Military Hans Högman
Copyright © Hans Högman 2021-01-18

The Swedish Volunteer Corps in Finland - 7

Swedish F 19 Air Wing in Finland - Pilots and Air Gunners

Introduction

The Swedish Volunteer Air Wing in Finland or F 19 Finland was a Swedish volunteer flying unit forming an air wing in 1940 in Finland during the Winter War. To help Finland, the Swedish Air Staff began preparations to raise a volunteer flying unit with a fighter aircraft squadron and a bomber squadron to be used in North Finland with the Swedish Volunteer Corps. The Commander of the Volunteer Air Force Wing was Major Hugo Beckhammar. There were about 240 enlisted volunteers (airmen and ground crew) who at the end of December went to Kemi in North Finland to prepare an airbase in Veitsiluoto. On 30 December, the government ruled that combat aircraft were to be put to the disposal of the volunteer air wing; four bombers B 4 Hawker Hart, and twelve fighter aircraft J 8 Gloster Gladiator. More information about the Swedish aircraft. On 7 January 1940 the Wing’s main airbase in Veitsiluoto, south of Kemi, Finland, was ready and operational and on 10 January the aircraft arrived from Sweden with Swedish crews. Two days later, on 12 March the F 19 Air Wing carried out their first mission in Finland when they attacked Soviet troops and an airbase at Märkäjärvi relieving hard-pressed Finnish units. To achieve a better range of aerial operations, five advanced airbases were organized, foremost on frozen lakes. More information about F 19 and the Swedish Volunteer Corps in Finland during the Winter War 1939 - 1940.

The Swedish airmen with the Swedish F 19 Volunteer Air Wing

Fighter Squadron, Bomber Squadron The uniform worn by the airmen on their respective photo below isn’t the Swedish Air Force uniform but the uniform worn by the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940 during the Winter War. Rank and troop insignias etc. are the insignias used by the Finnish Armed Forces. Photographer: Karl Johan Åke Sundström, 1940. Commander of the F 19 Air Wing, Major Gustaf Hugo Beckhammar, born on 30 October 1895 in Längbro, Örebro County, died on 31 March 1981 in Linköping. F 19 serial-no 901. During the Winter War 1939 – 1940, Major Hugo Beckhammar was the Commander of the Swedish F 19 Volunteer Air Wing in Finland. He was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 3rd Class after the war. In 1926, Beckhammar was commissioned Air Force Lieutenant. Promotions: Captain in 1931; Major in 1937; Lieutenant Colonel in 1941, and Colonel in 1942. Colonel Beckhammar was the Commander of the F 3 Östgöta Air Wing between 1941 and 1951. Married on 20 June 1925. The image to the right shows the Commander of the F 19 Air Wing, Major Hugo Beckhammar. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004273. Chief of Staff, Captain Björn Gustaf Eriksson Bjuggren, "Bjuggas", born on 29 January 1904 in Karlsborg, died on 4 April 1968 in Stockholm. F 19 serial-no 750. During the Winter War 1939 – 1940, Captain Björn Bjuggren was the Chief of Staff with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland. Captain Bjuggren was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 4th Class after the war. Promotions: Captain with the Air Force in 1937; Major in 1941; Lieutenant Colonel in 1943; Colonel 1946; Major General in 1952; Lieutenant General in the reserve 1964. Commander of the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing between 1942 and 1947. He became Head of the Air Force Academy (FKHS) in 1947. The image to the right shows Chief of Staff, Captain Björn Bjuggren. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004345. Air Wing Adjutant, Lieutenant Kurt Bengt Greger Fredrik HjalMarchson Falk, born on 13 March 1910 in Visby, died on 20 January 1990 in Djursholm (AB). F 19 serial-no 751. During the Winter War 1939 – 1940, Lieutenant Greger Falk was Air Wing Adjutant with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland. Lieutenant Falk was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 4th Class after the war. Promotions: commissioned Air Force Lieutenant in 1936; Captain in 1940; Major in 1944; Lieutenant Colonel in 1947; Colonel in 1951; Major General in 1959. Commander of the Södermanland Air Wing between 1949 and 1951. Author of the book "F 19 - a Chronicle". The image to the right shows Wing Adjutant, Lieutenant Björn Bjuggren. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004275.

