What minor nation did the best job of putting together and deploying an air force?

[Oreo]

That's it folks. All things considered, from the list I give you, which minor nation did the best job with the resources they had available at building (or buying) and deploying an effective air force? I am not including Commonwealth nations, since they had the automatic support of Britain.

 

[Wildcat]

I am not including Commonwealth nations, since they had the automatic support of Britain.

More like Britain had the automatic support of the Commonwealth.

 

[Wayne Little]

Well from your list I'm gonna go with Finland....certainly made their presence felt with the resources at their disposal.

 

[pbfoot]

from your list there is only one answer the Finns as the remainder did it with support from the Britain

 

[ccheese]

How about Switzerland ? Her air force was whatever landed in Swiss
territory and was interred for the duration ! She had aircraft from all
the european nations plus the U.S.

Charles

 

[Haztoys]

Germany is a real small nation..And had alot of rules on it from WW1..??

 

[drgondog]

Finland for me. I agree cchees point about Switzerland but since they didn't engage in the war, except for occasional attacks on US aircraft seeking neutral sanctuary, Finland fits the bill of small/tough/resourceful for me.

Having said that - with deference to relative 'small in resources and population' in contrast to 'minor', all the Commonwealth nations except India (air force) did a huge job - especially Canada and Australia and New Zealand.

 

[parsifal]

Alos not included, for reasons that evade me is the hungarians, the spanish, the Thai, Brazilian, and the swedish air force. all of these are worth consideration.

 

[eddie_brunette]

Finland for sure!!!

edd

 

[marshall]

I agree with the majority, Finland. But I want to make a small remark that while Polish Air Force didn't do much, Polish Airman did quite well later in ranks of other air forces.

 

[seesul]

Yep, like Czechs. Our Air forces had no chance to fight but our pilots got this chance in Poland, France and RAF. And they used it damn good!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I have to go with Finland.

 

[Oreo]

For the record, I chose nations whose air forces actually saw combat, but you're right I should have included Brazil, Mexico, Hungary, maybe. Other than that, I tried to eliminate some obvious ones that just didn't do much-- sorry, Estonia, Luxembourg, Denmark, uh, etc. Thanks for taking the poll!

 

[Thorlifter]

Count me for Finland also.

 

[Oreo]

More like Britain had the automatic support of the Commonwealth.

I mean technical support, ie, they had access to Britain's designs, ideas, and sometimes industrial power. I didn't mean moral support or manpower support, in that case you are very right!

 

[parsifal]

well Finland certainly had an impressive flight record, but i am going to say no to it being the best. It did not achive all that much afte the 1941 offensive, other than to defend itself, and I dont think its indigenous production was all that impressive either.

Compare Finlands efforts to Rumania or Hungary. Hungary supported German production by producing something like 1300 airframes of various types. Rumania produced slightly fewer from memory, but did produce a good fighter, in the IAR series. Moreover, not many people realize, or acknowledge just how big a burden the air forces of these two quite small countries assumed on the eastern front. I recall reading that in the early months of 1943, something like just under 50% of the available fiighter foprces on the southern front in Russia belonged to these nations. Moreover they still had their share of aces. the top scorer in Rumanian AF claimed over 60 a/c shot down.

Here is a link that I found some time on the Rumanian AF with some intersting stuff in it. A good book on the subject is Axworthy's "Third Axis, Fourth Ally"

WorldWar2.ro - Campaigns

 

[Marcel]

Finland for me. I agree cchees point about Switzerland but since they didn't engage in the war, except for occasional attacks on US aircraft seeking neutral sanctuary

I remember to have read something about great battles between Swiss Bf109's and German ones. Don't remember where, but I'll try to find and post it.

I think most of the Finnland credits were from the first war with the Russians.

I saw someone vote for the Dutch LVA. While I do agree they did their best when attacked, they certainly were not put together well, missing quite some vital types, having no realistic view on modern warfare and having of many types just a little (23 G.1's come on).

 

[Njaco]

Lots of choices.

Poles did an honorable job until Oct. 39 and then continued the fight flying with Britain....

from Raymond Helminiak and Radko Vasicek "White Eagles Over London"
"During their first 8 days (of the Battle of Britain), the Poles of 303 Squadron destroyed 27 German aircraft and damaged 9 more...... When Kellett led the squadron on its first official combat sortie on Aug. 31, the Poles showed that they could perform with nearly flawless discipline and teamwork. After that, Johnny Kent concluded; 'The Poles are playing the game for keeps far more than we were.'"

Spain also fielded a unit among the Luftwaffe in JG 27 that was fairly successful.

But I still went with Finland. To do what they did with what they had against who they fought - simply admirable and amazing.

 

[Marcel]

Poland, The Netherlands and Belgium faced a bigger disadvantage against the Germans then the Finns against the Russians, both numerical and technical. Still for instance the Dutch (which I know best ) managed to shoot down about 400 of the 929 German planes deployed against them. That's about 40% in 5 days, not bad eh. Don't know the exact numbers of the other 2 countries, though.

 

[Oreo]

the Dutch (which I know best ) managed to shoot down about 400 of the 929 German planes deployed against them. That's about 40% in 5 days, not bad eh.

Wow! I did not know that! Where did you get documentation for that? How many were shot down by each type of Dutch plane, and how many by A-A fire?