Copyright © Hans Högman 2022-06-12
Swedish Combat Aircraft -
Propeller Aircraft
Fighters
List of Fighters in the Swedish Air Force
•
J 1 – Phönix D.III, 12 in Swedish service
•
J 2 – Nieuport-Delage NiD 29 C, 10 in Swedish
service
•
J 3 – Fokker C.V D, 15 in Swedish service
•
J 4 – Heinkel HD 19, 6 in Swedish service
•
J 5 – Svenska Aero Jaktfalken, 1 in Swedish
service
•
J 6 – Svenska Aero Jaktfalk I and II, 17 in
Swedish service
•
J 7 – Bristol Bulldog II, 11 in Swedish service
•
J 8 – Gloster Gladiator, 55 in Swedish service
1937 - 1946
•
J 9 – Republic Seversky EP-1 Modell 106, 60 in
Swedish service 1940 - 1952
•
J 10 – Vultee Vanguard 48C1, 144 ordered in
1940, none delivered due to embargo
•
J 11 – Fiat CR 42, 72 in Swedish service
•
J 19 – SAAB J 19, prototype
•
J 20 – Reggiane Re 2000, 60 in Swedish service
1941 - 1945
•
J 21 – Saab 21, 298 in Swedish service 1945 -
1953
•
J 22 – FFVS J 22, 198 in Swedish service 1943 -
1952
•
J 26 – P-51 Mustang, 161 in Swedish service
1945 - 1953
•
J 28 – De Havilland DH 100 Vampire, 380 in
Swedish service (jet)
•
J 28C – De Havilland DH 115 Vampire T Mk 55,
57 in Swedish service (jet)
•
J 30 – De Havilland Mosquito, 60 in Swedish
service 1948 - 1954
Gloster Gladiator, J 8
The Gloster Gladiator was a British biplane fighter
used by several air forces during World War II. The
Gladiator Mk II had a top speed of about 414 km/h
and the Gladiator entered service in 1937. It was
manufactured by the Gloster Aircraft Company in
the UK.
The Gloster Gladiator was designed in 1934 and the
British Air Force (RAF) purchased an aircraft for
evaluation. It proved to have such positive
characteristics that 23 aircraft were ordered in July
1935.
The image shows the
Gloster Gladiator
fighter aircraft in
Swedish service at F
19 Swedish Voluntary
Air Wing in Finland
during the Finnish
Winter War in 1940,
with an illustration of a gunner on the fuselage.
Equipped with the ski landing gear.
The gladiator was made of a truss construction of
steel tubes and duralumin profiles covered with
cloth. The pilot's compartment is located just
behind the upper wing. The landing gear is fixed
and can be fitted with wheels or skis. The aircraft is
equipped with an engine-driven compressor. The
air is fed to a compressed air reservoir in the rear
fuselage, which provides power for the pneumatic
firing of the machine guns and the wheel brakes.
In the mid-1930s, the Swedish Air Force was looking
for a modern fighter aircraft. Of the biplanes, the
Gloster Gladiator was considered to have the best
performance according to the air force's wishes. An
initial order for two aircraft was placed in May 1936,
three more aircraft were ordered in June 1936
followed by the larger order for 32 aircraft in April
1937. In Sweden, the aircraft was known as the J 8.
It was the Air Force's first aircraft with a covered
cockpit. There was no Swedish licensed production
as the Air Force only needed 18 more aircraft to
equip the third division, but the aircraft were
ordered from Gloster, the last set of aircraft being
equipped with the developed My S3 engine.
When the Second World War began in 1939, 51
aircraft remained in active service in Sweden. On 30
December 1939, F 8 Wing in Barkaby loaned twelve
J 8 fighter aircraft to the Swedish Volunteer Wing F
19 in Finland.
The last remaining J 8 in the air force was discarded
in 1947.
