Editing Winter War (section)

==Aerial warfare==
{{Main|Aerial warfare in the Winter War}}

===Soviet Air Force===
The USSR enjoyed [[air superiority]] throughout the war. The [[Soviet Air Force]], supporting the Red Army's invasion with about 2,500 aircraft (the most common type being [[Tupolev SB]]), was not as effective as the Soviets might have hoped. The material damage by the bomb raids was slight as Finland offered few valuable targets for [[strategic bombing]]. For example, the city of [[Tampere]] was one of the most important targets because it was an important railway junction, and also housed [[Valtion lentokonetehdas|State Aircraft Factory]] and the [[Tampella|Tampere Linen and Iron Industry]] premises, which manufactured [[munition]]s and weapons, including [[grenade launcher]]s.<ref>Esko Lammi: ''Talvisodan Tampere''. Vammala: Häijää Invest (Vammaspaino), 1990. {{ISBN|9529017073}}|. (in Finnish)</ref><ref>Jouko Juonala: ''Ilmahälytys!'' Talvisota: Ilta-Sanomien erikoislehti 2019, pp. 62–66. Helsinki: Sanoma Media Finland Oy. (in Finland)</ref> Often, targets were village depots with little value. The country had few modern highways in the interior, therefore making the railways the main targets for bombers. [[Rail track]]s were cut thousands of times but the Finns hastily repaired them and service resumed within a matter of hours.<ref name="Trotter 2002 p. 187"/> The Soviet Air Force learned from its early mistakes, and by late February instituted more effective tactics.<ref name="Trotter_193">[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], p. 193</ref>

The largest bombing raid against the capital of Finland, [[Helsinki]], occurred on the first day of the war. The capital was bombed only a few times thereafter. All in all, Soviet bombings cost Finland five per cent of its total man-hour production. Nevertheless, Soviet air attacks affected thousands of civilians, killing 957.<ref name="Kur&Lent2005_1152"/> The Soviets recorded 2,075 bombing attacks in 516 localities. The city of Viipuri, a major Soviet objective close to the Karelian Isthmus front, was almost levelled by nearly 12,000 bombs.<ref>[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], pp. 187–188</ref> No attacks on civilian targets were mentioned in Soviet radio or newspaper reports. In January 1940, the Soviet ''[[Pravda]]'' newspaper continued to lie that no civilian targets in Finland had been struck, even accidentally.<ref name="Tillo1993_157">[[#Tillotson1993|Tillotson (1993)]], p. 157</ref> It is estimated that the Soviet air force lost about 400 aircraft because of inclement weather, lack of fuel and tools, and during transport to the front. The Soviet Air Force flew approximately 44,000 sorties during the war.<ref name="Trotter_193"/>

===Finnish Air Force===
[[File:Bristol Blenheim refueling.jpg|thumb|March 1940, a Finnish [[Bristol Blenheim]] Mk. IV bomber of the [[No. 44 Squadron (Finland)|No. 44 Squadron]] refuelling at its air base on a frozen lake in [[Tikkakoski]]. On the fuselage is the swastika, which the [[Finnish Air Force]] had adopted as their symbol in 1918. Despite the similarity, it was not a Nazi design but was based on the personal owner; [[Eric von Rosen]] had donated the first aircraft to the Air Force.|alt=A Finnish bomber plane is being refueled by hand by six servicemen at an air base on a frozen lake.]]

At the beginning of the war, Finland had a small air force, with only 114 combat planes fit for duty. Missions were limited, and [[fighter aircraft]] were mainly used to repel Soviet bombers. Strategic bombings doubled as opportunities for military [[reconnaissance]]. Old-fashioned and few in number, aircraft offered little support for Finnish ground troops. In spite of losses, the number of planes in the [[Finnish Air Force]] rose by over 50 per cent by the end of the war.<ref name="Peltonen_607-608">[[#Peltonen|Peltonen (1999)]], pp. 607–608</ref> The Finns received shipments of British, French, Italian, Swedish and American aircraft.<ref>[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], p. 189</ref>

Finnish fighter pilots often flew their motley collection of planes into Soviet formations that outnumbered them 10 or even 20 times. Finnish fighters shot down 200 Soviet aircraft, while losing 62 of their own on all causes.<ref name="Tillo1993_160">[[#Tillotson1993|Tillotson (1993)]], p. 160</ref> Finnish anti-aircraft guns downed more than 300 enemy aircraft.<ref name= "Tillo1993_160"/> Often, a Finnish forward [[air base]] consisted of a frozen lake, a [[windsock]], a telephone set and some tents. Air-raid warnings were given by Finnish women organised by the [[Lotta Svärd]].<ref>[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], pp. 191–192</ref> The top scoring fighter ace was [[Jorma Sarvanto]], with 12.83 victories. He would increase his tally during the Continuation War.