Svea Air Corps (), also F 8 Barkarby, or simply F 8, is a former
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force ( or just ) is the air force Military branch, branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalatin ...
air corps wing with the main base located in
Barkarby
Barkarby, also known as Barkarbystaden is an area in Järfälla Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, and part of the contiguously built-up Stockholm urban area. It is currently undergoing a large urban development through the Barkarbystaden pro ...
just north of the capital
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
on the east coast.
History
The meadows in the area were used since 1913 for basic flying training. From 1919 until 1936 the airport was a permanent international airport until the commercial traffic was transferred to the newly built
Stockholm-Bromma Airport with paved runways.
From 1926 until 1938 the airfield was also used for evaluation of new aircraft for the
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force ( or just ) is the air force Military branch, branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalatin ...
. Units from other wings were also stationed here for air defense of the capital
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
.
In 1936, the decision was made to set up a permanent fighter air wing. Three squadrons of
J 8 were initially detached to the
Västmanland Wing
Västmanland Wing (), also F 1 Hässlö, or simply F 1, is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located at Hässlö Airport in Västerås in central Sweden.
History
The 1st Flying Corps was set up near Västerås City on 1 July 192 ...
(F 1) but moved to Barkarby on October 1, 1938. The aircraft were rather quickly replaced in 1940 by
J 9.
In 1945 after the end of the war, the squadrons were reequipped with
J 22. Some of the aircraft were received from
F 16
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolve ...
and
F 9. A few
J 21A-1 were also stationed here initially for trials and training.
In 1949 the squadrons were gradually converted to
jets with the introduction of
J 28B Vampire. They were in turn replaced in 1952 with
J 29 Tunnan.
In 1957 the squadrons received the
J 34 Hunter. They were kept until 1964 when the three squadrons were disbanded and the aircraft were transferred to other wings. The name was changed to ''Kungliga Svea Flygkår'' (Royal Svealand Air Corps).
In 1961 a decision was made to base the new high-altitude
Rb 68 Bloodhound surface-to-air missile at F 8 and replace the fighters. F 8 Barkarby became the technical centre in
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
for training officers and conscripts for using the new missiles.
F 8 remained an active military base until the decommissioning in 1974 when it was opened for general aviation.
The airfield is known today as
Barkarby Airport
Barkarby Airport was a disbanded Swedish Air Force base, near Akalla north of Stockholm used for general aviation. Barkarby Airport was one of Sweden’s oldest active airports until it was closed in 2010. A large shopping complex is still sit ...
and was used until 2010 for general aviation for hobby flyers and enthusiasts with small planes. The area around F8 has been heavily developed in the beginning of the 21st century, with a big Outlet shoppingcenter, Ikea store and numerous other stores. In 2010 the airfield was closed down permanently. The municipality is now building office and living areas on the former airfield and surroundings.
Barracks and training areas
The Hägerstalund Airfield at
Barkarby
Barkarby, also known as Barkarbystaden is an area in Järfälla Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, and part of the contiguously built-up Stockholm urban area. It is currently undergoing a large urban development through the Barkarbystaden pro ...
, 20 km northwest of
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, was built in 1918 by the Aviation Company (''Flygkompaniet'') and was used from 1926 by the ''Stabens flygavdelning''. New construction for the wing took place from 1937 to 1944. The wing had an
underground hangar
Underground most commonly refers to:
* Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth
Underground may also refer to:
Places
* Buenos Aires Underground, a rapid transit system
* London Underground, a rapid transit system
* ...
and the runway, which was in an east-west direction, was 2,000 m long.
File:Barkarby - KMB - 16001000290824.jpg, Aerial view in 1979
File:F 8 Barkarby 5.jpg, Chancellery building
File:F 8 Barkarby maj 2018 (02).jpg, Control tower
File:F 8 Barkarby maj 2018 (01).jpg, Guardhouse
File:F 8 Barkarby maj 2018 (03).jpg, Hangar
File:Barkarby flygbas augusti 2017 18.jpg, Hangar
File:Barkarby flygbas augusti 2017 02.jpg, Runway
File:Barkarby flygfält 2013 hangar.jpg, Underground hangar
Heraldry and traditions
Coat of arms
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct an accurate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visual d ...
: "Azure, powdered with open crowns and charged with the
cost of arms of Stockholm, the crowned head of
Saint Eric couped, all or".
Colours, standards and guidons
A colour was presented to the wing on 6 June 1939 at
Barkarby
Barkarby, also known as Barkarbystaden is an area in Järfälla Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, and part of the contiguously built-up Stockholm urban area. It is currently undergoing a large urban development through the Barkarbystaden pro ...
by His Majesty the King
Gustaf V
Gustaf V (Oscar Gustaf Adolf; 16 June 1858 – 29 October 1950) was King of Sweden from 8 December 1907 until his death in 1950. He was the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau, a half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxe ...
. The colour was deposited on 1 July 1974 at Air Defence Sector O5 (
F 1) for around 1990 being submitted to the
Swedish Army Museum
The Swedish Army Museum () is a museum of military history located in the district of Östermalm in Stockholm. It reopened in 2002 after a long period of closure, and was awarded the title of the best museum of Stockholm in 2005. Its displays il ...
. Since 1999, it has been preserved at F 8's old officers' mess.
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct an accurate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visual d ...
: "On blue cloth in the centre the badge of the Air Force; a winged two-bladed propeller under a royal crown proper. In the first corner the crowned head of
Saint Eric couped, all or".
Commanding officers
Commanding officers from 1938 to 1974. The commanding officers was referred to as ''flottiljchef'' ("wing commander") and had the rank of
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
. From 1963 to 1974, the commander was referred to as ''kårchef'' ("corps commander") and had the rank of colonel.
*1938–1941: Georg Gärdin
*1941–1952: Lars Hägglöf
*1952–1963: Sven Uggla
*1963–1967:
Nils-Fredrik Palmstierna
Freiherr#Swedish and Danish–Norwegian title, ''Friherre'' Generalmajor, Major General Nils-Fredrik Palmstierna (8 March 1919 – 5 August 1990) was a Swedish Air Force officer. His senior commands include the post of Chief of the Defence Staff ...
*1967–1974: Stig Bruse
Names, designations and locations
See also
*
List of military aircraft of Sweden
This is a list of Swedish military aircraft since its start. It is not guaranteed to be up-to-date or to be accurate, or complete. Aircraft still in service noted.
Early aircraft
Early balloons of the Army and Navy
Early Navy
(The aviation cor ...
References
Notes
Print
*
Web
*
External links
Webpage listing all air force squadrons in SwedenBarkarby Airport history
{{coord, 59.4125, N, 17.8750, E, source:wikidata, display=title
Corps of the Swedish Air Force
Military units and formations established in 1938
Military units and formations disestablished in 1974
1938 establishments in Sweden
1974 disestablishments in Sweden
Stockholm Garrison