Swedish variants:
•
J 8: 37 aircraft. The Swedish variant of Gloster
Gladiator Mk I. It had Swedish 8 mm machine
guns m/22, a 3-blade propeller, and Swedish
equipment. It could also mount ski landing gear.
Engine power: 680 hp.
•
J 8A: 18 aircraft. The Swedish variant of Gloster
Gladiator Mk II. It had Swedish 8 mm machine
guns m/22, a 2-blade propeller, and Swedish
equipment. It could also mount ski landing gear.
Engine power: 840 hp.
Specifications:
•
Length
8.36 m
•
Wingspan
9.83 m
•
Height
3.15 m
•
Wing area
30.0 m²
•
Empty weight
1,560 kg
•
Max. takeoff weight
2,155 kg
•
Max. flight altitude
10,200 m (J 8), 10,700 m (J
8A)
•
Max. speed J 8:
375 km/h
•
Max. speed J 8A:
414 km/h
•
Range, J 8:
780 km
•
Range, J 8A:
710 km
•
Rate of climb
10.9 m/s (J 8)
•
Rate of climb
11.2 m/s (J 8A)
•
Engine
1 × Bristol Mercury VIIIA or IX
Images:
Swedish Militry Aircraft - 4
Seversky P-35, J 9
The 1936 Swedish Defense Act led to the rearmament
of the air force, which included a rapid expansion of
fighter aircraft. The fighter aircraft that the Air Force
had at the time was the obsolete Gloster Gladiator J8
biplane, which was based at the F8 fighter wing at
Barkaby. The Air Force needed a modern fighter and
an opportunity arose to purchase the Seversky P-35
from the United States.
The image shows a
fighter aircraft
Seversky P-35, J 9,
marked 28 from F 8
Wing at Barkarby.
Image:
Flygvapenmuseum, ID: FVMF.002951.
The Seversky P-35 was an American fighter of the
low-wing monoplane type, designed in 1935 and first
flown in August of the same year. Between 1940 and
1952, the Seversky P-35A served in the Swedish Air
Force with the designation J 9 and B 6 (2).
A total of 120 aircraft were ordered in three batches.
The first order for 15 aircraft was signed in June 1939,
followed by an order for 45 aircraft in October of the
same year. Finally, a final order for a further 60
aircraft was placed in January 1940. The Swedish
variant was called Seversky EP-1 Model 106 with the
Swedish designation J 9.
Of the 120 aircraft ordered, the Swedish Air Force
received only 60 due to the rapidly imposed US arms
embargo given the war in Europe.
After the assembly of the aircraft being delivered to
Sweden, they were placed at F 8 Fighter Wing at
Barkarby. In 1946, the aircraft was retired as a main
fighter and was instead used at various wings for
general flight training and liaison flying.
Specifications:
•
Length
8.18 m
•
Wingspan
10.98 m
•
Height
2.98 m
•
Wing area
20.9 m²
•
Empty weight
2,120 kg
•
Max. takeoff weight
3,000 kg
•
Max. flight altitude
9,150 m
•
Max. speed
490 - 520 km/h
•
Range
850 km
•
Rate of climb
10.4 m/s
•
Engine
1 × R-1830-45 (TWC 3), 1.050 hp
Armament: Two 8 mm machine guns m/22, two 13.2
mm automatic guns m/39
Images:
Reggiane Re.2000, J 20
Reggiane Re.2000 was an Italian low-wing fighter
aircraft that in the Swedish Air Force had the
designation J 20. The aircraft was built in the late
1930s. The design drew on features from the
American aircraft industry. Despite the similarity to
the Republic Seversky Model 106, Reggiane managed
to produce an aircraft with better aerodynamic
characteristics than the American model. The aircraft
was first test-flown on 24 May 1939.
Between 1941 and 1945 Reggiane Re.2000 was part
of the Swedish Air Force with the designation J 20.
The image shows
fighter aircraft J 20
midair, marked
number 12 from F 10
Wing in Ängelholm.
Image:
Flygvapenmuseum, ID:
FVMF.002238.