Fighter Squadron

Commander of the Fighter Squadron, Captain Karl Gunnar Åke Söderberg, born on 22 April 1903 in Enköping, died on 2 August 1989 in Täby (AB). F 19 serial-no 872. Captain Åke Söderberg was the Commander of the F 19 Fighter Squadron in Finland until 28 February 1940 when he was granted a leave of absence to got to Stockholm since his wife had given birth to their son Pekka two days earlier. Promotions: Air Force Captain; Major. Married on 16 October 1937; remarried on 3 December 1965. The image to the right shows the Commander of the Fighter Squadron, Captain Åke Söderberg. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004286. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Friedrich Heinrich Ian Arnold Iacobi, born on 7 May 1916 in Stockholm, died on 22 August 2008 in Danderyd (AB). F 19 serial-no 873. On 12 January 1940 2Lt Iacobi became the first fighter pilot with the F 19 Wing in Finland to shoot down an enemy aircraft. At the end of February 1940, he became Acting Commander of the F 19 Fighter Squadron after Captain Söderberg’s leave of absence. After the end of the Winter War, he resumed service with the Swedish Air Force. Promotions: Iacobi was commissioned Air Force Second Lieutenant and a fighter pilot with F 8 Svea Air Wing in 1939; Lieutenant in 1941 with the F 10 Air Wing, Colonel in 1963. Commander of the F 10 Skånska Air Wing between 1962 and 1966. The image to the right shows the fighter pilot and later the Commander of the Fighter Squadron, Second Lieutenant Ian Iacobi. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004280. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Martin Wennerström, born on 8 October 1917 in Lidingö (AB), died on 5 February 1999 in Uppsala. F 19 serial-no 874. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down one enemy aircraft. After the end of the Winter War, he resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where he served with the F 13 Bråvalla Air Wing. Wennerström was promoted Lieutenant on 1 July 1941. Married on 30 June 1945. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Martin Wennerström. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004288. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Per-Johan Erik Salwén, born on 28 June 1917 in Enköping, died on 19 June 1943 in Malmö. F 19 serial- no 875. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down three enemy aircraft. 2Lt Salwén was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 4th Class after the war. After the end of the Winter War, he resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where Salwén served with the F 10 Skånska Air Wing as a Lieutenant. In 1943 he was a test pilot with the Air Force. On 19 January 1943, during a test flight of a prototype of the new Swedish fighter aircraft J 22 his aircraft crashed and Salwén was killed. Married on 19 July 1941. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Per-Johan Salwén. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004281. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Einar Tehler, born on 5 February 1917 in Varberg, died on 30 June 1986 in Vällingby (AB). F 19 serial-no 895. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down two enemy aircraft. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. After the end of the Winter War, Tehler resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where he served with the F 9 Göta Air Wing. Married on 5 January 1943. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Einar Tehler. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004285. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Roland Carl Ludvig Martin, born on 13 February 1917 in Munktorp (U), died on 4 December 1940 in Danderyd (AB). F 19 serial-no 869. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down one enemy aircraft. After the end of the Winter War, Martin resumed service with the Swedish Air Force. Roland Martin crashed his aircraft during a nocturnal flight at the Ljungbyhed airbase with an SK14 (NA 16-4M) aircraft. Martin was at the time studying at Ljungbyhed, an Air Force training college for officers. Unmarried. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Roland Martin. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004285. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant John Magnus Sjöqvist, born on 14 March 1918 in Karlshamn, Blekinge, died on 23 January 1940 in Märkäjärvi, Finland. F 19 serial-no 897. During an airstrike on 23 January 1940 on Soviet positions in Märkäjärvi, he was wounded midair in aerial combat with Soviet fighter aircraft. His Gladiator fighter caught fire and crashed behind enemy lines, in which Sjöqvist immediately was killed. Before the Winter War, he was studying at I an Air Force training college for officers. Mid-March, after the end of the war, his mortal remains were found and brought to Sweden for burial. On 12 June 1940, he was buried at the Stockholm North Cemetery. After his death, his parents founded a Memorial Fund; Air Force Officer John Sjöqvist Memorial Fund. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant John Sjöqvist. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004263. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Carl-Olof Steninger, born on 8 June 1918 in Mörkö (AB), died on 17 May 1946 in Stockholm. F 19 serial-no 896. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down two enemy aircraft together with Second Lieutenant Arne Frykholm. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. After the end of the Winter War, Steninger resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where he served as Lieutenant with the F 8 Svea Air Wing. Unmarried. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Carl-Olof Steninger. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004283. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Arne Frykholm, born on 1 February 1917 in Madras India, died on 4 June 2000 in Lidingö (AB). His father, Harald Frykholm, was a missionary in South India when Arne was born. F 19 serial-no 865. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down two enemy aircraft together with Second Lieutenant Carl-Olof Steninger. After Senior High School, Frykholm was drafted for military training with the Air Force. After the conscription period he was studying Medicine at the University of Uppsala. At the same time in 1938, he applied to become a student at the Ljugbyhed Training College for Officers to become a fighter pilot. After Officer College, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant with the F 8 Svea Air Wing in Barkaby, Stockholm. After the end of the Winter War, Steninger resumed service with the Swedish Air Force with the F 8 Air Wing. Frykholm finished his studies in Medicine after the end of WWII. In 1949 he got a position with the Air Force as a Medical Officer (Flight Surgeon). He continued his studies in Flight Medicine and attended the US Air Force School of Aviation Medicine, Royal Canadian Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine, and Royal Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine. Frykholm left the Air Force in 1969. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Arne Frykholm. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004279. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Joseph Gideon Karlsson, born on 10 June 1918 in Kristinehamn (S), died on 7 November 1972 in Stockholm. F 19 serial-no 871. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. Married on 3 December 1942, remarried on 27 July 1962. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Gideon Karlsson. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004264. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Åke “Sammy” Nettelbladt-Hollsten, born on 4 May 1913 in Umeå, died on 15 January 1965 in Järfälla (AB). F 19 serial-no 868. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. Married on 24 June 1945. Airport 1st Air Traffic Controller. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Åke Nettelbladt-Hollsten. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004287. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Hans-Olof Palme, born on 4 August 1918 in Sigtuna, died on 21 February 2000 in Stockholm. F 19 serial-no 870. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a student at the Air Force Academy in Uppsala. Married on 1 February 1947. Master of Civil Engineering. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Hans-Olof Palme. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004289.

