Photos of Finland's Continuation War, P.1

   Shown below, and on five other web pages in this web site, are photos of Finnish aircraft, military personnel, scenes and equipment taken during Finland's Continuation War against Soviet Russia. I am offering digital enlargements or scans of these historic photos for sale.
   To get to the other pages of Finnish photos you can scroll to the links at the bottom of this page or click one of these links P.2, P.3, P.4, P.5, P.6.
   Finland fought three seperate wars from 1939-1944. The Winter War (November 30, 1939 - March 13, 1940), Continuation War (July 10, 1941 - September 4, 1944) and the Lapland War (October 1944).
   On November 30, 1939 the Soviet Union attacked Finland precipitating the Winter War. However, the Finnish people exhibited characteristic "Sisu" (good, old fashioned grit) and fought the Russians well. During the bitter winter of 1939-1940, 15 divisions of the Finnish Army defeated 45 divisions of the invading Red Army. A good part of this victory was due to the Finn's skillful use of white clad troops on skis. Known as Bielaja Smert (White Death) they could move swiftly and silently over the snow to engage the enemy. The Red Army had no skis, or even heated tents, for their troops plus Stalin had murdered most of his best field commanders during his purges of the late `30s. Despite these shortcomings the overpowering numbers of the Red Army eventually took its toll. Realizing that defeating the gargantuan Red Army was impossible Finland's pragmatic government signed a treaty with the Soviet Union and ceded territory. Although beaten Finland had inspired the world with her courage. Of the fight Winston Churchill said "Finland alone - in danger of death, superb, sublime Finland - shows what free men can do."
   Anticipating the coming invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa) Germany quietly began efforts to recruit the Finns as allies after their defeat in 1940. Unhappy with the loss incurred in the Winter War the Finn's saw a possible solution in such an alliance and began secretly mobilizing on June 17, 1941. On June 22nd Germany launched Operation Barbarossa and Finland joined the fray on July 10th.
   These are scans of never before published photographic enlargements made from frames selected from 3 of 37, 35mm rolls of film (now owned by Sea Bird Publishing, Inc.) that were taken during The Continuation War.
   All photos © Sea Bird Publishing, Inc. 2001 All rights reserved.
   Please read the caption to see what each photo is of. Translated descriptions of a roll's content appear in quotes.
   If you want to see a larger version of the photo please click on the image.
   If you are maintaining a .org WWII website to remember the veterans and their deeds and want a free 72dpi image of any of these photos please use the links to access the larger versions and use them. Please give credit for the photo(s) to Sea Bird Publishing, Inc. and include a link to this page.
   The 37 rolls of 35mm film were kept in numbered compartments built inside two wooden boxes once used for cigarettes. Two sheets of paper with handwritten descriptions in Finnish accompanied the boxes. Each description was numbered to correspond with a compartment and gave a description of the contents of that roll. Over the years the 37 rolls of film were moved out of their original order. Some rolls were cut apart and the segments scattered throughout the compartments in the two boxes. All this has made it a challenge to properly identify some of the rolls.
   Thanks to the translation of the hand-written text by the talented Finnish artist, Jouni Ronkko, I have managed to put most of the rolls back in order. Please be sure and visit the site where some of Jouni's work appears, Colors of the Finnish Air Force Aircraft (click).
   Another kind individual helped to translate some of the handwritten text that has proved difficult to read and I owe him a big "Thanks" also. His name is Osmo Joronen and you need to check out his very informative web site. His father fought for Finland in the Continuation War. His father's story is on this web page (click).
   The number of the roll (if known) from which the prints below were made, translations in quotes and historical info gleaned from research all appear in the photo captions.
   PDF files of the handwritten text are available for viewing here:
Box 1 text,
Box 2 text (front)
Box 2 text (back).
   You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download from adobe.com) to view the PDF files.
   The Sea Bird Publishing, Inc. logo DOES NOT appear on the finished photographic enlargement or scan. I added it to the images below only.
   New 8"x10" B&W digital enlargements are $15.00.
   Scans are $12.50 each irregardless of size. I can attach them to email (if there aren't many), FTP them to a site of your choice or burn a CD and mail it ($10.00).
