Olli Puhakka

Olli Puhakka
File:Risto Olli Petter Puhakka.jpg
Born	11 April 1916 Sortavala
Died	28 January 1989
Allegiance	Finland
Service/branch	Finnish Air Force
Years of service	1935–1946
Rank	Captain
Unit	LeLv 24, LeLv 26, LeLv 28, LeLv 30, LeLv 32
Other work	Commercial airline pilot

Risto Olli Pekka Puhakka was born on 11 April 1916 in Sortavala and died on January 28, 1989. He was one of the top scoring aces in the Finnish Air Force with 42 confirmed victories.

Biography

Puhakka served in Fighter Squadrons (LLv's): 26, 30, 28, 24, 32 during the second World War. He became an ace during the Winter War, having downed 5½ Soviet aircraft. Puhakka was actively flying at the front almost during the whole war.

During his 401 combat missions, Olli Puhakka scored 42 confirmed victories in Fokker D.XXIs, Fiat G.50s and Bf 109 Gs. On 21 December 1944 he was awarded the Mannerheim Cross. Puhakka resigned from the air force in 1946 and flew commercial airliners until his retirement in 1971.

Victories

Aircraft	Victories
Fokker D.XXI	4
Fiat G.50	13
Messerschmitt Bf 109G	25
Total	42

References

Bibliography

• Keskinen, Kalevi; Stenman, Kari and Niska, Klaus. Hävittäjä-ässät (Finnish Fighter Aces) (in Finnish). Espoo, Finland: Tietoteas, 1978. ISBN 951-9035-37-0.
• Stenman, Kari and Keskinen, Kalevi. Finnish Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces 23). Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1998. ISBN 1-85532-783-X.