Bomber Squadron

Pilot and Commander of the Bomber Squadron, Lieutenant Per Einar Sterner, born on 20 August 1909 in Värneresborg (P), died in 1983 on the Island of Malta. Sterner was the Commander of the F 19 bomber squadron. Before the Winter War, Sterner was a commissioned Lieutenant with the Swedish Air Force and bomber pilot with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön, Östersund (Z). After the Winter War, Sterner resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where he served as a Captain with F4 Wing in Östersund. On 13 November 1942 he was awarded Knight of the Royal Order of Vasa (Swe: Riddare av Kungliga Vasaorden) for “Excellently carried out public duties by directions”. The Royal Order of Vasa is a Swedish order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to the State and society. In 1947, Sterner was promoted Major and the following year he was awarded the Royal Order of the Sword (Swe: Kungliga Svärdsorden). The Royal Order of the Sword is a Swedish order of chivalry and military distinction. After retirement, Sterner moved to the Island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea where he passed away in 1983. Married on 30 December 1939, remarried on 30 June 1945. The image to the right shows bomber pilot Lieutenant Per Sterner. The portrait photos taken at the F 19 Wing in Finland was taken on 20 and 21 January 1940. Lt Per Sterner was at that time already a prisoner of war (POW) in the USSR which is why his photo wasn’t taken then. In the image to the right, he is wearing the Swedish Air Force uniform m/1930. The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940: On 12 January 1940, the F 19 Air Wing carried out an airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi. Lt Per Sterner was the pilot of a Hart B4 bomber with Lieutenant Anders Zachau in the air gunner’s seat when he collided midair with another Hart bomber. Second Lieutenant Arne Jung was the pilot of the other Hart B4 bomber with Sergeant First Class Matti Sundsten in the air gunner’s seat. Both aircraft came down crashing to the ground behind enemy lines. Sundsten managed on skies in deep snow in the very cold weather with temperatures down to -40 C (-40 F) he managed to reach friendly lines. The aircraft always carried skis and supplies which saved his life. Both pilots, Lt Per Sterner and 2Lt Arne Jung managed to bail out. However, both air gunners came down with the respective aircraft. For some miraculous reason, Matti Sundsten survived unharmed while Anders Zachau was killed. The two Hart aircraft was turning to avoid enemy anti-aircraft firing and during the evasive maneuver, one Hart ran into the other from underneath. Sterner and Jung were able to find each other in deep snow and darkness a few hours later. After three days outdoors in the arctic cold weather with deep snow, they were captured by a Russian squad. The Russians brought them to a headquarter where they were interrogated and maltreated. Sterner was beaten with rifle butts, Jung was put in front of an execution squad, submitted to fake executions. On 10 May 1940, both Jung and Sterner were part of an exchange of POWs on the Soviet-Finnish border near Vyborg. To save their lives under the Soviet imprisonment they had been forced by the Soviet NKVD to sign an agreement to become Soviet spies when they got back to Sweden. However, both Sterner and Jung informed the Finnish and Swedish Military Intelligence Services when they got back. In Helsinki, the two pilots were quarantined for three weeks. Once in Sweden, Sterner and Jung were persuaded by Colonel Adlercreutz with the Swedish Military Intelligence to become double- agents at the beginning of September 1940. Information that Sterner thereafter obtained from Soviet sources led to the Swedish capture of the Soviet spy Sidorenko. More information about The airstrike on 12 January 1940. Bomber pilot, Second Lieutenant Arne Torsten Edvard Jung, born on 23 September 1918 in Kalmar, died on 14 September 1995 in Gränna (E). Jung was commissioned as an officer with the Swedish Air Force in 1939 and served as a Second Lieutenant with the F 4 Jämtland Bomber Air Wing In Frösön. After the Winter War, Jung resumed service with the F 4 Air Wing in the Swedish Air Force. He was promoted Lieutenant in 1941 and Lieutenant Colonel in 1957. Jung served with the F 7 Skaraborg Air Wing from 1959. During an airstrike carried out by the F 19 Wing in Finland on 12 January 1940 on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi, Jung was the pilot of a Hart B 4 bomber with Sergeant First Class Matti Sundsten in the air gunner’s seat. His Hart collided midair with another Hart bomber during the airstrike. Both aircraft came down crashing to the ground behind enemy lines. For further information, see the section about Lt Sterner above. Married on 28 July 1972. Arne Jung was a nephew to the General and Supreme Commander Helge Jung. The image to the right shows bomber pilot Second Lieutenant Arne Jung. The portrait photos taken at the F 19 Wing in Finland was taken on 20 and 21 January 1940. 2Lt Arne Jung was at that time already a prisoner of war (POW) in the USSR which is why his photo wasn’t taken then. In the image to the right, he is wearing the Swedish Air Force uniform m/1930. The Swedish Military Intelligence was also trying to get Jung to become a Soviet double-agent like Lt Sterner. However, Jung declined the offer since he thought he wasn’t up to such an exposed position. Instead, Jung resumed his service with the Swedish Air Force. He became Lieutenant Colonel in 1957 and the Commander of the F 13 Östgöta Air Wing. However, Jung was troubled by his memories of the torture he was submitted to (PTSD) during the Soviet imprisonment as a POW during the war and left the Air Force at the age of 50. PTSD = Post-traumatic stress disorder. Bomber pilot, Second Lieutenant Nils Åke Mörne, born on 16 March 1914 in Köla (S), died on 28 August 1943 in Stockholm. F 19 serial- no 864. 2Lt Mörne was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 4th Class after the war. At the end of the Winter War, Mörne resumed service with the Swedish Air Force and was promoted to Lieutenant. He became an Air Force test pilot in Malmslätt (E). Like Per-Johan Salwén he was one of the pilots testing the new Swedish fighter aircraft J 22. He left the Air Force and became an officer in the Reserve. Thereafter he was a pilot with the commercial airliner ABA (predecessor to SAS). Late on 27 August 1943, Mörne was the co-pilot on the ABA DC-3 Gladan” (SE-BAF) which took off from an airfield in the UK with the destination Stockholm. The pilot was Karl Gunnar Lindner. Just after midnight, the DC-3 aircraft was shot down by a German fighter aircraft over the North Sea and all aboard was killed. Married on 29 March 1942. The image to the right shows bomber pilot Second Lieutenant Åke Mörne. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004272. Bomber pilot, Second Lieutenant Fritz Olof Gunnar Färnström, born on 25 February 1915 in Falköping (R), died on 6 May 2008 in Copenhagen, Danmark. F 19 serial-no: 866. Färnström was commissioned Second Lieutenant with the Swedish Air Force in 1939. Färnström was also an athlete (standing high jump) and was competing with the club IFK Lidingö. He was the Swedish Champion in 1936 and 1938. Married on 1 September 1945. The image to the right shows bomber pilot Second Lieutenant Gunnar Färnström. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004284. During the airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940, 2Lt Färnström was the pilot of a Hawker Hart B 4 bomber with Thure Hansson in the air gunner’s seat. During the flight back to the airbase, Färnström’s Hart bomber was shot down by three Soviet Polikarpov I-15bis fighters. However, Färnström managed to make a forced landing and the two crew members escaped unharmed. The aircraft was wrecked though. The two were then able to ski back to the Swedish lines where they arrived the following day after spending the night in a forest cabin (the Swedish aircraft always carried one or two sets of skis fastened on the exterior of the fuselage). See the section “The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940” above. Air Gunner, Sergeant First Class Bengt Johan Matti Sundsten, born on 24 February 1917 in Arjeplog (BD), died on 8 August 1977 in Frösön (Z). F 19 serial-no: 857. Sundsten was a Sergeant with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön (Z) before the Winter War. After the war, he resumed service with the F 4 Air Wing until retirement in 1967. During the airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940, Sergeant Matti Sundsten was the air gunner in Second Lieutenant Arne Jung’s Hart B4 bomber. During an evasive maneuver to avoid enemy anti-aircraft firing, 2Lt Jung’s Hart aircraft collided with Lt Sterner’s Hart midair, and both aircraft came crashing to the ground behind enemy lines. Both pilots managed to bail out, however, Sundsten’s parachute had somehow got caught in his seat and he wasn’t able to bail out. Instead, he came down with the aircraft. Sundsten miraculously survived the crash more or less unharmed. The aircraft leveled off before hitting the ground which reduced the airspeed. The aircraft also hit two spruce trees which reduced the speed further. Sundsten then fell through the floor of the fuselage and landed in the deep soft snow unharmed. Despite far behind enemy lines, he managed to ski in deep snow and very cold weather with temperatures down to -40 C (-40 F) back to friendly lines after four days. Besides frostbites, he was without any serious injuries and was soon back in service. See the section “The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940” above. Matti Sundsten was awarded the Finnish Medal of the Cross of Liberty, 1th Class after the war. Married on 22 August 1942 in Gällivare (BD). The image to the right shows Air Gunner Sergeant First Class Matti Sundsten. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004291. Air Gunner, Sergeant Thure Amandus Hansson, born on 1 May 1915 in Vilhelmina (AC), died on 18 December 2003 in Danderyd (AB). F 19 serial-no: 858. Before the Winter War, Hansson was a Corporal with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön. Married on 1 October 1944, remarried on 13 May 1953. The image to the right shows Air Gunner Sergeant Thure Hansson. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004290. During the airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940, 2Lt Färnström was the pilot of a Hawker Hart B 4 bomber with Sergeant Thure Hansson in the air gunner’s seat. During the flight back to the airbase, Färnström’s Hart bomber was shot down by three Soviet Polikarpov I-15bis fighters. However, Färnström managed to make a forced landing and the two crew members escaped unharmed. The aircraft was wrecked though. Hansson and Färnström were able to ski back to the Swedish lines where they arrived the following day after spending the night in a forest cabin (the Swedish aircraft always carried one or two sets of skis fastened on the exterior of the fuselage). Thure Hansson was awarded the Finnish Medal of the Cross of Liberty, 1th Class after the war. See the section “The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940” above. Air Gunner/Signalman, Sergeant Knut Roland Sahlberg, born on 11 November 1919 in Östersund, died on 22 December 2006 in Gnesta (D). F 19 serial-no: 907. Before the Winter War, Sahlberg was a Corporal with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön. Married on 24 June 1945. The image to the right shows Air Gunner Sergeant Roland Sahlberg. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004268. During the airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940, Sergeant Roland Sahlberg was planned to be the air gunner in Lieutenant Per Sterner’s Hart B4 bomber. However, during the briefing early morning on 12 January, a change was made regarding the crews. Lieutenant Anders Zachau, an air force reconnaissance officer, had requested to participate in the airstrike, which had been granted. He took the place as the air gunner in Lieutenant Per Sterner’s Hart bomber instead of air gunner Roland Sahlberg. Lt Zachau was killed in the air raid when Sterner’s aircraft crashed to the ground. This last-minute change saved Sergeant Sahlberg’s life. See the section “The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940” above. Air Gunner/Signalman, Sergeant Thord Erik Thorstensson Medalen, born on 18 December 1914 in Berg (Z), died on 9 May 1998 in Rystad (E). F 19 serial-no: 859. Before the Winter War, Medalen was a Corporal with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön. Engineer. Married on 31 May 1953. The image to the right shows Air Gunner Sergeant Thord Erik Medalen. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004269. Air Wing Photographer, Sergeant Karl Johan Åke Sundström, born on 17 June 1918 in Edefors (BD), died on 2 May 2001 in Sundbyberg (AB). F 19 serial-no: 771. Before, as well as after the Winter War, Sundström was a Corporal with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön. Married on 13 February 1943. Later, he left the Air Force and became a photographer. It was Åke Sundström who took the above portrait photos. The image to the right shows Air Wing Photographer Sergeant Åke Sundström. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004256. Above, an underlined given name is the name commonly used.
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Military Hans Högman
Copyright © Hans Högman 2021-01-19