When the United States embargoed the Seversky P-
35 J 9 aircraft previously ordered by Sweden in 1940,
the Royal Swedish Air Administration sought
replacement aircraft and engines. The Re.2000, which
had just been released by the Italian authorities, was
seen as an opportunity to provide a wing with fighter
aircraft.
On 28 November 1940, an order was placed for 60
Reggiane Re.2000 Falco 1.
But the J 20, like the also Italian Caproni Ca 313 B16,
suffered from many technical problems. Several parts
were made of substandard materials and this caused
malfunctions and 24 breakdowns. Despite this, it was
popular with pilots for its good flying qualities and
speed, as it was the fastest aircraft in the Swedish Air
Force for a long time.
A Swedish J 20 was shot down in connection with the
interception of a German Dornier Do 24 aircraft off
Sölvesborg in southern Sweden on 3 April 1945,
killing the pilot Harry Nordlund.
The J 20 was phased out on 20 July 1945 due to wear
and tear on the aircraft and great difficulty in
obtaining spare parts.
Specifications:
•
Length
7.99 m
•
Wingspan
11.00 m
•
Height
3.13 m
•
Wing area
20.4 m²
•
Empty weight
2,190 kg
•
Max. takeoff weight
3,050 kg
•
Max. flight altitude
11,200 m
•
Max. speed
505 km/h
•
Range
1,150 km
•
Engine
1 x Piaggio P.XIbis RC 40D,
1,040 hp , Falco 1 series I, J 20
Armament: 2 x 12.7 mm Breda machine guns.
Images:
Two fighter aircraft J 20 - Reggiane Re 2000 "Falco" 1.
Image: Flygvapenmuseum, ID: FVM.149841.
Fighter aircraft J 20 from F 10 Wing, Ängelholm, lined
up.
Image: Flygvapenmuseum, ID: FVMF.002240.
Saab 21
The Saab 21 was a Swedish single-seated fighter
aircraft manufactured by Svenska Aeroplan
Aktiebolaget (SAAB) and served in the Swedish Air
Force between 1945 and 1953. The aircraft was
originally designed by Svenska Järnvägsverkstädernas
Aeroplanavdelning (ASJA) before being fully taken over
by SAAB. The aircraft was built in several versions:
fighter, bomber, and
attack aircraft.
The image shows
fighter aircraft Saab J
21A-1. Image:
Flygvapenmuseum,
ID: FVM.149853.
The Saab 21 was designed with a pushing propeller
and twin tail boom. However, the pushing propeller
came with disadvantages such as poor engine
cooling. The aircraft had a revolutionary gunpowder-
loaded ejection seat. The Saab 21 was the first
aircraft in the world to use such an ejection seat;
earlier examples used compressed air.
The Swedish Air Force ordered three test aircraft, the
first of which was flown on 30 July 1943.
Subsequently, the Air Force ordered 298 aircraft in
three versions, which were delivered between 1945
and 1949.
Versions:
•
The J 21 was a propeller-driven fighter aircraft
based on the J 21A-1 and J 21A-2. The first
production aircraft of the J 21 first flew on
December 20, 1944.
•
The A 21 was a propeller-driven attack aircraft
based on the J 21A-3. After the J 21 had been sent
to Svea Wing (F 8) for testing, the Swedish Air
Force realized that the design and other
characteristics of the aircraft made it suitable as a
bomber as well.
•
The J 21B was to be Sweden's last propeller-driven
fighter before the switch to jets. When jet engines
became available, it was decided to try to develop
a new fighter with jet propulsion, and convert the
old J 21 with jet propulsion. The J 21B project was
abandoned for the J 21R and JxR projects.
Variants:
•
J 21A-1 – The first produced variant. It had a
combined center wing flap and cooling flaps for
the engine's liquid and oil coolers. Equipped with
one 20 mm automatic gun m/41 (Hispano Mk. I),
and four 13.2 mm automatic guns m/39 (two in the
nose and one in each boom). 54 aircraft built 1945
- 1953.
