VL Pyörremyrsky
The VL Pyörremyrsky ( to German: Cyclone ) was a built by the Finnish national aerospace company Valtion lentokonetehdas fighter aircraft for the Finnish Air Force in World War II.
History and construction
The Finnish Air Force ordered on November 26, 1942, two prototypes of Pyörremyrsky. The aircraft should be completed by May 1944. One of the prototypes was later deleted, so that eventually only a single aircraft was built. The transition from Valtion Lentokonetehdas to Valmet the plane is also called a VMT Pyörremyrsky.
The aircraft was built due to lack of light metal largely made of wood. The aim was to build a fighter aircraft with similar flight characteristics as those of the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 G engine and propeller corresponded to the Bf 109 G. The chassis has been widely applied in order to simplify off, landing and taxiing on the ground. The Pyörremyrsky could rise even faster than the Bf 109 G -6 and showed good control characteristics. Lack of money and because it is already a sufficient number of Bf 109 G were to equip the permissible under the terms of the Armistice of Moscow strength of the air forces available, the program was terminated after about 30 hours of flight time of the prototype.
The first flight of the prototype with the identifier PM- 1 was only on 21 November 1945 in Harmala with Esko Halme as pilots. After 25 minutes of flight time, a part of the hood and the engine as smoke penetrated into the cockpit broke, straws had to land. He was thereby saved by wearing an oxygen mask. The aircraft completed three test flights in Tampere. On the third flight, the aircraft was transferred to Kuorevesi on January 16, 1946. There it completed a further 31 test flights and reached to 1947 a total of 27 flight hours. It was flown by eight pilots: Esko Halme, Lauri Hämäläinen, Erkki Itävuori, Osmo Kauppinen, Lasse Heikinaro Martti Laitinen, Heikki and Lauri Keso Lautamäki. The last flight lasted 20 minutes and was flown by Osmo Kauppinen on 22 July 1947. On April 1, 1953, the PM-1 officially decommissioned.
The only problems with the Pyörremyrsky lay in the poor quality of the glue used and accordingly poor glue joints. Due to the war's end, there no longer was a series production. The wing structure was however taken yet for the construction of Valmet Vihuri - trainer aircraft.
The only prototype is on display in the Aviation Museum of Central Finland.