The Swedish Volunteer

Corps in Finland - 7

Swedish F 19 Air Wing in Finland -

Pilots and Air Gunners

Introduction

The Swedish Volunteer Air Wing in Finland or F 19 Finland was a Swedish volunteer flying unit forming an air wing in 1940 in Finland during the Winter War. To help Finland, the Swedish Air Staff began preparations to raise a volunteer flying unit with a fighter aircraft squadron and a bomber squadron to be used in North Finland with the Swedish Volunteer Corps. The Commander of the Volunteer Air Force Wing was Major Hugo Beckhammar. There were about 240 enlisted volunteers (airmen and ground crew) who at the end of December went to Kemi in North Finland to prepare an airbase in Veitsiluoto. On 30 December, the government ruled that combat aircraft were to be put to the disposal of the volunteer air wing; four bombers B 4 Hawker Hart, and twelve fighter aircraft J 8 Gloster Gladiator. More information about the Swedish aircraft. On 7 January 1940 the Wing’s main airbase in Veitsiluoto, south of Kemi, Finland, was ready and operational and on 10 January the aircraft arrived from Sweden with Swedish crews. Two days later, on 12 March the F 19 Air Wing carried out their first mission in Finland when they attacked Soviet troops and an airbase at Märkäjärvi relieving hard-pressed Finnish units. To achieve a better range of aerial operations, five advanced airbases were organized, foremost on frozen lakes. More information about F 19 and the Swedish Volunteer Corps in Finland during the Winter War 1939 - 1940.

The Swedish airmen with the

Swedish F 19 Volunteer Air Wing

Fighter Squadron, Bomber Squadron The uniform worn by the airmen on their respective photo below isn’t the Swedish Air Force uniform but the uniform worn by the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940 during the Winter War. Rank and troop insignias etc. are the insignias used by the Finnish Armed Forces. Photographer: Karl Johan Åke Sundström, 1940. Commander of the F 19 Air Wing, Major Gustaf Hugo Beckhammar, born on 30 October 1895 in Längbro, Örebro County, died on 31 March 1981 in Linköping. F 19 serial-no 901. During the Winter War 1939 – 1940, Major Hugo Beckhammar was the Commander of the Swedish F 19 Volunteer Air Wing in Finland. He was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 3rd Class after the war. In 1926, Beckhammar was commissioned Air Force Lieutenant. Promotions: Captain in 1931; Major in 1937; Lieutenant Colonel in 1941, and Colonel in 1942. Colonel Beckhammar was the Commander of the F 3 Östgöta Air Wing between 1941 and 1951. Married on 20 June 1925. The image to the right shows the Commander of the F 19 Air Wing, Major Hugo Beckhammar. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004273. Chief of Staff, Captain Björn Gustaf Eriksson Bjuggren, "Bjuggas", born on 29 January 1904 in Karlsborg, died on 4 April 1968 in Stockholm. F 19 serial-no 750. During the Winter War 1939 – 1940, Captain Björn Bjuggren was the Chief of Staff with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland. Captain Bjuggren was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 4th Class after the war. Promotions: Captain with the Air Force in 1937; Major in 1941; Lieutenant Colonel in 1943; Colonel 1946; Major General in 1952; Lieutenant General in the reserve 1964. Commander of the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing between 1942 and 1947. He became Head of the Air Force Academy (FKHS) in 1947. The image to the right shows Chief of Staff, Captain Björn Bjuggren. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004345. Air Wing Adjutant, Lieutenant Kurt Bengt Greger Fredrik HjalMarchson Falk, born on 13 March 1910 in Visby, died on 20 January 1990 in Djursholm (AB). F 19 serial-no 751. During the Winter War 1939 – 1940, Lieutenant Greger Falk was Air Wing Adjutant with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland. Lieutenant Falk was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 4th Class after the war. Promotions: commissioned Air Force Lieutenant in 1936; Captain in 1940; Major in 1944; Lieutenant Colonel in 1947; Colonel in 1951; Major General in 1959. Commander of the Södermanland Air Wing between 1949 and 1951. Author of the book "F 19 - a Chronicle". The image to the right shows Wing Adjutant, Lieutenant Björn Bjuggren. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004275.

