1943 - 1944

During the WW II radars became highly important in directing and concentrating of heavy anti-aircraft fire and intercepting fighters against the attacking enemy formations. In June 1942 Finns saw German radar sets in action for the very first time at Rovaniemi and the usefulness of radar was noticed at once. Discussions with Germans led to the order of air surveillance and anti-aircraft fire directing radar sets later in 1942. Finnish personnel was trained both in Germany and in German Flak-Brigade XIII in Northern Finland during the winter and spring of 1943.
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Radar Units Since 1943

Two large GEMA Fu.M.G. [= Funkmessgerät] 40 G Würzburg-Freya LZ-Stand ^* (m/40 "Raija" in Finland) air surveillance and target indicating radar sets arrived in Finland on 1.4.1943. With the maximum range of 100 to 150 km new radars increased significantly the depth of the air defence around the capital city Helsinki.

Freya ("Raija") radars were located at Helsinki in I Platoon / 44th Air Surveillance Company (I Joukkue / 44. Ilmavalvontakomppania, I/44.Iv.K) of Air Surveillance Battalion 1 (Ilmavalvontapataljoona, Iv.P 1). Company was re-organized for the radars in March 1943. On 25.9.1943 its I Platoon became Air Surveillance Measuring Detachment (Ilmavalvontamittausosasto, Iv.Mitt.Os./Iv.P 1) directly under the command of Iv.P 1. Detachment was soon expanded to Air Surveillance Measuring Company (Ilmavalvontamittauskomppania, Iv.Mitt.K).
* LZ = "für den Lufttransport zerlegbar" [could be dismantled for transport by aircraft]

Six movable Telefunken Fu.S.E. 62 Würzburg-Dora (m/39 Würzburg C "Irja" in Finland) anti-aircraft fire directing radar sets arrived in Finland on 23.5.1943. Four of them were attached to so called (heavy) "leading batteries" of Anti-Aircraft Regiment 1 (Ilmatorjuntarykmentti 1, It.R 1) at Helsinki and two to Anti-Aircraft Regiment 2 (Ilmatorjuntarykmentti 2, It.R 2) at Kotka. The effective range of Dora ("Irja") radars was about 23 to 27 km.
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Radio Measuring Battalion (1944)

The decision to start training pilots in Germany for the planned night-fighter unit was made in winter 1944. Night-fighters would be conducted and led from the ground by special units and directed using radars.

New FAF radar unit Radio Measuring Battalion (Radiomittauspataljoona, Rad.Mitt.P) (Commander Capt. H. Rautvuori) was formed on 6.3.1944. It was operationally subordinated to Flying Regiment 5 (Le.R 5) for leading night-fighters of Fighter Squadron 30 (H.Le.Lv.30) and for improving day-time long-range intercepting capacity in Southern Finland. Battalion was organized as follows:

Esikunta (E) (Staff) code name "Vilpola"
6.3.-10.8.44, 22.9.-?.9.44 Munkkiniemi (Helsinki), 10.8.-22.9.44 Sannainen, ?.9.-44 Koria
Capt. H. Rautvuori

1. Radiomittauskomppania (1.Rad.Mitt.K) Vessölandet (Porvoo) "Kylpylä", "Löwe I"
... (1st Radio Measuring Company)
... Lt. Wallenius

2. Radiomittauskomppania (2.Rad.Mitt.K) Ruotsula (Koria) "Lepola", "Löwe II"
... (2nd Radio Measuring Company)
... Lt. Schmidt

3. Radiomittauskomppania (3.Rad.Mitt.K) Malmi "Hoitola"
... (3rd Radio Measuring Companies)

Osasto Suursaari (Os.S) Suursaari (Lounatkorkia) "Sorto"
... (Detachment Suursaari)

Huoltoyksiköitä / Supply units

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1st and 2nd Company were new units especially equipped to be German style night-fighter conduct companies ("Himmelbett"-Nachtjagd-Führungskompanie) for twin-engine Messerschmitt Bf 110G night-fighters (Finnish aircraft code MR) which were ordered from Germany but eventually never arrived. Battalion received its special equipment on 11.3., the last radars on 1.4.1944 and constructing of radar stations was started on 15.4.1944. Radar station "Riitta I" at Porvoo was completed by 3.8.1944 under the guidance of German specialists. "Riitta II" at Koria stayed incomplete and was never finished.

