Jump to content

Skaraborg Wing: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 58°26′10″N 12°43′12″E / 58.4361°N 12.7200°E / 58.4361; 12.7200
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
mNo edit summary
m Saftgurka moved page F 7 Såtenäs to Skaraborg Air Force Wing
(No difference)

Revision as of 10:53, 15 March 2019

Skaraborg Air Force Wing
Skaraborgs flygflottilj
Active1940–present
CountrySweden
AllegianceSwedish Armed Forces
BranchSwedish Air Force
TypeWing
RoleBomb wing (1943–1951)
Attack wing (1951–1998)
Fighter wing (1998–2004)
School wing (2005–2015)
Fighter wing (2016–)
Garrison/HQSåtenäs
March"The Solitaire" (Hållander)[note 1]
WebsiteOfficial website
Commanders
Current
commander
Col. Lars Helmrich
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
AttackA 21A, A 21RA/B, A 29B, A 32A, AJ 37, AJS 37
BomberB 3, B 5, B 16, B 17A/B/C, B 18B
Multirole helicopterHk 2, Hkp 9B, Hkp 10A
Trainer helicopterSk 11, Sk 12, Sk 15, Sk 16, Sk 50, Sk 60
TransportTp 9, Tp 55, Tp 79, Tp 83, TP 84, TP 101
G 101, Se 102, Se 103, Se 104, JAS 39A/B, JAS 39C/D

Skaraborg Air Force Wing (Swedish: Skaraborgs flygflottilj), also F 7 Såtenäs, or simply F 7, is a Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located near Lidköping in south-central Sweden.

History

The main hangar.

The decision to set up the air wing was made in 1936, but disagreements in choosing a location delayed the commissioning. The Såtenäs estate was chosen for its good location and close proximity to suitable target ranges, and was purchased for 685,000 Swedish krona in 1938.

The first squadrons were set up with B 16A Caproni purchased from Italy at the start of World War II. These wooden framed aircraft were not suitable for the Nordic climate and soon got the nickname "flying coffins". They were replaced in 1941 by the Swedish B 17A that served throughout the war.

In 1946, the three bomber squadrons were converted to attack squadrons with the introduction of A 21, although for a brief number of years between 1948–1951, B 18 medium bombers were transferred from the Västmanland Air Force Wing (F 1).

The wing converted to jet aircraft in 1951 receiving A 21R converted from fighter to attack role from F 10 Ängelholm. These were only kept for three years until the introduction of A 29B Tunnan in 1954. After only two years, they were in turn replaced by the new A 32A in 1956.

In 1964, a new transport squadron was set up with the introduction of the Tp 84 Hercules. Initially, only one aircraft was purchased, but a total of eight were introduced between 1965 and 1985. They are currently being used in international transport of Swedish Armed Forces. The first example acquired (84001) was withdrawn from use on 9 June 2014, with the second scheduled to follow within the year.[2]

In 1973 the AJ 37 Viggen replaced the A 32, and the number of attack squadrons was reduced from three to two. The Viggens served until 1993, when one squadron was converted to the new JAS 39 Gripen. The second squadron followed suit in 1998.

F 7 is the main center for the entire Gripen system, and all training of pilots (including that of foreign operators) is carried out here.

Commanding officers

The commanding officer was referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander") from 1940 to 1974 and had the rank of colonel. The commanding officer was was referred to as sektorflottiljchef ("sector wing commander") from 1976 to 1981 and had the rank of colonel 1st class. His deputy was sometimes referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander"). These latter are not listed in the list below. The commanding officer is since 1994 referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander") and has the rank of colonel.

  • 1940–1945: Folke Ramström
  • 1945–1950: Ingvar Berg
  • 1950–1957: Stig Norén
  • 1957–1958: Åke Sundén
  • 1958–1968: Folke Barkman
  • 1968–1972: Bengt Lehander
  • 1972–1978: Karl-Erik Fernander
  • 1978–1985: Björn Amelin
  • 1985–1993: Stig Abrahamsson
  • 1993–1998: Krister Backryd
  • 1998–2001: Jan Andersson
  • 2001–2005: Fredrik Hedén
  • 2006–2008: Ingemar Adolfsson
  • 2009–2013: Ingela Mathiasson
  • 2013–2013: Per Danielsson
  • 2013–2016: Michael Cherinet
  • 2016–20xx: Lars Helmrich

Names, designations and locations

Name Translation From To
Kungl. Värmlands flygflottilj Royal Värmland Air Force Wing 1936-??-?? 1938-??-??
Kungl. Göta flygflottilj Royal Göta Air Force Wing 1938-??-?? 1940-??-??
Kungl. Skaraborgs flygflottilj Royal Skaraborg Air Force Wing 1940-07-01 1974-12-31
Skaraborgs flygflottilj Skaraborg Air Force Wing 1975-01-01
Designation From To
F 7 1940-07-01 1969-06-30
F 7/Se W2 1969-07-01 1981-06-30
F 7 1981-07-01
Location From To
Såtenäs Airport 1940-07-01

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ The march was adopted and established on 1 December 1972.[1]

References

Notes

  1. ^ Sandberg 2007, p. 41
  2. ^ "Swedish Air Force's First Hercules Withdrawn from Use". Air Forces Monthly (317): 11. August 2014.

Print

  • Sandberg, Bo (2007). Försvarets marscher och signaler förr och nu: marscher antagna av svenska militära förband, skolor och staber samt igenkännings-, tjänstgörings- och exercissignaler (in Swedish) (New ed.). Stockholm: Militärmusiksamfundet med Svenskt marscharkiv. ISBN 978-91-631-8699-8. SELIBR 10413065. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Web

58°26′10″N 12°43′12″E / 58.4361°N 12.7200°E / 58.4361; 12.7200