Air Enthusiast 1999-03
K.Stenman - 'Pocket' Interceptors
GN-101 flew the last-ever Finnish Gnat flight on October 24, 1972. It is kept at the Finnish Air Force Museum at Tikkakoski.
GN-103 ‘on guard’ at Halli.
GN-104 is dramatically displayed outside the Finnish Air Force Museum at Tikkakoski.
Hameen Lennosto emblem on the tail of HavLLv 11 GN-113.
GN-112 after retirement at Luonetjarvi in July 1978. It flew its last mission on May 15, 1972, and was kept in the same condition.
Nose detail on GN-113 ‘Kreivi von Rosen’.
Wearing the ‘B Condition’ marking G-39-10 at Farnborough in summer 1958, the third Finnish Gnat GN-103. GN-101 -102 and -113 all initially flew as G-39-6, -7 and -11 respectively
GN-104 of HavLLv 11 showing off weaponry at Luonetjarvi in the late 1960s. Both inner wing pylons carry six 3in rockets. Behind on the ground are 25-year-old German SC 250 bombs
GN-108 at Luonetjarvi, together with GN-101. The former faced a fuel transfer problem on April 10, 1964, which altered the centre of gravity causing the aircraft to spin into the ground.
GN-103 over southern England shortly before the ferry flight to Finland, which took place on July 3, 1959. All the Gnats were painted in the standard British camouflage scheme of Dark Green and Dark Sea Grey tops with High Speed Aluminium undersurfaces.
Line-up of Gnats at Folland’s Chilbolton airfield. Three Finns are included, with GN-107 in the foreground. In between are two Indian Air Force examples with one of the Ministry of Supply evaluation examples in the background.
Bristol Siddeley photographers paid a visit to Luonetjarvi in February 1961 and caught GN-111 taxying back from a training mission. This particular aircraft was the last of the fighter versions and arrived 12 months earlier on February 11, 1960.
GN-112 and GN-110 seen from the control tower of Luonetjarvi in summer 1962. GN-112 and -113 were reconnaissance fighters, both arriving on October 15, 1960.
The first two Gnats were ferried to Hameen Lennosto, arriving on July 30, 1958, at Luonetjarvi. GN-102 taxies in after landing, with First Lieutenant Heikki Hietamies at the controls.
GN-105 of HavLLv 11 in 1964. During the course of the year, the main landing gear doors received the last digit of the aircraft’s serial number and later the inner wing pylons were fitted. The small bump under the nose houses a G.90 camera gun.
The Fo 145 Gnat, the example illustrated being one of the Folland-built batch for the IAF.