Swedish Air Force

[gekho]

The Hawker Osprey was the navalised carrier-borne version of the Hart, performing in the fighter and reconnaissance roles. The Osprey had a single Rolls-Royce Kestrel II engine, and had a max speed of 168 mph (270 km/h). Its armament consisted of a single forward .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and one .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun. The Osprey joined the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) in 1932, with just over 100 being built, and ended its career in 1944 after serving as a trainer for FAA pilots during her career in the Second World War. The Osprey was also sold to the Swedish Air Force being used on the seaplane cruiser HMS Gotland, which carried six Ospreys. The aircrafts sent to Sweden were Mercury-powered Ospreys, known as Nohabs. These remained operational as naval co-operation aircraft alongside Heinkel He 5s until 1940.

Source: Hawker Osprey - reconnaissance, spotter aircraft, Hawker Hart - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[vikingBerserker]

I've never heard of that one before, very cool!

 

[Gnomey]

Nice stuff!

 

[Wayne Little]

I've never heard of that one before, very cool!

Me either...

 

[gekho]

The Hawker Hart came into RAF service in January 1930 as a two-seat light bomber. The RAF kept their Harts in squadron service until 1939. The Swedish Air Force procured three Harts from Hawker to evaluate the design as a possible reconnaissance aircraft. Also a contract concerning license-production in Sweden was signed. The three British-built aircraft arrived to the Air Force in May of 1934 and were given the designation S 7 (S = Spaning = Reconnaissance). During the evaluation, successful tests with the Harts as a dive-bomber were executed. The Harts were re-designated B 4. A further 42 Harts were purchased from three manufacturers in Sweden; twenty-one airframes from The Central Workshops of the Air Force (CVM), eighteen airframes from AJSA at Linköping and three from Götaverken, a major shipyard in Gothenburg, which just had started an aircraft department. A total of 45 aircraft were supplied to the Air Force 1934-1939.

The three original British Harts (B 4) were fitted with Bristol Mercury VII engines of 580 hp. All, except two, of the Swedish manufactured aircraft were powered with the licence-built NOHAB Mercury VIIA engine (580 hp) and designated B 4A. The remaining two Harts were provided with the Bristol Perseus XI engine (755 hp). These aircraft got the designation B 4B. All Swedish Air Force Harts were equipped with ski landing gears as an alternative to wheels. The Harts were withdrawn as combat aircraft in 1940 and later used for target towing, weather reconnaissance, liaison etc. Most of the aircraft built made short careers as dive-bombers, but made an invaluable contribution in developing the dive bombing technique, later refined with the B 5 and B 17 aircraft. The Swedish Harts were armed with one fixed and one moveable 7,9 mm machine-gun. The aircraft were able to carry four 50 kg bombs or twelve smaller bombs. Five Harts were transferred to the Swedish voluntary Wing F 19, which operated in Finland during the Winter War 1939-40. Three of them were lost during the service.

Source: B 4 - Hawker Hart http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/sweden_f19.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Regiment_19,_Finnish_Air_Force http://www.sci.fi/~fta/flygvapenmuseum-2.htm http://www.avrosys.nu/aircraft/spaning/207s7/207S7.htm

 

[gekho]

After the Second World War a number of Fairey Fireflies were converted into target tugs, serving with the Fleet Air Arm, as well as with Sweden, Denmark, Holland and Australia. The TT.1 was produced for Sweden to fulfil an order from Svensk Flygjanst, the company that provided target-towing services to the Swedish armed forces. It was producing by mounting a Type 'B' Mark 2B cable winch on a windlass arm on the port side of the fuselage, just forward of the rear cockpit. Fourteen were ordered, of which twelve went to Sweden (starting in December 1948) and two to Denmark. Both countries later acquired four more TT.1s. The Swedish aircraft remained in service until June 1964.

Source: Fairey Firefly Target Tugs Fairey Firefly TT.1 – Pacific warrior turned target tug « Shortfinals's Blog Aircraft

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff. Here's one awaiting restoration at Duxford, UK.

 

[Lucky13]

Had to go back and visit this thread again, great stuff!

 

[vikingBerserker]

I really need to visit there.

