I've been looking for some larger actions with multiple flights of fighter aircraft for the Continuation War scenario project, with this dogfight on 7th April 1942 being a potential option. This would be a simple set up but with some careful balancing required to make it more of a challenge (from P-36 Hawk Aces of World War 2 - Aircraft of the Aces 89)
Flying over Lumisuo on that date, Capt Bremer’s 2/LLv 32 engaged ten I-16s and claimed six of them shot down. Bremer (in CU-556) lodged the following combat report upon his return to base;
‘At 1520-1600 hrs, I led four aircraft on a reconnaissance mission over the frontline. North of Lempaalanjärvi, I initially observed three I-16s curving around at the edge of a cloud some 1000 m above us. As I climbed up towards them, I noticed that there were at least ten more I-16s 1000-2000 m above the first three fighters cruising along the top of a cloud bank.'
'A long-lasting combat against a superior enemy ensued. I finally got in behind an I-16, and from a distance of 50 metres I managed to shoot straight at it from the side and behind. It quickly began to smoke and crashed at Pieni Suojala, northwest of Lumisuo.
‘I shot at another I-16, first from below and then from behind, and then I followed this up with a long and well aimed burst into the engine and cockpit from the opposite direction. After this second pass at the fighter I could not see the I-16 anywhere, in spite of me searching for it, so obviously it had crashed – I later received confirmation of this.'
‘When the combat began, we were at low altitude due to the fact that we were flying a reconnaissance mission. This meant that we started the engagement with the I-16's from a tactically weaker position than our foes. As the action progressed, we steadily climbed higher and higher.'
'Friendly flak initially interrupted the combat, with well aimed, concentrated bursts exploding all around our aeroplanes. My aircraft was hit three times by shrapnel, which punctured the starboard tyre.’
Both Bremer and Koskinen were credited with two I-16's apiece following this one-sided action, and these kills made them Hawk 75 aces.
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