OMG WABWAB U´r RIGHT! Pyörremyrsky ("hurricane"/"tornado") is a Finnish low-wing single-seat interceptor. The front fuselage is of steel tube construction covered with aluminium skin panels. The rear fuselage and wings are of wooden construction. On 26th November 1942 the Finnish Air Force ordered two Pyörremyrsky prototypes from the State Aircraft Factory, the completion of the aircraft being scheduled for May 1944. The aim was to design a fighter that would be in the same speed class as the Messerschmitt BF 109 G, more manoeuvrable and also suitable for the ground attack role. By employing a larger wing area than that of the BF 109, the desired performance was achieved: Pyörremyrsky was more agile and lighter at the controls than the German aircraft. Pyörremyrsky flew for the first time on 21st November 1945, piloted by Esko Halme, but due to changes in general situation the flight test programme was not completed. After climb and speed tests PM-1 was transferred to Kuorevesi where it registered a few additional flights. Total flying time remained at 27 hours, which were accumulated by 22nd May 1947. Pyörremyrsky's engine and propeller were of the same type as in the BF 109 G; this fact for its part prevented serial production because supplies of Mercedes-Benz (Daimler-Benz) DB 605 engines from Germany were cut off when the German-Finnish war began in the autumn of 1944. Yet the design effort for the Pyörremyrsky was not wasted, because it gave valuable experience, and the Pyörremyrsky's wing profile was later used as such in the Vihuri. Wing span: 10.38 m Length: 9.13 m Height: 3.89 m Wing area: 19 m2 Operating weight: 3310 kg Maximum speed at 6400 m: 620 km/h Time to 5000 m: 4.5 min Ceiling: 11250 m Endurance: 1.5 h Power plant: one Mercedes-Benz (Daimler-Benz) DB 605 A-l, 12-cylinder liquid-cooled inverted V-engine, power output 1475 hp Armament: one 20 mm MG 151 cannon, two 12.7 mm LKK/42 machine guns hemuli