Fighter Squadron

Commander of the Fighter Squadron, Captain Karl Gunnar Åke Söderberg, born on 22 April 1903 in Enköping, died on 2 August 1989 in Täby (AB). F 19 serial-no 872. Captain Åke Söderberg was the Commander of the F 19 Fighter Squadron in Finland until 28 February 1940 when he was granted a leave of absence to got to Stockholm since his wife had given birth to their son Pekka two days earlier. Promotions: Air Force Captain; Major. Married on 16 October 1937; remarried on 3 December 1965. The image to the right shows the Commander of the Fighter Squadron, Captain Åke Söderberg. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004286. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Friedrich Heinrich Ian Arnold Iacobi, born on 7 May 1916 in Stockholm, died on 22 August 2008 in Danderyd (AB). F 19 serial-no 873. On 12 January 1940 2Lt Iacobi became the first fighter pilot with the F 19 Wing in Finland to shoot down an enemy aircraft. At the end of February 1940, he became Acting Commander of the F 19 Fighter Squadron after Captain Söderberg’s leave of absence. After the end of the Winter War, he resumed service with the Swedish Air Force. Promotions: Iacobi was commissioned Air Force Second Lieutenant and a fighter pilot with F 8 Svea Air Wing in 1939; Lieutenant in 1941 with the F 10 Air Wing, Colonel in 1963. Commander of the F 10 Skånska Air Wing between 1962 and 1966. The image to the right shows the fighter pilot and later the Commander of the Fighter Squadron, Second Lieutenant Ian Iacobi. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004280. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Martin Wennerström, born on 8 October 1917 in Lidingö (AB), died on 5 February 1999 in Uppsala. F 19 serial- no 874. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down one enemy aircraft. After the end of the Winter War, he resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where he served with the F 13 Bråvalla Air Wing. Wennerström was promoted Lieutenant on 1 July 1941. Married on 30 June 1945. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Martin Wennerström. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004288. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Per-Johan Erik Salwén, born on 28 June 1917 in Enköping, died on 19 June 1943 in Malmö. F 19 serial-no 875. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down three enemy aircraft. 2Lt Salwén was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 4th Class after the war. After the end of the Winter War, he resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where Salwén served with the F 10 Skånska Air Wing as a Lieutenant. In 1943 he was a test pilot with the Air Force. On 19 January 1943, during a test flight of a prototype of the new Swedish fighter aircraft J 22 his aircraft crashed and Salwén was killed. Married on 19 July 1941. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Per-Johan Salwén. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004281. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Einar Tehler, born on 5 February 1917 in Varberg, died on 30 June 1986 in Vällingby (AB). F 19 serial-no 895. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down two enemy aircraft. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. After the end of the Winter War, Tehler resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where he served with the F 9 Göta Air Wing. Married on 5 January 1943. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Einar Tehler. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004285. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Roland Carl Ludvig Martin, born on 13 February 1917 in Munktorp (U), died on 4 December 1940 in Danderyd (AB). F 19 serial-no 869. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down one enemy aircraft. After the end of the Winter War, Martin resumed service with the Swedish Air Force. Roland Martin crashed his aircraft during a nocturnal flight at the Ljungbyhed airbase with an SK14 (NA 16-4M) aircraft. Martin was at the time studying at Ljungbyhed, an Air Force training college for officers. Unmarried. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Roland Martin. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004285. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant John Magnus Sjöqvist, born on 14 March 1918 in Karlshamn, Blekinge, died on 23 January 1940 in Märkäjärvi, Finland. F 19 serial-no 897. During an airstrike on 23 January 1940 on Soviet positions in Märkäjärvi, he was wounded midair in aerial combat with Soviet fighter aircraft. His Gladiator fighter caught fire and crashed behind enemy lines, in which Sjöqvist immediately was killed. Before the Winter War, he was studying at I an Air Force training college for officers. Mid-March, after the end of the war, his mortal remains were found and brought to Sweden for burial. On 12 June 1940, he was buried at the Stockholm North Cemetery. After his death, his parents founded a Memorial Fund; Air Force Officer John Sjöqvist Memorial Fund. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant John Sjöqvist. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004263. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Carl-Olof Steninger, born on 8 June 1918 in Mörkö (AB), died on 17 May 1946 in Stockholm. F 19 serial-no 896. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down two enemy aircraft together with Second Lieutenant Arne Frykholm. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. After the end of the Winter War, Steninger resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where he served as Lieutenant with the F 8 Svea Air Wing. Unmarried. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Carl-Olof Steninger. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004283. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Arne Frykholm, born on 1 February 1917 in Madras India, died on 4 June 2000 in Lidingö (AB). His father, Harald Frykholm, was a missionary in South India when Arne was born. F 19 serial-no 865. During his service as a fighter pilot with the F 19 Air Wing in Finland in 1940, he shot down two enemy aircraft together with Second Lieutenant Carl-Olof Steninger. After Senior High School, Frykholm was drafted for military training with the Air Force. After the conscription period he was studying Medicine at the University of Uppsala. At the same time in 1938, he applied to become a student at the Ljugbyhed Training College for Officers to become a fighter pilot. After Officer College, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant with the F 8 Svea Air Wing in Barkaby, Stockholm. After the end of the Winter War, Steninger resumed service with the Swedish Air Force with the F 8 Air Wing. Frykholm finished his studies in Medicine after the end of WWII. In 1949 he got a position with the Air Force as a Medical Officer (Flight Surgeon). He continued his studies in Flight Medicine and attended the US Air Force School of Aviation Medicine, Royal Canadian Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine, and Royal Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine. Frykholm left the Air Force in 1969. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Arne Frykholm. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004279. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Joseph Gideon Karlsson, born on 10 June 1918 in Kristinehamn (S), died on 7 November 1972 in Stockholm. F 19 serial- no 871. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. Married on 3 December 1942, remarried on 27 July 1962. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Gideon Karlsson. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004264. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Åke “Sammy” Nettelbladt-Hollsten, born on 4 May 1913 in Umeå, died on 15 January 1965 in Järfälla (AB). F 19 serial-no 868. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. Married on 24 June 1945. Airport 1st Air Traffic Controller. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Åke Nettelbladt-Hollsten. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004287. Fighter pilot, Second Lieutenant Hans-Olof Palme, born on 4 August 1918 in Sigtuna, died on 21 February 2000 in Stockholm. F 19 serial-no 870. Before joining the F19 Air Wing in Finland, he was a student at the Air Force Academy in Uppsala. Married on 1 February 1947. Master of Civil Engineering. The image to the right shows fighter pilot Second Lieutenant Hans-Olof Palme. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004289.

