| − | [[Finland]] was a co-belligerent with Germany against the [[Soviet Union]] (see: [[Continuation War]]), and acquired its first Bf-109s in March 1943<ref>[http://www.sci.fi/~fta/me-fin-1.htm Me-109s to Finland]</ref> The first batch of thirty, all G (“Gustav”) models, equipped a new squadron (''Lentolaivue'') of the best pilots in the Finnish air force, and the first victory for the type came on March 24 when two Messerschmitts shot down a Pe-2 bomber. The Bf-109 was Finland’s most modern fighter during the war, equal to the Yaks and LaGGs flown by the Soviets. Finland’s top ranked ace, [[Ilmari Juutilainen]], flew the Gustav for the last year of the war, and scored 58 victories in the aircraft. Me-109s eventually equipped four squadrons, and most Finnish aces in the war scored at least one kill with this fighter.<ref>''Finnish Aces of World War 2'', by Kari Stenman and Kalevi Keskinnen, Osprey Publishing, 1998</ref> | + | [[Finland]] was a co-belligerent with Germany against the [[Soviet Union]] (see: [[Continuation War]]), and acquired its first Bf-109s in March 1943<ref>[http://www.sci.fi/~fta/me-fin-1.htm Me-109s to Finland]</ref> The first batch of thirty, all G (“Gustav”) models, equipped a new squadron (''Lentolaivue'') of the best pilots in the Finnish air force, and the first victory for the type came on March 24 when two Messerschmitts shot down a Pe-2 bomber. The Bf-109 was Finland’s most modern fighter during the war, equal to the Yaks and LaGGs flown by the Soviets. Finland’s top ranked ace, [[Ilmari Juutilainen]], flew the Gustav for the last year of the war, and scored 58 victories in the aircraft. Bf-109s eventually equipped four squadrons, and most Finnish aces in the war scored at least one kill with this fighter.<ref>''Finnish Aces of World War 2'', by Kari Stenman and Kalevi Keskinnen, Osprey Publishing, 1998</ref> |