Finnish mortar company [Archive]

Juusto

10-17-2005, 05:35 PM

Following pictures are taken during my service in Finnish defence forces, mortar company. PorPr I/05

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/120krh.jpg
Finnish made Tampella 120 mm, model 92 mortar

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/81krh.jpg
Finnish made Tampella 81mm mortar

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/bmp1.jpg
BMP-1 Assault tank

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/itkk.jpg
12.7 ITKK machinegun aka NSV-12.7 with Norwegian 'antirecoil-unit'

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/pasi.jpg
Finnish made Sisu XA-185, 'Pasi' APC

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/pasitaas.jpg
Nice views of Lapland (Rovajarvi), a little bit of snow and 'Pasi' :) (Made in Finland)

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/rasitiella.jpg
Finnish made Sisu SA 241 CKH 'Rasi' All terrain vehicle and MB G-series link car

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/rada.jpg
You can find this inside link-car. Laptop with firecontrol program and solitaire, LV-441 radio, LV-217 radio, Sanla M/90 message device, fieldphone, and 230V for our waterboiler :)

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/defender.jpg
Land rover Defender with glossy paintjob :P

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/mersulanssi.jpg
Mercedes Benz ambulance

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/mopo.jpg
KTM motorcycle and our MC-messenger

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/rynkky.jpg
Finnish made RK-95 TP assault rifle

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/sanlajaradio.jpg
Sanla M/90 Message device (encrypted) and LV641 radio (ECCM and COMSEC)

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/nasse.jpg
Finnish made Kemira M/95 Gas Mask

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/kokko.jpg
Our bonfire and nightless night in Lapland. Time is 3:00pm :)

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/iskemia.jpg
Our company and artillery firing

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/lunta.jpg
Middle of nowhere

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/murkuloita.jpg
Some 120mm's ready to be fired!

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/komppania.jpg
Studying something about mortars...

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/paskaailmassa.jpg
Firing with 120mm KRH can be messy.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/vastinuponnut.jpg

Feel free to ask! :)

Upfrontreporting

10-17-2005, 05:42 PM

Interesting mix of NATO and Russian gear, good pics.

sickpup

10-17-2005, 07:04 PM

Great pics! Weather looks a little miserable...

Juusto

10-17-2005, 07:46 PM

Weather _WAS_ miserable. When we arrived to Rovajärvi (12.5) there was maximum of 1,5 meters of snow and when we headed back to Säkylä couple of weeks after, all that snow was turned into water and mud. There was hard time to get those MB's back from middle of the forrest, but our Rasi's winch did a good job :)

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/001.jpg

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/002.jpg

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/003.jpg

Dalleer

10-17-2005, 07:56 PM

Cool mortar shots you've got there , man.

Erinomaisiahan nämä ovat , lisääkin saa laittaa tulemaan.

Juusto

10-17-2005, 08:14 PM

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/poltto.jpg
Almost smoked ourselfs to dead, while 'kipina' (a man that is watching fire when others are sleeping) sleeped on his shift and grass underneith our fireplace caught on fire.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/kranaatit.jpg
Diffrent shell types for 81mm mortar. From left: four kinds of normal shrapnel with 'strike detonator', practice shell, phosphor shell, lightning shell and normal shrapnel type again.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/gtj22.jpg
22 mornings of service left! Monument for that.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/peace.jpg
When there is nothing else to do :)

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/b3.jpg
Remember to stay on the road!

More will follow soon...

FDF_Hemppis

10-17-2005, 08:18 PM

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/gtj22.jpg

:lol:

EDIT: ja mitä helvettiä? Teltat keskellä aukeaa? Sietäisi saada runtua tuosta ;)

larryzou

10-17-2005, 08:45 PM

nice pic .

muede

10-17-2005, 10:20 PM

12.7 ITKK machinegun aka NSV-12.7 with Norwegian 'antirecoil-unit'
Those Norwegian parts suck being poorly made and hard to fit, ie it dont mix well with NSV and im still having nightmares about it.. also whats the point, the HMG is set up too high for supposed ground target shooting and way too low for engaging air targets..

Good pics anyhow. Thanks.

haze99

10-17-2005, 11:05 PM

Nice to see the FDF in the field enviroment. Great pic of the BMP-1, those would be ex-DDR stock! BTW, Greece also obtained some too!

goldman

10-17-2005, 11:12 PM

Great Pics

ranger75bn

10-18-2005, 03:14 AM

Great Pics

x 2

tnx FDF_Hemppis :hug:

wholagun

10-18-2005, 03:29 AM

i gotta admit I really enjoyed those pics. I always like to see pics you guys take during your training or missions b/c it has that added personal commentary which is just absent from images that are taken off other sites or taken by professional photographers.

