Ilmari Juutilainen

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Ilmari Juutilainen

Ilmari Juutilainen (February 21, 1914 - February 21, 1999) was a Finnish Air Force fighter pilot during Winter War (1939-1940) and Continuation War (1941-1944).

Juutilainen is the top scoring Finnish fighter pilot, with 94 official victories in 437 flights in Fokker D.XXI, Brewster Buffalo and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter planes. He was one of four people who twice received the highest Finnish military decoration, the Mannerheim Cross, and is considered the highest scoring non-German ace of all time. Amazingly, he finished the wars without a single hit to his plane from enemy fighter airplanes. Only once was he forced to land due to a friendly anti-air gun that had damaged his Bf 109. Like Japanese fighter ace Saburo Sakai, Juutilainen never lost a wingman in combat.

Juutilainen entered the service on September 9, 1932 and he served as a pilot in the Finnish Air Force after that. On 1st May 1935 Ilmari was promoted to sergeant. He was transferred to LeLv 24 on March 3, 1939. During the Winter War he flew the Fokker D.XXI.

During the Continuation war he served in 3/LeLv 24 flying Brewster B239. In his BW-364 "Orange 4" he shot 28 enemy planes down. In 1943 he was transferred to LeLv 34 which used new Messerschmitt Bf 109-planes. He shot down 54 enemy planes in that craft. He refused an officer commission, fearing that would keep him from flying.

After the wars he served in the Air Force until 1946. He worked as professional pilot until 1956, flying some people with his De Havilland Tiger Moth.

Juutilainen died on his 85th birthday on 21st February 1999.