 

[Rogi]

Any Swedish He-115 pics? I love the aircraft in swedish colors and I had a link to a ton of pics, but I lost it in my fav. section :S If I find it I'll post it here Really amazing bird

I plan to do a Diorama, there were pics when she was at a shelter. Really cool stuff

 

[Lucky13]

The T 1 was not a success, but had at least given the experience that a new torpedo aircraft had to be twin engined. The choice for the successor to the T 1 fell on another Heinkel design, the He 115. Twelve aircraft of the variant Heinkel He 115 A-2 were ordered in the summer of 1938. The dozen Heinkels were delivered to Wing F 2 at Hägernäs near Stockholm from April to October 1939. The Swedish designation was T 2. They got the Air Force numbers 101-112. Further six aircraft were ordered, but were never delivered due to the outbreak of WWII.
About 400 He 115 were manufactured between 1937 and 1944. All, except six aircraft for Norway and the twelve for Sweden, were built for the German Luftwaffe. He 115 was a big aircraft with weak defensive armament. It was an easy prey for the Allied fighter aircraft and suffered from heavy losses.

The variant for the Swedish Air Force, He 115 A-2 was equipped with two BMW 132 K engines, each delivering 850 hp. This engine was a German licence manufactured Pratt Whitney Hornet. The armament consisted of two moveable 8 mm machine guns and one torpedo m/38 or m/41. As an alternative to the torpedo, two 250 kg bombs could be carried. The crew consisted of three; pilot, observer and radio operator/gunner.

The trials were very successful. The He 115 showed itself to be a sturdy aircraft that behaved well both in the air and on water. They made an invaluable contribution to the neutrality guard during the WWII. Except for torpedo launchings missions, the aircraft also were intended to be used as a bomber, smoke screening and long distance reconnaissance missions. Unfortunately, five of the twelve aircraft were lost behind repair in crashes.

On the 9th of April 1940, Germany occupied both Denmark and the most important parts of Norway in a lightning attack -operation Weserübung. In connection to this, Germany dictated a number of terms to Sweden, terms which were impossible for the Swedish government to agree with. The Germans demanded, for instance, that Sweden did not mobilize further troops. Germany demanded also Sweden to let three railway trains each of 30-40 wagons loaded with war material to be transferred trough Sweden to Narvik.

The Swedish refusal resulted in a crisis in the relationship between Sweden and Germany. As a war situation seemed possible, the T 2s left their permanent base at Hägernäs. They were relocated to Gålö, a war base in the archipelago south of Stockholm. The work to enlarge the Gålö base started immediately. Until more workshops and living quarters were built ashore, the navy ships Dristigheten and Rane was use as floating accommodation.

As alternative bases, Märsgarn (south of Gålö), Gryt and Loftahammar were also used during the years of preparedness.

Other war bases were also used. The widespread archipelago provided many suitable places for operations and good camouflage of the aircraft and equipment.

The aircraft were based off F 2 at Hägernäs until the WWII was over.

The aircraft commander/observer of No. 106 looks out for orders.

No. 106 before take-off.

Fighting face of the pilot of aircraft 107.

The observer (normally commander of the aircraft) at his position in the nose. Note the eccentric mounted 7,9 mm machine gun.

The legendary aviator Albin Ahrenberg (1889 – 1968.) takes a step on the wing of a T 2. Around 1930, Ahrenberg made himself a name after some daring flights to Greenland. In the twenties and the thirties, Albin Ahrenberg made innumerable and always faultless sightseeing flights all over the country – creating a great goodwill for aviation among the Swedish people.

During the years of WWII, the popular Ahrenberg, from the beginning a naval aviator, served as base commander at Gålö. He often flew the T 2 himself.

One of the shelters at Gålö.

Summer in the archipelago of Stockholm. Idyllic, but the war is not far away. T 2 No. 102 at readiness at the beautiful shore of Gålö.

No. 109 before take-off. Note the torpedo raft at the extreme right.

Mechanics working with cylinder and exhaust pipe in the sun outside a workshop tent at Gålö.

Engine overhaul in summer 1940.

No. 106 in a hide-away along the shore.

The Squdron parading in the open waters east-north-east of the Gålö base. Note the moored navy ship in the background (yellow circle) -HMS Dristigheten. This ship was built in 1901 as a 1st class armoured vessel. In 1927 she was converted into an aircraft depot ship. Her heavy and medium guns were removed and she got a larger th deckhouse with space for workshops etc. A heavy crane was fitted for hoisting aircraft aboard.

When F 2 rebased to Gålö in 1940, Dristigheten was initially used as a receiving ship.

To the right of Dristigheten, you can see the main base area at Gålö. Compare with the chart below!

Chart over Stockholm area. Hägernäs, ordinary base of F2 at top.

HMS Dristigheten with aircraft aboard.