Juusto

10-18-2005, 10:55 AM

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/004.jpg
Preparing old style anti-tank mine. (inert as it's yellow colored) 10kg's of TNT.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/005.jpg
Camonet over Sisu's cockpit. A quick and temporary camouflage for our vehicle.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/006.jpg
Taking a break at our link car.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/007.jpg
A daily cleaning of our gun :)

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/008.jpg
Krh snt 94, illuminated numbers, collimator and bubbles.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/009.jpg
Muddy roads of Rovajarvi.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/armor.jpg
Effects of anti-armor weapons.

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/010.jpg
Piece of scrap. Can you identify this?

Kekkonen

10-18-2005, 12:41 PM

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/010.jpg
Piece of scrap. Can you identify this?

Very nice pictures Cheese! And I agree with the dude somewhere up there that said that it´s nice with the added personal comments.

And as for identifying that. I hope you bastards didn´t fire at a wartime StuG like has been done way too many times already on Finnish live fire ranges. But I don´t think it is a StuG, it has too few wheels. Same goes for a BTR-50 and a PT-76 so my guess would be a former Finnish T-54?

Nrom

10-18-2005, 01:02 PM

Very nice pictures Cheese! And I agree with the dude somewhere up there that said that it´s nice with the added personal comments.

And as for identifying that. I hope you bastards didn´t fire at a wartime StuG like has been done way too many times already on Finnish live fire ranges. But I don´t think it is a StuG, it has too few wheels. Same goes for a BTR-50 and a PT-76 so my guess would be a former Finnish T-54?

BMP1? ;)

tenda

10-18-2005, 01:16 PM

Interesting mix of NATO and Russian gear, good pics.
x 2 ...really interestings...!!!:)

tenda

10-18-2005, 01:18 PM

BMP1? ;)
mhhhhhhh...looks like a t54/55...:roll:

Nrom

10-18-2005, 01:21 PM

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/007.jpg

That must be a great job for that guy who have that soldier on his back...

Turre

10-18-2005, 01:22 PM

V/E

10-18-2005, 02:28 PM

woot woot Great pix, well done! woot woot

Bluezoo

10-18-2005, 02:46 PM

Excellent pictures!

Johan M

10-18-2005, 04:14 PM

very very nice pics, thanks for posting them

btw, how many months is compulsory service in Finnish army?

Juusto

10-18-2005, 04:24 PM

Hello!

Great pics!

Ahh!Rovajärvi..Dangerous place for reindeersp-) . I have been there too,but already over year ago.
Did you visited in "sotku" there? It`s nice,oldstylish place and if i remember correctly,there`s even a fireplace in it.

Turre

P.S.Jaahas,teilläkös oli sissikaminat käytössä?

Yep, our confirmed kills of reindeers was only two :)

I visited sotku couple of times, as we were sleeping only three night's at that camp site. And there was a fireplace... nice place, i agree that.

Our company was using one pj-tent for mortar number 2 and for manual taso, in case of computer fault. Mortars 1 and 3 were using Sissi-tent's for sleeping. Not so bad choice, because sissi-tent is way more easier to warm up, and very light. I am 185 cm's tall and there was enought room for eight people, when we left our backpacks to our 'Masi'.

Kekkonen

10-18-2005, 04:32 PM

Our company was using one pj-tent for mortar number 2 and for manual keskiö, in case of computer fault.

Manual keskiö? As for the computers I guess you mean (something more modern) or these on the pictures. But what does manual mean? A pen and a paper and some genius good on math? :)

http://www.mil.fi/maavoimat/joukot/tykpr/kt-krh-laskin.jpg

http://www.mil.fi/maavoimat/joukot/tykpr/tykkipaate.jpg

OldRecon

10-18-2005, 04:33 PM

Juusto

10-18-2005, 04:34 PM

very very nice pics, thanks for posting them

btw, how many months is compulsory service in Finnish army?

6 months is minimum for 'non-special' mens ie. artillery,mortars,rifle,engineers...
9 months for MP's, medics and truck drivers for example.
12 months for Corporals and Officer cadets.

