lentomestari Lennart Mildh | Bulldog | BU-74 | Käkisalmi | LLv 26 | |
| 1 | 23/12/39 | SB | Destroyed | Luutnantti Pentti Tevä | Bulldog | BU-68 | Ladoga | LLv 26 |
| 27/12/39 | I-16 | Damaged | Kersantti Valio Porvari | Bulldog | BU-68 | Käkisalmi | LLv 26 | |
| 2 | 14/01/40 | SB | Shared destroyed | Lentomestari Lauri Lautamäki | Bulldog | BU-72 | Perniö | 1/LLv 26 |
Following Finnish pilots claimed victories while flying Bulldogs:
Ylik. Valio Valfrid Porvari - 1 damaged
Ltm. Lauri Lautamäki - 1 shared victory
Ltn. Pentti Tevä - 1 victory
Ylik. Toivo Uuttu - 1 probable victory
Ltm. Lennart Mildh - 1 damaged
Note:
Lautamäki's single shared claim is not included in official lists of his claims and was probably claimed as a regimental kill. Therefore is it not included in his total.
Bristol Bulldog IVA in Finnish Service
| Serial number | Squadron use | Notes | Struck off charge | Total flying time |
| BU-59 | 20/03/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 30/11/39 Os.Heinilä/LLv 26 02/02/40 LLv 28 12/04/40 T-LLv 35 18/12/40 LLv 34 27/07/41 T-LLv 35 22/10/42 LeSK |
Last operational Finnish Bulldog. 22/02/44 Overturned during landing at Kauhavalla. Pilot korprali R. Valakivi safe. |
11/05/44 | 774,30 hours |
| BU-60 | 20/03/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 |
15/06/38 Crashed at start due to engine problems at Utti. Pilot vänrikki E. Kukkonen killed. | 22/08/38 | Not reported |
| BU-61 | 20/03/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 12/01/40 Os.Heinilä/LLv 26 02/02/40 LLv 29 |
07/02/40 Crashed at Lehijärven. Pilot alikersantti H. Ketola safe. | 13/04/40 | 375,10 hours |
| BU-62 | 20/03/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 06/09/38 LLv 24 05/11/38 LLv 26 14/04/40 LLv 34 |
25/06/41 Crashed at Hattulassa. Pilot vänrikki P. Hyvärinen killed. | 01/08/41 | 757,05 hours |
| BU-63 | 15/04/35 LAs 5 01/12/39 Os. Heinila/LLv 26 02/02/40 LLv 29 02/10/40 LLv 34 27/07/41 T-LLv 35 |
16/08/42 | 452,25 hours | |
| BU-64 | 15/04/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 |
01/12/39 1 probable I-16 claimed by ylikersantti Toivo Uuttu at Muolaanjärvellä. Shot down by Soviet I-16s during the same mission. Pilot safe. | 20/08/40 | 218,00 hours |
| BU-65 | 15/04/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 30/11/39 Os. Heinilä/LLv 26 14/09/40 LLv 34 27/07/41 T-LLv 35 31/07/42 LeSK |
26/01/44 Crashed due to engine problems at Kauhava. Pilot alikersantti O. Voipio safe. | 16/02/44 | 786,00 hours |
| BU-66 | 15/04/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 27/10/38 LLv 24 16/11/38 LLv 26 07/02/40 LLv 29 |
25/0340 Crashed at Parola. Pilot I. Kallio safe. | 02/11/40 | 565,25 hours |
| BU-67 | 17/05/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 31/01/40 LLv 29 14/04/40 LLv 34 27/07/41 T-LLv 35 13/06/42 LeSK |
28/10/42 Crashed at Kauhava. Pilot vänrikki H. Nieminen safe. | 20/12/42 | 940,20 hours |
| BU-68 | 31/05/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 30/11/39 Os.Heinilä/LLv 26 02/02/40 LLv 29 27/05/41 LLv 34 27/07/41 T-LLv 35 01/07/42 LeSK |
23/12/39 1 SB claimed by luutnantti Pentti Tevä of LLv26 at Käkisalmi. 27/12/39 1 I-16 damaged by kersantti Valio Porvari of LLv26 at Käkisalmi. 29/06/43 Crashed at Kauhava? Pilot lentomestari A.Henttonen. |
16/08/43 | 831,30 hours |