Full night-fighter conduct company was to be equipped with two huge Fu.S.E. 65 Würzburg-Riese (m/? "Riitta" in Finland, range about 80 km) and one large Fu.M.G. 40 G Würzburg-Freya LZ-Stand ("Raija", range 100 to 150 km) radar stations and Seeburg-Tisch ("Vesa" in Finland) conduct table. For back-up there was also one Würzburg D ("Irja") fire control radar set. Company had heavy 100 Watt radio and light beacon equipment in addition to two "Y Stations" for recognizing and locating friendly fighters equipped with Fu.G 16ZY radio. HLe.Lv.30 had special Bf 109G-6 (MT) night-fighters which had the "Morane antennae" under the wing. This antennae was the only visible evidence of this feature. The total number of Finnish MTs equipped with Fu.G 16ZY radio was 25. Conduct companies used both Fu.G 10 and Fu.G 16ZY radios.

1st and 2nd Company were part of the German Defence of the Reich and had German code names Fu.M.G. Stellung "Löwe I" and "Löwe II" (Löwe = lion, according to Finland's coat of arms). Löwe I was to be responsible of conducting Finnish and German night-fighters operating primarily from Malmi (Helsinki) and secondarily from Hyvinkää, Tallinn-Lasnamägi (Estonia), Utti, Immola and Onttola airbases. Löwe II was for conducting night-fighters operating primarily from Utti airbase. Also all three Germans' conduct stations in Estonia were able to conduct and lead both Finnish and German night-fighters in Southern Finland.

3rd Company was the earlier Iv.Mitt.K / Iv.P 1 which initially had two Freya ("Raija") radar sets described above. Its two radar platoons were located in Helsinki at Malmi airbase (I/3.Rad.Mitt.K) and at Kuningassaari Island (II/3.Rad.Mitt.K). Two more Freya ("Raija") radars were received on 25.6. and in July 1944. The first one located at Koria for 2nd Company was a second-hand set from the suspended German radar station at Olonets. The latter one located at Mikkeli was given to a new III Platoon of 3rd Company (III/3.Rad.Mitt.K). Platoons of 3rd Company could be subordinated independently to other units if needed and they operated on wide area.

Continuation War ended on 4.9.1944 and the so called Lapland War against Germans started on 15.9.1944. In the end of September 1944 1st Company was suspended and 2nd Company was decreased to have only "Raija" and "Riitta" platoons. 3rd Company was to be re-equipped already before the end of the Continuation War but it never realized and company remained the same. On 10.9.1944 Rad.Mitt.P was subordinated to Signals Department / Air Force Staff (Col. V. Saura) and it was disbanded gradually since 4.10.1944.
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It was decided in autumn 1943 to equip most heavy AA batteries with Dora ("Irja") radars. 55 sets were ordered from Germany in addition to 10 new Freya ("Raija") radars.

Eventually there were only a total of six (two operational) Freya ("Raija"), eight (six operational) Dora ("Irja") and two (one operational) Würzburg-Riese ("Riitta") radar-sets in Finland. All radar sets delivered in the summer 1944 were incomplete and without spare parts and were not used during the war. Two new Doras ("Irja") acquired were useless as well. Of the two Würzburg-Riese ("Riitta") radar sets bought for night-fighter conduct companies in spring 1944 another one was also incomplete and the eight ordered Lichtenstein (m/? "Liisa" in Finland) aircraft radars were never delivered. Actually not a single true Finnish night-fighter units were either formed during the war.

Two survived Dora ("Irja") radar sets are on display in Ilmatorjuntamuseo [Anti-aircraft Museum] at Tuusula (near Helsinki) and in Keski-Suomen ilmailumuseo [Central Finland Aviation Museum] at Tikkakoski (near Jyväskylä).
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Sources: MANPE (SIL 2/2003, SIL 3/2004), VALHA5, WIKOL12, LAPAH1, JATHI
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