especially as Finland has just joined NATO - it's also a signal to the Finns that we're with them.

But the Russians have always been wary of the Finns

But the Swedish Airforce using their Viggens did do it on tree lined single carriageway roads about 25 - 30 years ago.

Not much need for 6 lane highways in rural Scandinavia - only confuses the locals who like a nice, empty. narrow straight road to drive home on after a few beers

Or more than a few in Finland

The Russians tried to take over Finland during WW2 and failed and have been making 'inadvertant' incursions onto Finnish territory ever since.

You are correct, but could have taken it further; SwAF Drakens were doing it in the 60s (thats why, like the Viggen, the Draken's fin folds flat to park it in a roadside bunker). Amongst Baltic nations the concept is probably not unique, but the comparison was being made with operators in the UK and the central European plain, where the landscape is more open, wider carriageway are plentiful, and yet it is still seen as a novelty.

They didn't fail entirely – they got, and retain, a big chunk of eastern Finland (Karelia).

Karelia - almost entirely off-topic but the Karelia Suite by Sibelius is a favourite, as is his 'The Swan of Tuonela".

And now back to things aviation...

RAF cockpit views of the landing and take off.. at the likes of Bruggen, the taxiway was a standby runway that was as wide.

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/amaz...lands-on-road/

"The Russians tried to take over Finland during WW2 and failed and have been making 'inadvertant' incursions onto Finnish territory ever since."

But interestingly it was the Russian Communist Party who gave them independence in 1918 - under the then Commissioner for Nationalities - one J V Stalin.

During the Cold War Russia was reasonably happy with the status quo - a neutral Finland was much more useful and a lot less bother than having them inside the big tent. And being so close to Leningrad it was a lot more useful than Austria