FINLAND: The 1940s Kaleva Passenger Flight Shootdown

I recently started read "Putin's World War: Russia's Covert Operations to Destroy the West" by Finnish journalist Jessikka Aro. The book provides an in-depth investigative approach of the 2010 Polish presidential plane crash in Smolensk. This book reminded me of another intriguing air disaster connected to the Russians: the shootdown of the Kaleva passenger and freight plane en route from Tallinn to Helsinki. This tragic incident occurred amidst rising tensions between Finland, Estonia, and the Soviet Union. 

In this blog post, we will examine the downing of the Kaleva plane, the surrounding incidents, and the aftermath of this tragic event.

The Aero O/Y Airplane was a Junkers Ju-52 plane 

BACKGROUND INTO THE EVENTS 

The late 1930s and early 1940s were marked by significant political unrest in Europe. With the Soviet Union expanding its influence in the Baltic region, both Finland and Estonia found themselves under increasing pressure. The Kaleva plane, operated by the Finnish airline Aero O/Y (modern-day Finnair), was a Junkers Ju-52 aircraft routinely used for passenger and freight transport between Tallinn and Helsinki. On June 14, 1940, Flight 1631 was en route from Tallinn to Helsinki with seven passengers and two crew members.

The shootdown incident occurred during a period of interim peace, a brief respite following the end of the Winter War and before the onset of the Continuation War in Finland. The Finns had signed a peace treaty with the Soviet Union on March 12, 1940, ending the harrowing 105-day Winter War during which many brave Finns lost their lives.

However, Europe was far from peaceful. The German army had advanced into Norway and soon it would go into France. Poland had just been occupied under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, and the Baltic countries, along with Finland, were also promised to the Soviets. The Estonians were living in fear as the Soviets had demanded bases, which soon led to a full-scale Soviet occupation of Estonia.

THE SHOOTDOWN OF THE KALEVA PLANE

Shortly after taking off from Tallinn, Estonia, the passenger plane Kaleva was intercepted by two Soviet torpedo bombers, both Ilyushin DB-3 models. They approached at very close range and opened fire with their machine guns. The Kaleva was severely damaged and crashed into the water just a few kilometers northeast of the Keri Lighthouse. All those on board perished.

Nearby Estonian fishermen witnessed the crash and the brutal attack by the Soviet pilots. About half an hour after the crash, a Soviet submarine surfaced and inspected the fishermen's boats. The military personnel from the submarine confiscated any materials the eyewitnesses had collected. They also retrieved items from the wreckage, including some diplomatic mail.

By this time, the Finns had learned about the crash and launched their own search and rescue operation. The Finnish Air Force dispatched the skilled pilot Ilmari Juutilainen from Malmi Airfield in Helsinki. As soon as Juutilainen saw the submarine, he armed his fighter's weapons "just in case." Meanwhile, upon seeing the Finnish flag on his plane, the submarine's crew hid their Soviet flag. At this time, Finland was at peace with the Soviet Union.

The Soviets planned to set up an air and naval blockade a few days before their invasion to prevent any diplomatic mail from entering or leaving Estonia. On the Kaleva flight were two German businessmen, Friedrich Offermann and Rudolf Cöllen; two French embassy couriers, Paul Longuet and Frederic Marty; a Swede named Max Hettinger; an American courier, Henry William Antheil; and an Estonian-Finnish woman, Gunvor Maria Lut. The French couriers had over 120 kilograms of valuable diplomatic mail, and the American courier was reportedly transporting U.S. military codes to safety from Estonia. The Finnish crew consisted of captain Bo von Villebrand and wireless operator Tauno Launis.

The Finnish government did not release any information about the crash, fearing retribution from the Soviets. There was considerable pressure to maintain appearances during the Interim Peace. As a result, the government falsely reported that the plane had caught fire and crashed into the sea. Some newspapers even described it as an accident.

Even when the Germans directly inquired about the incident, the Soviet Union vehemently denied any involvement. No records of the incident could be found in Soviet archives, as the documentation had been destroyed or removed.

However, once the Continuation War broke out, the Finnish government disclosed the details of the incident in full.

The plane was shot down a few kilometers northeast of the Keri lighthouse, in the Estonian archipelago. 

FEW REPORTS OF THE INCIDENT EXIST

Some references to this incident exist. Soviet Lieutenant General Pyotr Hohlov, who piloted the second bomber involved in the shootdown, wrote about the event in his memoirs. He incorrectly dated the incident to June 23, 1940, by which time the Soviets had already occupied Estonia. Hohlov claimed the plane was a "spy plane" flying without identification, suggesting a justification for shooting it down. However, it is implausible that a Soviet military plane would shoot down an aircraft departing from a Soviet-controlled airport without repercussions.