Juusto

10-18-2005, 04:38 PM

Manual keskiö? As for the computers I guess you mean (something more modern) or these on the pictures. But what does manual mean? A pen and a paper and some genius good on math? :)

Oh... my fault. I meant 'manual taso' and it's just pen and paper.
Keskiö is always computerized, I quess :)

Kekkonen

10-18-2005, 04:50 PM

How long have the Finish armed forces used 120 mm mortars?
A development originaly based on captured Soviet 120 mm mortars like the M-1938?
I guess there have been several marks/variants on the 120 mm team who have been developed and used in service since WW-2?
It's Tampela who make them?

The Finnish army started experimenting with mortars in the 1920´s when they bought the first 81 mm mortars.

http://www.suomensotilas.fi/nettisotilas/Lehti/Kuvat/stokes.jpg

The work on the first Finnish 120 mm mortar was started in 1935 by Tampella, and the first prototype was ready before the Winter War, but full-scale production didn´t start before the war ended. During the short peace-time between the Winter War and the Continuation War the Finns mass-produced them however and they were used with success during the assault phase of the Continuation War (well close combat supported with heavy grenades before the assault is always good I guess). The Swedes were so impressed that they ordered it, and they still have it in their inventory as the 12 cm Grk m/41D, so it has served Sweden well for 64 years now :)

http://home8.swipnet.se/~w-82613/army/grkstrix_1.gif
12 cm Grk m/41D being loaded with
a guided STRIX anti-tank round

During the war the Finnish Army also wanted something heavier to be used against fortified positions, so Tampella developed a 300 mm heavy mortar, "The poor peoples Stuka :)"

http://www.suomensotilas.fi/nettisotilas/Lehti/Kuvat/300krh42.jpg

Tampella was around for some decades after the war. They sold the license of some heavy howitzer to Israel for example. However it´s now part of the Patria industrial group I think. The current Finnish 81 mm and 120 mm mortars are basically the same as the old ones, although lighter than the old ones, and have longer range. Finns still have captured Soviet 82 mm mortars in the inventory, used as fortress mortars by the Navy.

Juusto

10-18-2005, 05:14 PM

Jippo

10-18-2005, 05:16 PM

Tampella was around for some decades after the war. They sold the license of some heavy howitzer to Israel for example. However it´s now part of the Patria industrial group I think. .

http://www.army-technology.com/contractors/artillery/patria/

-jippo

Dalleer

10-18-2005, 05:31 PM

I remember reading about former West-Germany having the 120mm Tampella mortars in their stocks as well. Who knows , they might still be use in now.

Turre

10-19-2005, 12:15 PM

Poor reindeers..:)

Actually we killed them also,but not by mortars.We used knives.
Bloody throatcuttersp-)
It was part of our survival/nature-food exercise during my service in Sodankylä`s sissikomppania.

I agree that sissi-tent is more useful than pj-tent,if you don`t need to stay long time at same place.But if we are talking about week(s) staying , i prefer pj-tent.

We had also lightmortarplatoon(81mm) in our company.One of the most interesting exercises were company-sized liveammo-shootings(Assault against target,getting supportfire by mortarplatoon)

If there`s interest,i can try to find my photoalbums,scan and publish them here.

Turre

Kekkonen

10-19-2005, 12:19 PM

If there`s interest,i can try to find my photoalbums,scan and publish them here.

Turre

There is. So start scanning.

sgtfcm

10-19-2005, 12:59 PM

Nice pics !!! Any pics of coastal Jaegers please? I think i swapped a beret with some of them once, green beret with a tricorn, might be?

Jurpula

10-19-2005, 01:21 PM

[QUOTE=Juusto]Following pictures are taken during my service in Finnish defence forces, mortar company. PorPr I/05

http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/itkk.jpg
12.7 ITKK machinegun aka NSV-12.7 with Norwegian 'antirecoil-unit'

Onko tuo NSV:n jalkasysteemi jo uusittu? Meillä oli v.-97 kokeilussa 4 eri jalkaa ja niistä ei yksikään toiminu kovin hyvin...

Kekkonen

10-19-2005, 01:35 PM

The Norwegian recoil-absorbing mount reduces the recoil with 80% so in theory it´s a really great piece of equipment. The Swedes are using one from the same manufacturer (I have read somewhere) and I have not heard any complaints about that one. So I guess the one on the Finnish NSV is simply designed wrong? Some pictures of the mount:

http://www.soldf.com/images/s_tksp902.jpg

http://www.soldf.com/images/s_tksp127_3.jpg

http://www.soldf.com/images/s_tksp127_4.jpg

http://www.soldf.com/images/s_spegelsikte.jpg

joka

10-19-2005, 01:57 PM

Nice pics !!! Any pics of coastal Jaegers please? I think i swapped a beret with some of them once, green beret with a tricorn, might be?

i was gonna post a bunch of links, but i'm gonna make a new thread altogether about coastal jeagers since all was lost in the forum switch and i just stumbled across some new images, for me atleast. :)

sgtfcm

10-19-2005, 02:25 PM

i was gonna post a bunch of links, but i'm gonna make a new thread altogether about coastal jeagers since all was lost in the forum switch and i just stumbled across some new images, for me atleast. :)
thanks a lot, great soldiers they are !