The Lucerna War Base

The island of Lucerna , or as it sometimes was spelled – Luzerna - was incorporated to the town of Västervik in 1906.

During the thirties, the island of Lucerna was chosen as wartime base for the naval Air Force Wing F 2, which had its main base at Hägernäs near Stockholm . At the outbreak of WWII in 1939, no permanent facilities for the aviation existed on the island. Nevertheless, it was used frequently by the 3rd Squadron of F 2 as base for duties as neutrality guard and escort of shipping convoys. Hawker Osprey (S 9) aircraft were initially used.

The harbour at Lucerna had the advantage to have open water in the winter when other bases like Gålö were impossible to use due to the ice situation. A group of the 2nd Squadron of F 2 was based at Lucerna from time to time. They flew the modern T 2 and were also used as neutrality guard and protection of shipping, mainly convoys of ships laden with iron ore for Germany .

In 1941, the personnel were accommodated aboard the aircraft depot ship HMS Dristigheten and the steamer S/S Rane. Two years later, a permanent base was built on the island. Jetties for mooring, a slipway and a concrete apron with space for four aircraft were constructed. Barracks to accommodate flying and ground personnel, a store and a workshop were built.

Other types of aircraft were also based at Lucerna during the war. S5 Hansa, Tp 8 Waco, S 12 He 114 and the most modern of them all; the SAAB S17BS.

After the war, the facilities at Lucerna were used by a civil aviation company (Ostkustflyg) for some years.

The island of Lucerna is now famous for housing the biggest gas turbine in the world. The deep-water harbour of Västervik is located at the island.

The drawing below by Lars E. Lundin shows the base as it appeared in 1943.

A T 2 is flying low over the jetties from the north.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Excellent Jan! I had no idea they were used by Sweden.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Man that guy is low!

 

[parsifal]

brilliant stuff guys

 

[Dispatcher1]

I am enjoying this discussion and the photos very much! I just found this today doing some research for my artwork. Can anyone tell me if there is any documented instances of air combat between Swedish aircraft and any other nation during WW II? I am familiar with F19 in Finland, and I just read that a J20 was lost to a Do.24, and I was curious what other engagements may have occurred. I also wondered if there is any confirmed or claimed aerial victories by any Swedish pilot (other than F19) in the history of the RSAF. I would very much someday like to visit Sweden and see the Air Force Museum. Thank you and keep the good information coming!

 

[michaelmaltby]

".....is any documented instances of air combat between Swedish aircraft and any other nation during WW II?"

Define "combat" .....

Lots of USAAF bombers/crew interred in Sweden (and LW and RAF too, I'm guessing) Sweden was vigorous about her neutrality, for the most part, IIRC

MM

 

[Dispatcher1]

I guess my definition would be any active engagement between aircraft involving an exchange of fire...regardless of whether a "kill" was scored. Perhaps just an interception of a foreign aircraft in Swedish airspace that may have been contentious. I'm just looking for interesting scenarios that might make a good painting that involves aircraft other than the "usual" Spitfires, Mustangs, etc., and representing some of the less dominant air forces of the war.

 

[Boa]

Not a "kill", but a combat report.
In Ulf Dahlquists book "Jaktpilot 1942" (Fighterpilot 1942)( ISBN: 9197160598 ) .
He claimed to have fired Warningshoots with his J-22 at a JU-52, just outside the coast of Gothenburg, in spring 1944.

 

[Dispatcher1]

Thanks, Boa. Is that book available in English translation?

 

[Boa]

I dont think so.
Here is a translation of the incident from Goolgetranslation...

warning shots at a German Ju 52 on a northerly course too close to the coast near Gothenburg on a spring day in 1944. He was worried that the back shooter (Gunner) would open fire. As I approached the aircraft to fly up the side of it was noticed that suddenly there was a shooter (Gunner) in an opening in the fuselage top, a piece in front of the fin .... The urge to kindly fly up next to The 52 nd, and start waving hands to get the swastika decorated machine to move from Sweden disappeared immediately. "
After some (fake attacks) and other demonstration mer ineffective fired Dahlquist a short volley above the Junkers right wing, and he saw the hits in the water. Then finally swung the German plane off the coast.

Dahlquist believe that the German pilot chose to fly close to the coast because there was a severe storm front a bit out. And he saw the terrified passengers behind cabin windows. He thanks his lucky stars that the German shooter (gunner) not opened fire.

I know its a cr**y translation but...
Im not sure, but i think he flew from Ängelholm, F-10 squad. in these colurs:
File:FFVS J 22 01.jpg - Wikimedia Commons