Air Defence in Northern Europe
Air Defence in Northern EuropeAIR POWER BEFORE WORLD WAR II
Sweden
Military aviation in Sweden began in the Navy in 1911 and in the Army in 1912, again through donations of aircraft. In the period from 1911 to 1917 the Army acquired a total of 42 aircraft, of which 12 were donated by individual persons or associations and the Navy obtained 22, of which 14 were donations.l5
Sweden had 8 military aircraft, 4 in the Army and 4 in the Navy, and 20 military pilots at the time when the First World War broke out. The war in Europe with its air operations raised the question of a possible attack on Sweden from the air. The idea of a combined air organization was also raised, but weariness with military matters and a trust in "eternal peace" and the League of Nations buried these initiatives once the war was over.l8
The main concern of the politicians was to cut defence spending. They considered organizing an independent Air Force as a mean of rationalizing the Armed Forces.48 So, when the question of a united air organization was raised again in 1924, the Riksdagen was ready to act. A positive decision was reached, and the second oldest independent air force in Northern Europe, Flygvapnet, came into being on 1st July 1926. Its initial organizational structure included four air stations, at Uppsala, Hägernäs, Malmen/Karlsborg and …Stersund, and one flying school, at Ljungbyhed. The aircraft included types such as Nieuport, Phönix, Albatros and Dront. The Fokker CV-E S 6 became the standard reconnaissance plane for army purposes and the Heinkel He 5 S 5 for the same mission in naval operations. The Avro 504 and Albatros were eventually abandoned in favour of the Heinkel HD 35 Sk 6 as a trainer model at Ljungbyhed. The Air Force's own workshop, CVM, manufactured Fokker aircraft under license at Malmslätt.l6
The goal for the 'first development phase' in 1926-1936 was a force of 230 combat aircraft, but the necessary resources were not granted, and thus the total number of combat aircraft in 1935 was about 70 and the number of trainers about 10.l6
When the second development phase, for the period 19361946, started, threatening signs were already visible in the international security environment. The new defence decision therefore included considerable improvements to Flygvapnet. The total number of wings in the organization was to be increased to seven, with one flying school:
- F 1, bomber, Västerås
- F 4, bomber, Frösön
- F 6, bomber, Karlsborg
- F 7, bomber, Såtenäs
- F 8, fighter, Barkarby
- F 2, naval torpedo and reconnaissance, Hägernäs
- F 3, army reconnaissance, Malmslätt
- F 5, flying school, Ljungbyhed
In addition to the general staff, the wing organization included three divisions, each having 12 aircraft in bomber, army reconnaissance, torpedo and two navy reconnaissance units. One navy reconnaissance division had 8 aircraft, and the three fighter divisions each had 15 airplanes. Altogether the development plan comprised 257 combat aircraft and about 80 trainer aircraft.l6 The effect of the international preference for bombers can clearly be seen in the very heavy dominance of the bomber wings in the development planning.
The domestic aircraft industry also was considered very important in Sweden, and the Swedish Railway Workshop's Aircraft Division in Linköping and the new Swedish Aircraft Factory at Trollhättan carried out production under license and eventually also generated some original designs.16
When the World War II broke out in September 1939, some progress had been made according to the plan, but it was only in its initial phase, of course. The total number of aircraft was about 180, of which there were 40 Junkers Ju 86 B 3 bombers,30 Hawker Hart B 4 light bombers, 50 Gloster Gladiator J 8 fighters, 25 Fokker CV-E S 6 army reconnaissance aircraft, 25 Heinkel He 5 S 5 maritime reconnaissance aircraft, 10 Heinkel He 115 T 2 torpedo aircraft and about 80 elementary and advanced trainers.l6 The development of a fighter system had started only in that same year.l7
Anti-aircraft artillery was first regarded as a new specialized field artillery weapon system in Sweden in 1928, when an antiaircraft artillery regiment was established in Karlsborg. In 1937 anti-aircraft artillery planning was strengthened by organizing a specialized department for it at Headquarters. The anti-aircraft artillery in Sweden was permanently organized within the Army.l8
Latest Topic | Air Warfare | Symposium '98 | Fighter Tactics | Fighter Aircraft | Missiles | Fighter Aviation Topic | Fighter History | Warbirds | News Links | Current News | Links | Physiology | Photo Gallery | Bibliography | SIIVET - Wings | What's New
J Lindberg. Copyright © 1997-2006 Fighter Tactics Academy. All rights reserved.
Revised: tammikuu 04, 2006.