VL Pyry

Pyry

VL Pyry at the Finnish Aviation Museum
Role	Reconnaissance/fighter
Manufacturer	Valtion lentokonetehdas
First flight	29 March 1939
Introduction	1941
Retired	7 September 1962
Status	Retired
Primary user	Finnish Air Force
Number built	41

VL Pyry (Finnish language for blizzard) was a Finnish low-winged, two-seated fighter trainer aircraft, built by the State Aircraft Factory (Valtion lentokonetehdas) for use with the Finnish Air Force. The Pyry was in use from 1939 to 1962. The aircraft was a mixed construction of wood, steel, fabric, and duraluminium.

History

The Finnish Air Force ordered a prototype of the aircraft in 1937. It was to be called VL Pyry I and carried the identification number PY-1.

The chief designer was Arvo Ylinen, and the other persons of the design team were Martti Vainio, Torsti Verkkola, and Edward Wegelius.

The first flight was made on March 29, 1939 by the factory test pilot. The FAF ordered 40 aircraft in May and the aircraft were quickly constructed and were ready in the spring of 1941. These were designated VL Pyry II and their identification numbers ran from PY-2 - PY-41.

Operational history

The first unit to be equipped with Pyrys was the Air Force School in Kauhava, in 1941. Around 700 pilots were trained in the aircraft and the type accumulated over 56,000 flying hours over a service life of 20 years. PY-1 and PY-27 made last flights of the Pyry in Härmälä on 7 September 1962.

The first accident with a Pyry happened in March 1943, when Major E.O. Ehrnrooth, commander of a Messerschmitt Bf 109 squadron, fatally overstressed his aircraft.

Operators

Finland: Finnish Air Force

Specifications (VL Pyry II)

Data from ^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 7.7 m (25 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 9.8 m (32 ft 2 in)
Height: 2.55 m (8 ft 4 in)
Wing area: 12.7 m² (137 sq ft)
Empty weight: 1,045 kg (2,304 lb)
Gross weight: 1,535 kg (3,384 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-975-E3 Whirlwind nine-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 340 kW (450 hp) at 2,250 rpm for take-off
Propellers: 2-bladed variable-pitch propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 330 km/h (205 mph; 178 kn)
Cruising speed: 286 km/h (178 mph; 154 kn)
Range: 1,050 km (652 mi; 567 nmi)
Service ceiling: 5,600 m (18,373 ft)
Rate of climb: 5 m/s (980 ft/min)
Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,300 ft) - 2 minutes 28 seconds

2,000 m (6,600 ft) - 5 minutes 7 seconds

3,000 m (9,800 ft) - 8 minutes 27 seconds

4,000 m (13,000 ft) - 12 minutes 43 seconds

5,000 m (16,000 ft) - 20 minutes 10 seconds

Wing loading: 120.87 kg/m² (24.76 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass: 0.201 kW/kg (0.068 hp/lb)

Armament

Guns: 1x 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning machine gun with 480 rounds

References

↑ "VL Pyry". menstream.pl (in Polish). Warsaw. Retrieved 22 November 2014.

External links

Media related to VL Pyry at Wikimedia Commons

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

Valmet	Valmet Vihuri Valmet Tuuli Valmet L-70 Vinka Valmet L-80 Turbo-Vinha Valmet PIK-23 Towmaster Valmet L-90TP Redigo

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