Bomber Squadron

Pilot and Commander of the Bomber Squadron, Lieutenant Per Einar Sterner, born on 20 August 1909 in Värneresborg (P), died in 1983 on the Island of Malta. Sterner was the Commander of the F 19 bomber squadron. Before the Winter War, Sterner was a commissioned Lieutenant with the Swedish Air Force and bomber pilot with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön, Östersund (Z). After the Winter War, Sterner resumed service with the Swedish Air Force where he served as a Captain with F4 Wing in Östersund. On 13 November 1942 he was awarded Knight of the Royal Order of Vasa (Swe: Riddare av Kungliga Vasaorden) for “Excellently carried out public duties by directions”. The Royal Order of Vasa is a Swedish order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to the State and society. In 1947, Sterner was promoted Major and the following year he was awarded the Royal Order of the Sword (Swe: Kungliga Svärdsorden). The Royal Order of the Sword is a Swedish order of chivalry and military distinction. After retirement, Sterner moved to the Island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea where he passed away in 1983. Married on 30 December 1939, remarried on 30 June 1945. The image to the right shows bomber pilot Lieutenant Per Sterner. The portrait photos taken at the F 19 Wing in Finland was taken on 20 and 21 January 1940. Lt Per Sterner was at that time already a prisoner of war (POW) in the USSR which is why his photo wasn’t taken then. In the image to the right, he is wearing the Swedish Air Force uniform m/1930. The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940: On 12 January 1940, the F 19 Air Wing carried out an airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi. Lt Per Sterner was the pilot of a Hart B4 bomber with Lieutenant Anders Zachau in the air gunner’s seat when he collided midair with another Hart bomber. Second Lieutenant Arne Jung was the pilot of the other Hart B4 bomber with Sergeant First Class Matti Sundsten in the air gunner’s seat. Both aircraft came down crashing to the ground behind enemy lines. Sundsten managed on skies in deep snow in the very cold weather with temperatures down to -40 C (-40 F) he managed to reach friendly lines. The aircraft always carried skis and supplies which saved his life. Both pilots, Lt Per Sterner and 2Lt Arne Jung managed to bail out. However, both air gunners came down with the respective aircraft. For some miraculous reason, Matti Sundsten survived unharmed while Anders Zachau was killed. The two Hart aircraft was turning to avoid enemy anti-aircraft firing and during the evasive maneuver, one Hart ran into the other from underneath. Sterner and Jung were able to find each other in deep snow and darkness a few hours later. After three days outdoors in the arctic cold weather with deep snow, they were captured by a Russian squad. The Russians brought them to a headquarter where they were interrogated and maltreated. Sterner was beaten with rifle butts, Jung was put in front of an execution squad, submitted to fake executions. On 10 May 1940, both Jung and Sterner were part of an exchange of POWs on the Soviet-Finnish border near Vyborg. To save their lives under the Soviet imprisonment they had been forced by the Soviet NKVD to sign an agreement to become Soviet spies when they got back to Sweden. However, both Sterner and Jung informed the Finnish and Swedish Military Intelligence Services when they got back. In Helsinki, the two pilots were quarantined for three weeks. Once in Sweden, Sterner and Jung were persuaded by Colonel Adlercreutz with the Swedish Military Intelligence to become double-agents at the beginning of September 1940. Information that Sterner thereafter obtained from Soviet sources led to the Swedish capture of the Soviet spy Sidorenko. More information about The airstrike on 12 January 1940. Bomber pilot, Second Lieutenant Arne Torsten Edvard Jung, born on 23 September 1918 in Kalmar, died on 14 September 1995 in Gränna (E). Jung was commissioned as an officer with the Swedish Air Force in 1939 and served as a Second Lieutenant with the F 4 Jämtland Bomber Air Wing In Frösön. After the Winter War, Jung resumed service with the F 4 Air Wing in the Swedish Air Force. He was promoted Lieutenant in 1941 and Lieutenant Colonel in 1957. Jung served with the F 7 Skaraborg Air Wing from 1959. During an airstrike carried out by the F 19 Wing in Finland on 12 January 1940 on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi, Jung was the pilot of a Hart B 4 bomber with Sergeant First Class Matti Sundsten in the air gunner’s seat. His Hart collided midair with another Hart bomber during the airstrike. Both aircraft came down crashing to the ground behind enemy lines. For further information, see the section about Lt Sterner above. Married on 28 July 1972. Arne Jung was a nephew to the General and Supreme Commander Helge Jung. The image to the right shows bomber pilot Second Lieutenant Arne Jung. The portrait photos taken at the F 19 Wing in Finland was taken on 20 and 21 January 1940. 2Lt Arne Jung was at that time already a prisoner of war (POW) in the USSR which is why his photo wasn’t taken then. In the image to the right, he is wearing the Swedish Air Force uniform m/1930. The Swedish Military Intelligence was also trying to get Jung to become a Soviet double-agent like Lt Sterner. However, Jung declined the offer since he thought he wasn’t up to such an exposed position. Instead, Jung resumed his service with the Swedish Air Force. He became Lieutenant Colonel in 1957 and the Commander of the F 13 Östgöta Air Wing. However, Jung was troubled by his memories of the torture he was submitted to (PTSD) during the Soviet imprisonment as a POW during the war and left the Air Force at the age of 50. PTSD = Post-traumatic stress disorder. Bomber pilot, Second Lieutenant Nils Åke Mörne, born on 16 March 1914 in Köla (S), died on 28 August 1943 in Stockholm. F 19 serial-no 864. 2Lt Mörne was awarded the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 4th Class after the war. At the end of the Winter War, Mörne resumed service with the Swedish Air Force and was promoted to Lieutenant. He became an Air Force test pilot in Malmslätt (E). Like Per-Johan Salwén he was one of the pilots testing the new Swedish fighter aircraft J 22. He left the Air Force and became an officer in the Reserve. Thereafter he was a pilot with the commercial airliner ABA (predecessor to SAS). Late on 27 August 1943, Mörne was the co-pilot on the ABA DC-3 Gladan” (SE-BAF) which took off from an airfield in the UK with the destination Stockholm. The pilot was Karl Gunnar Lindner. Just after midnight, the DC-3 aircraft was shot down by a German fighter aircraft over the North Sea and all aboard was killed. Married on 29 March 1942. The image to the right shows bomber pilot Second Lieutenant Åke Mörne. