The first encounter between Soviet and Finnish aircraft took place on the 1st December 1939 (the day after hostilities began). At around 1145 six Polikarpov I-16s of the 7.IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment) got the jump on two Bristol Bulldog Mk.IVAs from LLv26 (Squadron). Both bulldogs were separated and Ylikersantti (Staff Sergeant) Toivo Uuttu soon found himself alone against the Soviet planes. He engaged one I-16 ( nicknamed 'Siipiorava' Flying Squirrel by the Finns) and scored several hits before he himself was shot down. He crashed near Muolaanjärvi (A lake now known as Glubokoje since the area was ceded to Russia) and suffered injuries as a result. The I-16 Uuttu had engaged was also reported to have crashed and so became the first aerial victory for the Finns over Finnish Soil, and indeed it was the first aerial engagement over Finland in history. The kill was recorded as probably as it wasn't witnessed.
A Bristol Bulldog of the type used by Ylikersantti Uuttu
Uuttu reported:-
"I flew southeast of Muolaanjärvi but I did not see any movements so I descended lower. Suddenly I saw tracers flying all around me. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw three I-16s attacking me. I pulled up and left and as they overtook me, I was able to fire a short burst on passing I-16. I hit his engine and saw black smoke coming out of the engine. It started sliding downward smoking. Tracers were flying all around my plane. Suddenly my plane shuddered and when I pulled on stick, it did not move. I considered jumping, but in fear that they might shoot me on parachute I decided to fight it out to the last. I continued evading my attackers using only rudder and aerlions. We had descended to altitude of 200m and when I looked behind, I saw one still shooting. I shut off my engine and tried to make a forced landing to forest. When landing, I pulled with all of my strength on the stick and it moved back a little bit, but then the Bulldog hit the woods and I passed away."
The 7.IAP reported that day one Reconnaissance Aircraft was shot down between 1230 and 1315 at Muolaa. It was claimed by three pilots, Starshiy Leytenant (Senior Lieutenant) Fedor Shinkarenko (Eskadrilya/Flight leader), Starshiy Politruk (Senior Political Commissar) Gabriel Didenko and B. A. Grigoryev. The I-16 that was reported to have crashed appears to belong to Leytenant Petr Pokryshev who was forced to land at Kerrola, Muolaa after suffering engine failure, possibly due to the engagement with Ylikersantti Uuttu.
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