VL Humu

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"Humu" redirects here. For the Congolese ethnic group, see Amba people.

The VL Humu was a Finnish fighter aircraft, designed by the State Aircraft Factory (Valtion lentokonetehdas) in 1944 and based on the American Brewster F2A design.

Design and development

The Humu was largely constructed out of wood, due to scarcity of metals, but the frame was made from steel and its design followed closely that of the Brewster.

Because of the small numbers of Brewsters in service (44) in the Finnish Air Force, the Finns wanted to see if they could design a fighter based on the Brewster design. The aircraft designers Torsti Verkkola, Arvo Ylinen and Martti Vainio were called upon to lead the project. The Finnish Air Force ordered 90 Humus; however, production was stopped in 1944, when only one aircraft had been produced, serial no. HM-671. The first flight took place on 8 August 1944, HM-671 flying for a total of 19 hours and 50 minutes. The aircraft was 250 kg (551 lb) heavier than calculated, its engine was too weak, and the aircraft was simply not of the standard expected from a fighter aircraft of 1944. It was noted, however, that the change from wing guns to fuselage mounted machine guns was a good change.

Survivors

The sole Humu, HM-671, has been fully restored and is displayed at the Central Finland Aviation museum.

Operators

Finland

Finnish Air Force

Specifications (VL Humu)

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 8.03 m (26 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 10.67 m (35 ft 0 in)
Height: 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 19.40 m² (208.8 ft²)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,895 kg (6,380 lbs)
Powerplant: 1 × Shvetsov M-63 9-cyl., 746 kW (1,000 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 430 km/h (267 mi/h)
Service ceiling: 8,000 m (26,250 ft)
Rate of climb: 13.3 m/s (43.6 ft/s)

Armament

2 12.7 mm LKK/42 machine guns

Sources

Raunio, Jukka (1993). Lentäjän näkökulma 2. J. Raunio. ISBN 951-96866-0-6.
Raunio, Jukka (2007). Valtion Lentokonetehtaan historia. Osa 2: Tampereella ja sodissa 1933-1944. Jukka Raunio. ISBN 978-951-96866-8-4.
Keskinen, Kalevi; Niska, Klaus; Stenman, Kari; Geust, Carl-Fredrik (1981). Suomen museolentokoneet. Tietoteos. ISBN 951-9035-60-5.
Manninen, Pentti (1998). "Puusiipi-Brewster", Part 1, Suomen Ilmailuhistoriallinen Lehti, 4/1998. pp. 10–14. ISBN 1237-2315 Check |isbn= value (help).
Manninen, Pentti (1999). "Puusiipi-Brewster", Part 2, Suomen Ilmailuhistoriallinen Lehti, 1/1999. pp. 14–17.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to VL Humu.

The VL Humu at Central Finland Aviation museum

v t e Valtion lentokonetehdas aircraft

Ilmailuvoimien Lentokonetehdas	IVL A.22 Hansa IVL C.24 IVL C.VI.25 Caudron C.60 IVL D.26 Haukka IVL K.1 Kurki

Valtion Lentokonetehdas	Koolhoven FK.31 VL D.27 Haukka VL Sääski VL E.30 Kotka VL F.30 Paarma VL Tuisku VL Viima VL Pyry VL Myrsky VL Humu VL Pyörremyrsky

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