Kekkonen

10-19-2005, 03:16 PM

Nice pics !!! Any pics of coastal Jaegers please? I think i swapped a beret with some of them once, green beret with a tricorn, might be?

You are talking about Swedish coastal jaegers. That had a tricorn in their green berets up to the late 1990´s, when it was decided that they should have the same beret patch as the other amphibious combat units, to create a combined spirit or something like that. But the tricorn is still used by the coastal jaegers, they receive it as a sign that that they have passed the tests after a few months and they then wear it on their uniforms.

http://www.fbu.se/index.php?dispatchTo=Renderer&action=download&file=10692&size=350
Old beret patch

http://www.amf1.mil.se/images/local/nya_torleif.jpg
New one with the viking Thorleif

http://www.mil.fi/merivoimat/joukot/uudpr/05072004_04.jpg
The Finnish one has an eagle (not to be confused with
the lion worn on Finnish Army berets)

sgtfcm

10-19-2005, 04:03 PM

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1853/jaeger8si.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

here's the one i have, its swedish, you're right :-)
thanks for the nice pics you added

Thor

10-19-2005, 11:33 PM

Yup, and unlike finns and ruskies we wear our berets properly shaped. p-)

http://www.k4.mil.se/images/local/pa_med_baskern_web.jpg

Randomrokottaja

11-04-2005, 07:43 AM

very very nice pics, thanks for posting them

btw, how many months is compulsory service in Finnish army?

6-12 months in a nut shell.

The most basic grunt's (rifleman, machinegunner, artilleryman, signalman etc. etc.) TRAINING lasts 6 months,

Consisting of 8 weeks basic training + 9 weeks special training + 9 weeks advanced special training as part of the unit.

For example machinegunner: 8 weeks basic training -> 9 weeks machinegunner course -> 9 weeks advanced training period as squad's machinegunner -> graduation, militarypassport and transfer to reserve to wait for further reserve courses or the next war.

Special grunts (medics, drivers etc.)

Mostly as abowe but 3 months further training/practise as others already transfered to reserve.

NCOs (squad leaders etc. NCOs)

8 weeks basic training -> 7 weeks NCO course 1 (the general basic skills of squad leader) -> 9 weeks NCO course 2 (advanced NCO training) -> graduation & temporary promotion as corporal -> 28 weeks guided leadership training/practise -> 9 weeks advanced training period as squad leader in own squad -> graduation, militarypassport, temporary promotion and transfer to reserve.

Reserve officers (platoon leaders, FO-officers etc. etc.)

8 weeks basic training -> 7 weeks NCO course 1 (the general basic skills of squad leader) -> 14 weeks reserve officer course -> 23 weeks guided leadership training/practise -> 9 weeks advanced training period as platoon leader in own platoon -> graduation, militarypassport, promotion to 2nd lieutenant and transfer to reserve.

One speciality in finnish military training is that everyone starts at the same line. There is no separate recruit units for officers and enlisted and that is a good way to pick up the best people to further training. All is up to personal skills and abilities. Someone's career ends at rank of private while someone is able to reach even NCO rank and the best students on NCO course manage to get themselves to reserve officer course. Competition can sometimes be pretty hard.

Jippo

11-04-2005, 09:26 AM

Yup, and unlike finns and ruskies we wear our berets properly shaped. p-)

Most Finnish soldiers with are new to berets and thus beret quality sucks, in most units the tradition is couple of years old.

The (special) units which have used traditionally berets know how to wear and shape them properly. Better than the wrinkled pieces of cloth in your picture. Hell, my own beret looks still better after ten years of not being used! ;)

-jippo

WackyWoodChuck

11-04-2005, 09:48 AM

EDIT: ja mitä helvettiä? Teltat keskellä aukeaa? Sietäisi saada runtua tuosta ;)

HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHA I couldnt have said it better my self

Randomrokottaja

11-04-2005, 10:17 AM

Most Finnish soldiers with are new to berets and thus beret quality sucks, in most units the tradition is couple of years old.

