P-40M 43-5925 was initially allocated to the British under Lend-Lease and given the RAF
serial FS192, but was diverted to the USSR and ultimately assigned to 191 IAP. On December
27th, 1943 Lt. Vitalyi Andreyevitsh Revin, flying out of Kasimovo airbase 30km north of
Saint Petersburg, apparently became disoriented by a heavy snowfall and was forced to set
'White 23' down behind Finnish lines, on the frozen Lake Valkjarvi northwest of Helsinki.
Both pilot and plane were subsequently captured by Finnish forces.

The P-40 was repainted and given the serial KH-51. Though it is sometimes stated that the Hawk
was pressed into service with a front line combat unit, this seems unlikely given that spare
parts would have been lacking, to say the least. It's far more likely that this Hawk was used in
some sort of training capacity. As it was the only P-40 to be captured by the Finns in airworthy
condition, it may have been flown in mock combat against fighter types operated by the Finnish
Air Force. I've also read that it was used simply as an identification aid.

Lost Hawk

The majority of the photos on this page were taken at the spot where the P-40 landed on
Lake Valkjarvi, and are dated December 31st, 1943. They document the initial inspection and
dismantling of the aircraft. Of note is what appears to be a bullet hole at the upper rear
port side of the sliding canopy, and possibly on the starboard side as well. Also, there
may be another on the lower port cowling just forward of the cowl flaps.


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image


SA-Kuva - Larger Image

All of the above photos come from SA-Kuva, the Finnish Wartime Photo Archive.

Captive Hawk

Here's a couple'a views of this Hawk in Finnish markings at Mensuvaara in August of 1944.


Suomen Ilmavoimien Maalaukset Ja Merkinnat (Keskinen, Stenman, Niska) - Larger Image



K. Stenman - Larger Image

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