"The aircraft type is Douglas DC-2 (DC = Douglas Commercial). The DC-2 was further developed, and the next version is the well-known DC-3, which is also known as the "Dakota" or "Skytrain". Over 14,000 DC-3's were manufactured and many of them are still being flown today.
Regular Flight 1935-1937
This aircraft was handed over to the Royal Netherlands Airline, KLM with the aircraft registration of PH-AKH and was named " DE HAAN", meaning "rooster". A total of 156 DC-2's were built. Today, there are only eight DC-2's remaining in the world. There is only one flyable and modernised DC-2 in Europe.
This aircraft type revolutionised civil aviation and for the first time also the middle classes had the opportunity to experience flying.
The Russo-Finnish War (Winter War) 1940
The aircraft did not see much use during the Winter War. Hanssin-Jukka was used to fly the only bombing flight ever with a DC-2.
Interim peace 1940
Hanssin-Jukka at Luonetjärvi during the interim peace in August 1940. During the interim peace the aircraft was used, for example, for aerial photography and transportation.
The Continuation War 1941-1944
During the Continuation War Hanssin- Jukka was used to transport supplies to the front: for example fuel for tanks. Wounded soldiers were evacuated on the return flights.
It also flew crews to Germany to get military aircraft to Finland.
Hanssin-Jukka was badly damaged during these tasks but was repaired and flew again.
After the wars 1945-
The war over. The toll of the war can be seen in the camouflage paint. The swastika emblem was replaced by the blue-and white roundel.
Hanssin- Jukka was renovated after the war. The camouflage paint was removed and the aircraft got a shiny aluminium finish.
The final flight of Hanssin-Jukka was glorious, even dramatic. It had already in principle been decommissioned from flying service, when it was decided on 31 May that Hanssin-Jukka would be used for an urgent patient flight when a fighter pilot's wife suffered a critical respiratory paralysis. Thanks to the patient flight, the patient survived and Hanssin- Jukka ended its 20 year flying career in a glorious fashion.
The total flight hours were 7579 h 35 min. This translates into almost a year of continuous flying and approximately 1.5 million kilometres. The total distance travelled by Hanssin-Jukka is almost 40 times around the Earth.
As a café 1959-1981
Sergeant Major Osmo Rantala, who was one of the pilots of the aircraft, had a significant role in rescuing Hanssin-Jukka and turning it into a café. Using an aircraft as a café was unique concept in Finland. In addition to being a pilot, Osmo Rantala was a dedicated sports shooter and a World Champion shooter. As the leader of the youth section of Häme Province Hunting Club, he got an exceptional idea to collect funding for coaching young sport shooters: let's turn Hanssin- Jukka into a café in Hämeenlinna, in the area where the bus station is today. After many phases and complications the Hanssin-Jukka Aircraft Café was opened to the public on 19 August 1959.
Without Osmo Rantala's daring but successful idea Hanssin-Jukka would probably have been demolished and then been only a number or a footnote in the Air Force history books. operated as a café until the late 1970s when its appeal and attraction had already faded. As a café, this "Härmän häjy" became a landmark for Hämeenlinna and Finland's most well-known aircraft.
Restoration 2009-2011
After Hanssin-Jukka ended its career as a café the Association of Flight Regiment 3 (Lentorykmentti 3:n Kilta) in Karelia Air Command was able to save the aircraft from being scrapped or sold to foreign collectors. Osmo Rantala was still a central figure in this project to save Hanssin-Jukka to wait for better days in Finland.
In November 1981 Hanssin- Jukka was moved to Luonetjärvi and it waited there for almost 30 years for the actual restoration to begin. The Air Force Academy Guild had already restored an old Blenheim bomber and took on the challenge to restore Hanssin-Jukka as a museum aircraft. The Guild completed the demanding restoration with the help of different entities and individuals, mainly during 2009-2011.
Restoration complete 2011
The restored was revealed in Tikkakoski on the Finnish Air Force's Commemmoration Day on 7 September 2011. The aircraft had to wait for its final display location until June 2015, when it was put on display in the Hanssin-Jukka Hanger , here in Shopping Centre Tuulos.
Many have been disappointed that Hanssin-Jukka could not be displayed anywhere in the Jyväskylä region, but equally as many have expressed joy that the aircraft is once again in Hämeenlinna. The most important thing, surely, is that Hanssin- Jukka is on display as its worthy and honourable history demands."
//Text from: hanssinjukka.fi
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