G. Goldberg's report from the Russian State Naval Archives, released in the 1980s, details the events of June 14, 1940, when the Finnish airplane Kaleva was en route from Tallinn to Helsinki. At 15:05, the Kaleva was pursued by two Soviet Tupolev SB bombers, caught fire, and crashed into the sea at 15:06, approximately 5.8 miles from the Soviet submarine Shch-301. The submarine arrived at the crash site by 15:47 and encountered three Estonian fishing boats. Soviet officers searched the fishermen and the surrounding sea, confiscating approximately 100 kg of diplomatic mail, valuables, and foreign currencies. A Finnish fighter plane was spotted circling the site at 15:58 before heading toward Helsinki. The exact crash coordinates were recorded as 59°47′1″N 25°01′6″E.

Captain A. Matveyev's report corroborates Goldberg's account, noting the observation of the Kaleva's crash at 15:06 from a distance of 5.8 miles. Upon reaching the site, the submarine crew found three Estonian fishing boats and the remnants of the airplane. By 16:10, all recovered items, including diplomatic mail and various currencies such as Finnish marks, Romanian leu, French francs, Yugoslav dinars, Italian lira, US dollars, Soviet roubles, and Estonian kroons, were brought aboard the submarine. These items were then transferred to the patrol boat Sneg and sent to Kronstadt. A Finnish fighter plane was also observed circling the crash site at 15:58, as detailed in both reports.

Newspapers in Finland could not report on the true events of the crash 

WHY WAS THE PLANE SHOT DOWN?

Many theories have been proposed over the years as to why the Soviets shot down the Kaleva passenger plane. One theory suggests it was related to the 120 kg of diplomatic mail on board. It is speculated that the mail might have contained documentation of a secret agreement between France and Moscow, or secret encryption codes and correspondence from the U.S. embassies in the Baltics concerning Soviet bases in Estonia. Essentially, the theory posits that the Soviet Union wanted to prevent certain correspondence from entering or leaving Estonia.

However, this theory is not plausible because if the diplomatic mail contained sensitive information, the Soviets could have confiscated it at Tallinn Airport. Although the occupation was not complete at the time, the Soviets had a tight grip on Estonia, and the Estonian government was highly obedient to the Kremlin.

The most plausible reason for this tragic incident is likely related to the Baltic blockade ordered by Moscow to the Soviet Baltic Fleet on June 9, 1940. This order was issued by Marshal Tymoshenko, the People's Commissar of Defense of the Soviet Union.

According to the order, the Soviet fleet, submarines, and aircraft were to detain all warships and merchant ships of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, effectively cutting off these countries' connections with the outside world. The air force was to be used to prevent Estonian and Latvian air force planes from flying to Finland and Sweden.

The Soviet Baltic Fleet switched to enhanced operational readiness on June 11 at 11:35 and full combat readiness two days after the Kaleva was shot down, on June 16 at 19:30.

A slightly crazy theory also floats around that Stalin himself ordered the plane to be shot down as he feared the head of Estonia at the time would be on the plane, fleeing to Finland. 

The memorial dedicated to the victims of the incident, on Keri island. 

CONCLUSION 

The shootdown of the Kaleva plane remains a poignant reminder of the harsh realities of wartime politics and the lengths to which nations will go to secure their interests. This tragic event not only marked a dark chapter in the history of aviation but also underscored the broader themes of power and aggression that characterized the Soviet Union's expansionist policies.

Systematic efforts to locate the Kaleva were undertaken by the Estonian Maritime Museum. In 2006, researchers discovered the submarine Štš-301, which had sunk in a German minefield in August 1941, a few kilometers away at the bottom of the sea. However, the wreck of the Kaleva has not been found. It is also possible that the Soviets raised the wreck of the Kaleva in the summer of 1940.

References

• Malmin Lentokentta Ystävät Ry: The wreck of Kaleva possibly found
• Fear of Landing: Kaleva Shot Down By Long Range Bombers
• HISTORICWINGS.COM: The Kaleva Shootdown
• YLE: Matkustajakone Kalevan tuhosta 1940 vaiettiin vuosikymmeniksi
• IltaSanomat: Matkustajakone Kalevan alasampumisesta tasan 80 vuotta – hylyn kohtalo on edelleen arvoitus
• Siivet.fi: Matkustajakone Kaleva Ammuttiin Alas 80 Vuotta Sitten