The (special) units which have used traditionally berets know how to wear and shape them properly. Better than the wrinkled pieces of cloth in your picture. Hell, my own beret looks still better after ten years of not being used! ;)

-jippo

Beret is nothing else than a stupid looking 100% unpractical Nato -fashion hat. Now when the worst craze should be almost over, would it be a mature time to get completely rid of them.

Jippo

11-04-2005, 10:38 AM

Beret is nothing else than a stupid looking 100% unpractical Nato -fashion hat. Now when the worst craze should be almost over, would it be a mature time to get completely rid of them.

Well for most units yes, some units have worn it for longer period for a reason. ;)

And I think it looks very cool when properly worn and black. ;)

-jippo

Hullebullen

11-04-2005, 10:55 AM

Randomrokottaja

11-04-2005, 10:56 AM

Well for most units yes, some units have worn it for longer period for a reason. ;)

And I think it looks very cool when properly worn and black. ;)

-jippo

Yes, but why to adapt somewhat fashionable headwear culture which is totally non-finnish? Despite we have something even better than all world's berets etc. faggot hats together: Something _own_, historically traditional field cap m/36 (or m/83) which is also known as "Verikauha" too in some sets. Even i don't always realize all ideas from higher levels...

CSAR

11-04-2005, 12:11 PM

I agree baret being a totally worthless piece of s***. Maybe some a little more special units like airborne jaegers and tankers should have them but not every damn grunt. And it's completely useless; it doesn't keep your head warm, it doesn't protect from sun or rain and it looks stupid if you don't know how to wear it. I'd choose field cap m/91 anytime though that new boonie hat also looks kind of handy.

Kaapeli

11-04-2005, 03:07 PM

I did my time in a mortar company too. Here's a couple of my pictures. Sorry about the piss poor camera that pretty much ruined most of my other shots.

http://mbnet.fi/ssi/kuvat/HQ16.JPG

http://mbnet.fi/ssi/kuvat/HQ17.JPG

That's my wheels (or should I say tracks). MTLB-v and the place is Rovajärvi.

Dalleer

11-04-2005, 04:05 PM

Well for most units yes, some units have worn it for longer period for a reason. ;)

And I think it looks very cool when properly worn and black. ;)

-jippo

Yeah , don't worry about Randomrokottaja - He disagrees with everything just for argument's sake.

Randomrokottaja

11-05-2005, 10:06 AM

Yeah , don't worry about Randomrokottaja - He disagrees with everything just for argument's sake.

Wrong. I just correct the worst errors i manage to find sometimes. That my earlier beret statement was then only my own personal opinion, which is also shared with many others.

You should worry about your lack of knowledge son, or then just stop posting crap and disinformation. If you don't know, don't post.

KeroJP4

10-31-2008, 04:03 PM

Following pictures are taken during my service in Finnish defence forces, mortar company. ...
http://www.q-elements.com/militaryphotos/mopo.jpg
KTM motorcycle and our MC-messenger
...
Feel free to ask! :)

Hello Juusto,

I was wondering when these KTM were first introduced in the finland army.

Got any idea ?

Do you have some more pics of this motorcycle ?

Thanks in advance,

Cheers,

Richard

liftwaffe

10-31-2008, 04:31 PM

The application of a 12.7mm in an AA role seems like hoping for a jesus to rise again.
I am how ever sorry to see that you are unhappy with a Norwegian product.It seems to serve our boys in Afgh just fine,but then with the browning.
Great pictures anyway!

Kartoon

10-31-2008, 06:03 PM

Units mostly train with the 12,7 mm ITKK on ground targets. My experiences say it's a very accurate weapon and it's rather easy to hit a vehicle sized target even at 800 meters using the norwegian optical sights.
I've heard stories of units trying to engage ''airborne simulated'' targets in their drills. Having heard those I have to agree with you, it's not too ideal for AA, but it beats sticks and pinecones.

Juusto

02-20-2009, 07:59 PM

Hello Juusto,

I was wondering when these KTM were first introduced in the finland army.

Got any idea ?

Do you have some more pics of this motorcycle ?

Thanks in advance,

Cheers,

Richard

I'm not sure if that is -04 or even -05 version of KTM 400, but www.mil.fi says that they have bought KTM's 1999-2001. I happen to know that there is newer models also, but I'm not mc expert so I can't tell diffrence between models. I don't have any more pictures but you can find some info from:

http://www.mil.fi/maavoimat/kalustoesittely/index.dsp?level=108&equipment=204

...and btw. I finally edited this video from Rovajärvi live fire exercise. Feel free to ask anything! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kksKF3JxseI