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004272. Bomber pilot, Second Lieutenant Fritz Olof Gunnar Färnström, born on 25 February 1915 in Falköping (R), died on 6 May 2008 in Copenhagen, Danmark. F 19 serial-no: 866. Färnström was commissioned Second Lieutenant with the Swedish Air Force in 1939. Färnström was also an athlete (standing high jump) and was competing with the club IFK Lidingö. He was the Swedish Champion in 1936 and 1938. Married on 1 September 1945. The image to the right shows bomber pilot Second Lieutenant Gunnar Färnström. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004284. During the airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940, 2Lt Färnström was the pilot of a Hawker Hart B 4 bomber with Thure Hansson in the air gunner’s seat. During the flight back to the airbase, Färnström’s Hart bomber was shot down by three Soviet Polikarpov I-15bis fighters. However, Färnström managed to make a forced landing and the two crew members escaped unharmed. The aircraft was wrecked though. The two were then able to ski back to the Swedish lines where they arrived the following day after spending the night in a forest cabin (the Swedish aircraft always carried one or two sets of skis fastened on the exterior of the fuselage). See the section “The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940” above. Air Gunner, Sergeant First Class Bengt Johan Matti Sundsten, born on 24 February 1917 in Arjeplog (BD), died on 8 August 1977 in Frösön (Z). F 19 serial-no: 857. Sundsten was a Sergeant with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön (Z) before the Winter War. After the war, he resumed service with the F 4 Air Wing until retirement in 1967. During the airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940, Sergeant Matti Sundsten was the air gunner in Second Lieutenant Arne Jung’s Hart B4 bomber. During an evasive maneuver to avoid enemy anti-aircraft firing, 2Lt Jung’s Hart aircraft collided with Lt Sterner’s Hart midair, and both aircraft came crashing to the ground behind enemy lines. Both pilots managed to bail out, however, Sundsten’s parachute had somehow got caught in his seat and he wasn’t able to bail out. Instead, he came down with the aircraft. Sundsten miraculously survived the crash more or less unharmed. The aircraft leveled off before hitting the ground which reduced the airspeed. The aircraft also hit two spruce trees which reduced the speed further. Sundsten then fell through the floor of the fuselage and landed in the deep soft snow unharmed. Despite far behind enemy lines, he managed to ski in deep snow and very cold weather with temperatures down to -40 C (- 40 F) back to friendly lines after four days. Besides frostbites, he was without any serious injuries and was soon back in service. See the section “The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940” above. Matti Sundsten was awarded the Finnish Medal of the Cross of Liberty, 1th Class after the war. Married on 22 August 1942 in Gällivare (BD). The image to the right shows Air Gunner Sergeant First Class Matti Sundsten. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004291. Air Gunner, Sergeant Thure Amandus Hansson, born on 1 May 1915 in Vilhelmina (AC), died on 18 December 2003 in Danderyd (AB). F 19 serial-no: 858. Before the Winter War, Hansson was a Corporal with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön. Married on 1 October 1944, remarried on 13 May 1953. The image to the right shows Air Gunner Sergeant Thure Hansson. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004290. During the airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940, 2Lt Färnström was the pilot of a Hawker Hart B 4 bomber with Sergeant Thure Hansson in the air gunner’s seat. During the flight back to the airbase, Färnström’s Hart bomber was shot down by three Soviet Polikarpov I-15bis fighters. However, Färnström managed to make a forced landing and the two crew members escaped unharmed. The aircraft was wrecked though. Hansson and Färnström were able to ski back to the Swedish lines where they arrived the following day after spending the night in a forest cabin (the Swedish aircraft always carried one or two sets of skis fastened on the exterior of the fuselage). Thure Hansson was awarded the Finnish Medal of the Cross of Liberty, 1th Class after the war. See the section “The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940” above. Air Gunner/Signalman, Sergeant Knut Roland Sahlberg, born on 11 November 1919 in Östersund, died on 22 December 2006 in Gnesta (D). F 19 serial- no: 907. Before the Winter War, Sahlberg was a Corporal with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön. Married on 24 June 1945. The image to the right shows Air Gunner Sergeant Roland Sahlberg. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004268. During the airstrike on a Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940, Sergeant Roland Sahlberg was planned to be the air gunner in Lieutenant Per Sterner’s Hart B4 bomber. However, during the briefing early morning on 12 January, a change was made regarding the crews. Lieutenant Anders Zachau, an air force reconnaissance officer, had requested to participate in the airstrike, which had been granted. He took the place as the air gunner in Lieutenant Per Sterner’s Hart bomber instead of air gunner Roland Sahlberg. Lt Zachau was killed in the air raid when Sterner’s aircraft crashed to the ground. This last-minute change saved Sergeant Sahlberg’s life. See the section “The Swedish airstrike on the Soviet airbase in Märkäjärvi on 12 January 1940” above. Air Gunner/Signalman, Sergeant Thord Erik Thorstensson Medalen, born on 18 December 1914 in Berg (Z), died on 9 May 1998 in Rystad (E). F 19 serial-no: 859. Before the Winter War, Medalen was a Corporal with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön. Engineer. Married on 31 May 1953. The image to the right shows Air Gunner Sergeant Thord Erik Medalen. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004269. Air Wing Photographer, Sergeant Karl Johan Åke Sundström, born on 17 June 1918 in Edefors (BD), died on 2 May 2001 in Sundbyberg (AB). F 19 serial- no: 771. Before, as well as after the Winter War, Sundström was a Corporal with the F 4 Jämtland Air Wing in Frösön. Married on 13 February 1943. Later, he left the Air Force and became a photographer. It was Åke Sundström who took the above portrait photos. The image to the right shows Air Wing Photographer Sergeant Åke Sundström. Image: Air Force Museum, ID: FVMF.004256. Above, an underlined given name is the name commonly used.