On 8 June 1940 a Norwegian Naval Aviation Heinkel He 115A-2 floatplane alighted at Salmijävi base near Petsamo. The aircraft was flown by Lt. Helge Dahl. The machine was
coded F-50, had Norwegian serial number 156 German W. Nr. 3038. The crew of the aircraft and the aircraft itself was interned. Some dozen days later the Heinkel He 115A-2 was
sent to Helsinki. At Helsinki the aircraft was in storage until Spring 1941. Political situation forced the Finns to im- press the machine into llmavoimien. The aircraft was coded
HE-115 and it was nicknamed Jenny.
The machine was assigned to Lentue X (Flight X). commanded by Capt. Osmo Malisen. Lentue X reported to Ilavoimien Esikunnan (Air Force HQ) at Vassa. OfFicially the
Heinkel He 115A-2 was put on the Finnish Air Force inventory on 20 June 1941.
On 30 June 1941 Lentue X (some sources quote the date of 27 June) was assigned to LeLv 15 (Lentolaivue 15,15 Air Squadron) as the 1 .LeL 15(1 Flight of 15 Air Squadron).
Due to the nature of duties of the 1 .LeLv 15 the unit retained entire independence and is often called Eeilliset Lentue X - Er.Lute.X - Independent Flight X.
The aircraft flew mainly propaganda missions over the Karelian Isthmus and Lake Ladoga. Endurance of the aircraft allowed it to penetrate far beyond the front line. In July the
Finns decided to use the aircraft for special duties. The Heinkel He 115, being a floatplane, was perfectly suited for operations in an area covered in 90% by lakes. To this end the
aircraft was sent on 28 July 1941 to the State Aircraft Works at Tampere for the necessary modification.
Interiör of the fuselage was converted for carrying eight troops with full gear. It was also possible to carry stretchers for casualty evacuation. So modified aircraft was sent back
to the front at the beginning of August 1941.
The aircraft carried scout troops and sabotage teams. In that period the HE-115 operated mainly in the area of Säämäjärvi and Seesjärvi lakes. Apart from reconnaissance
flights the crew delivered supplies to sabotage teams that operated behind enemy lines. In mid-November the unit stopped its operations. This was due to the coming winter, which
resulted in freezing of the lakes.
On 28 February 1942 the aircraft was allocated to Osasto Räty. This was an independent air unit, officially allocated to LeLv 46. The group was commanded by Capt. Jussi
Räty. With the advent of Spring the HE-115 retumed to operations. The nature of these missions was unchanged.
In May 1942 the aircraft was sent to Tampere for an overhaul. The bomb bay was rebuilt. Bay doors were removed which allowed easy access to the load and the supplies
could be unloaded quickly. Until November the HE-115 flew with LeLv 46.
With the start of combat operations in 1943 the aircraft was allocated to Osasto Malinem in LeLv 44. The aircraft was formally taken over by Capt. Malinen on 20 May 1943. On
4 July 1943 thecrewconsistingofLt. Yrjö Lemminki, Sgt. V. Rinne and Cpl. K. Värstö flew a combat mission in Äänisjärvi and Tungasjää lakes area. During the flight one fuel tank
exploded and the pilot had to ditch. The crew of the aircraft was captured by the Soviets. On 6 July 1943 two MS 406 fighters of LeLv 28 destroyed the aircraft left by the Soviets.
After the loss of the HE-115 the Finns leased from the Germans two Heinkel He 115C-1 floatplanes. The machines wore German codes 6H+BK and 6H+CK. 6H+BK was
allocated. together with two Heinkel He 59Ds (SD+EE and PP+AO) to an independent air unit known as Osasto Jauriled by Capt. Erkki Jauri. The airmen flew mainly transport and
casualty evacuation missions. In July 1944 the unit was supplying troops of the 4 Infantry Battalion. 114 wounded soldiers were evacuated.
As the fighting on Soviet-Finnish front ceased in September 1944. the aircraft 6H+CK was retumed to the Germans. The other aircraft was confiscated by the Finns in October.
It received civil registration OH-PMJ. On 17 November 1944 it was transferred to the Soviets within payment of the loan made by the USSR govemment to Germany in 1940.