| BU-69 | 31/05/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 |
03/06/39 Crashed at Valkealassa. Pilot vänrikki P. Salava safe. | 08/07/39 | Not reported |
| BU-70 | 17/05/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 30/11/39 OS.Heinilä/LLv 26 16/03/40 LLv 29 |
17/04/40 Crashed at Tyrvännössa. Pilot J. Noranka killed. | 27/09/41 | 449,05 hours |
| BU-71 | 17/05/35 LAs 5 01/01/40 Os. Heinilä/LLv 26 25/05/40 LLv 34 25/07/41 T-LLv 35 13/06/42 LeSK |
13/10/42 Crashed at Kauhava. Pilot vänrikki M. Palojärvi killed. | 20/12/42 | 580,50 hours |
| BU-72 | 31/05/35 LAs 5 15/0238 LLv 26 20/08/38 LLv 24 05/09/38 LLv 26 30/11/39 Os. Heinilä/LLv 26 02/02/40 LLv 29 |
14/01/40 1 shared SB claimed by lentomestari Lauri Lautamäki of LLv 26 at Perniö. 23/03/40 Crashed at Tyrvännöllä. Pilot O. Lehti killed. |
10/05/40 | 532,00 hours |
| BU-73 | 31/05/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 30/11/39 Os. Heinilä/LLv 26 02/02/40 LLv 29 23/09/40 LLv 34 02/09/41 T-LLv 17 03/10/41 T-LLv 35 |
18/12/41 Crashed at Asikkalassa. Pilot vänrikki L. Lindgren safe. | 30/01/42 | 644,10 hours |
| BU-74 | 31/05/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 12/01/39 Er.LLv 31/05/39 LLv 26 30/11/39 Os. Heinilä/LLv 26 02/02/40 LLv 29 11/11/40 LLv 34 02/09/41 T-LLv 17 03/10/41 T-LLv 35 13/06/42 LeSK |
23/12/39 1 damaged SB claimed by lentomestari Lennart Mildh of LLv 26 at Käkisalmi. 17/07/42 Crashed at Kokkola after collision with Tuisku TU-167. Pilot vänrikki E. Linola killed. |
19/09/42 | 738,00 hours |
| BU-75 | 31/05/35 LAs 5 07/02/38 LLv 26 12/01/39 Er.LLv 31/05/39 LLv 26 30/11/39 Os.Heinilä/LLv 26 11/05/40 LLv 34 27/07/41 T-LLv 35 08/08/41 T-LLv 17 20/10/41 T-LLv 35 |
19/05/43 Crashed at Kuorevedelle. Pilot lentomestari E. Juurikas safe. | 13/07/43 | 782,20 hours |
| BUj-214 | 15/12/39 LLv 29 | Ex-Swedish Air Force (-5214) Bristol Bulldog Mk.IIA. 02/03/40 Crashed at Parola. Pilot alikersantti J. Liikola killed. |
09/04/40 | 71,20 hours |
| BUj-216/BU-216 | 15/12/39 LLv 29 18/11/41 T-LLv 35 13/06/42 LeSK |
Ex-Swedish Air Force (-5216) Bristol Bulldog Mk.IIA. 421109 Crashed at Kauhava. Pilot vänrikki L. Pöntinen wounded. |
20/12/42 | 154,15 hours |
Sources:
Englantilaiset Hävittäjät - Kalevi Keskinen, Kari Stenman and Klaus Niska - kindly via Lars Larsson
Finnish Aces of World War 2 - Kari Stenman and Kalevi Keskinen, 1998
Finnish Air Force 1939-1945 - Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman, 1998
Hävittäjä-Ässät (Finnish Fighter Aces) - Kalevi Keskinen, Kari Stenman and Klaus Niska,
1994 (second printing)
Ilmavoimat talvisodassa- Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman kindly via Tuomo Lukkari
Ilmavoitot, osa 1 - Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman, ISBN 952-99432-8-8
Ilmavoitot, osa 2 - Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman, ISBN 952-99432-8-8
LeR 2 - Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman, 2001, ISBN 951-98751-0-7
Red Stars 5 - Baltic Fleet Air Force in Winter War – Carl-Fredrik Geust, Samuil Tirkeltaub and Gennadiy Petrov, 2004 Apali, Tampere, ISBN 952-5026-31-0
Red Stars 7 - Talvisota Ilmassa - The Winter War In the Air - Carl-Fredrik Geust, 2011 Apali Oy, Tampere, ISBN 978-952-5877-04-5
Additional information kindly provided by Lars Larsson and Pentti Perttula.