   Enlargements or scans are sold with one time re-print rights only.
   In the USA priority mailing of carefully packed photos, with tracking, is $5.50 for up to a pound of prints. That's about twelve 8"x10" photos. Your photos can also be shipped first class if you prefer. Request first class for mailing quote.
   Use the roll and frame number of the scan below to order.
   Sea Bird Publishing, Inc. accepts Master Card, Visa, American Express or Discover directly. You can call your credit card order in on our toll free line 877-727-0801 from anywhere in the USA, seven days a week between the hours of 8am and 6pm Eastern Standard Time. You can also send me an email with the print numbers you want and mail me a money order or cashier's check for payment.
   Or you can click here to go to Sea Bird's secure web order page and place your order. Paypal and bidpay are both welcome also.
   Thanks for stopping by and checking out the photos. Be sure and check out my other pages of photos in this web site (links are at the bottom of the page).
   Here are links to some other great web sites with more info about the Finnish Air Force and military.
Finnish Air Force Aircraft in WWII
Finnish Wasp-Fokker DXXI Book
Finnish Winter War
Finnish Re-enactors Site
The WWII Fighter Gun Debate (incredibly informative)

Roll 3, Frame 1. "Aerial photos from Gulf of Finland. Summer, 1941." Pilots are briefed before the mission.	Roll 3, Frame 3. "Aerial photos from Gulf of Finland. Summer, 1941." A Finnish built Wasp-Fokker D.XXI is fueled up before the mission.	Roll 3, Frame 4. "Aerial photos from Gulf of Finland. Summer, 1941." The same Finnish built Wasp-Fokker D.XXI as shown in frame 3, closer view of fueling operation.
Roll 3, Frame 13. "Aerial photos from Gulf of Finland. Summer, 1941." View from a Wasp-Fokker D.XXI high over the Gulf of Finland.	Roll 3, Frame 18. "Aerial photos from Gulf of Finland. Summer, 1941." Note the ship near the island.	Roll 3, Frame 25. "Aerial photos from Gulf of Finland. Summer, 1941." Note the stern of a sinking ship visible in the photo.
Roll 3, Frame 26. "Aerial photos from Gulf of Finland. Summer, 1941." Here is a better view of the doomed vessel.	Roll 5, Frame 1. "Ruins of Viipuri. Summer, 1941." Grave of a Russian soldier with his bullet-pierced helmet on the cross.	Roll 5, Frame 2. "Ruins of Viipuri. Summer, 1941." Another view of the grave of a Russian soldier with his bullet-pierced helmet on the cross.
Roll 5, Frame 17. "Ruins of Viipuri. Summer, 1941." Here a Finnish soldier looks over the dismantled remains of some sort of biplane.	Roll 5, Frame 21. "Ruins of Viipuri. Summer, 1941." The Finnish flag flies proudly over Viipuri Fortress "Viipurin Linna."	Roll 5, Frame 22. "Ruins of Viipuri. Summer, 1941." A view of Viipuri showing the ancient Fortress "Viipurin Linna" in the distance.
Roll 5, Frame 33. "Ruins of Viipuri. Summer, 1941." Battle damaged building in Viipuri.	Roll 7, Frame 3. "Soviet prisoners at Utti, summer 1941."	Roll 7, Frame 5. "Soviet prisoners at Utti, summer 1941."
Roll 7, Frame 8. "Soviet prisoners at Utti, summer 1941."	Roll 7, Frame 18. "Soviet prisoners at Utti, summer 1941."	Roll 7, Frame 24. "Soviet prisoners at Utti, summer 1941."
Roll 7, Frame 30. "Soviet prisoners at Utti, summer 1941." German S-Boat at dock.	Roll 7, Frame 31. "Soviet prisoners at Utti, summer 1941." Another view of a German S-Boat at dock.	Roll 7, Frame 32. "Soviet prisoners at Utti, summer 1941." Yet another view of a German S-Boat at dock.
Roll 7, Frame 32. "Soviet prisoners at Utti, summer 1941." Finnish town, ruined by Soviet bombs.