Finnish Forces

Valio "Valtsu" Porvari

Valio Valfrid Porvari (1913-1993) started his service in Finnish Air Force in 1936 and when WWII begun he was Sergeant in 3rd Flight of No. 26 Squadron (3/LLv 26), which would be his unit throughout the war. He claimed his first aerial victory in Winter War, when he shot down Polikarpov I-16 with his Bristol Bulldog Mk.IV A (BU-68) on December 27, 1939. Later, in mid-February 1940, he downed DB-3 and another I-16 flying Gloster Gladiator Mk.II (GL-264). In Continuation War he achieved all his aerial victories in 1941, 3 kills + 1 shared (SB-2 bombers) on June 25, 1941 (first day of the war), flying Fiat G.50 (FA-20), and his last confirmed kill, Polikarpov I-153, was on August 23, 1941, flying Brewster B-239 (BW-359), setting his total number of kills to 7,5. Alltogether he flew 251 sorties during WWII, and finished the war as Warrant officer. He left the air force in 1947.