•
J 21A-2 – The second produced variant. It had a
separate center wing flap and separate cooling
flaps for the engine's liquid and oil coolers. It had
the same armament as the A-1 but the 20 mm
automatic gun m/41 was replaced by a 20 mm
automatic gun m/45 from Bofors. 124 aircraft built
1946 - 1953.
•
A 21A-3 – Attack variant (A 21). Based on the A-2
with the same armament. The A 21 was equipped
with a bomb sight and weapon beams for bombs
and rockets. In the first series, it was called J 21A-3,
but this was later changed to A 21A. In some
contexts, it is also called B 21A-3. 119 aircraft built
1947 - 1954.
•
J 21B – All-weather fighter aircraft. Equipped
with three 20 mm automatic guns m/45 in the
nose and radar in the starboard boom, I.e. it was
adapted for use at night or in other times of bad
visibility. A full-scale mock-up was built but due to
the jet age, the project was scrapped at the end of
1945 due to the Saab 29 project. No aircraft were
built.
•
J 21RA – Jet variant. Sweden's first jet aircraft. R in
the designation stands for reaction engine (the old
name for jet engine). Equipped with a 20 mm
Bofors automatic gun, and four 13.2 mm machine
guns. 21R proved less suitable for the fighter role
but worked well for attack missions. Maximum
speed: 930 km/h. 30 aircraft built 1949 - 1951.
•
A 21RA/B: Same armament as J 21RA, plus a rack
for 14.5 cm attack rockets under the center wing.
30 aircraft built 1950 - 1956.
Even before the aircraft had been delivered, the Air
Force decided to stop using bombers and to focus
on attack aircraft instead. This was not only a
matter of designation but also related to the new
type of tactics introduced with the introduction of
missiles and rockets into the arsenal.
Specifications:
•
Length
10.22 m
•
Wingspan
11.30 m
•
Height
3.97 m
•
Wing area
21.82 m²
•
Empty weight
2,535 kg
•
Max. takeoff weight
3,525 kg
•
Max. flight altitude
10,200 m
•
Max. speed
700 km/h
•
Range
1,190 km
•
Engine
1 x SFA DB 605B, 1,475 hp
Armament: 4 x 13.2 mm automatic gun m/39A, 1 x
20 mm automatic gun m/41 A-1, 1 x 20 mm
automatic gun m/45 A-2, A-3
Bombs: The J 21A-3, later called the A 21, was
capable of mounting bombs to carry out attack
missions. A heavy bomb of 250-600 kg could be
mounted on a centrally placed bomb beam between
the booms and 2 to 4 light bombs of 50 kg could be
mounted with additional support under the wings.
FFVS J 22
The FFVS J 22 was a single-engine fighter aircraft
manufactured by Flygförvaltningens Flygverkstad (FFVS)
in Stockholm and designed by flight engineer Bo
Lundberg. The aircraft was used both as a fighter and
a reconnaissance aircraft.
The image shows
Swedish fighter
aircraft J 22B midair,
from F 10 Air Wing,
marked P. Image:
Flygvapenmuseum,
ID: FVM.149855.
During the Second World War, the shortage of
modern aircraft in the Swedish Air Force was very
great and the government made several attempts to
import aircraft from other countries. However, the US
arms embargo on supplies to countries other than
Britain in June 1940 halted deliveries, and the
Swedish Air Force was forced to seek other solutions.
Saab was running at full capacity building its single-
engine Saab 17 and twin-engine Saab 18 bombers
and was unable to design and manufacture more
aircraft. To manufacture the J 22 fighter, a new
company and factory were established specifically for
the new fighter, the Royal Air Administration Aircraft
Factory in Stockholm (Flygförvaltningens Flygverkstad i
Stockholm, FFVS).
Aluminum could not be used in the production of
the J 22 because SAAB needed all the aluminum that
could be produced in Sweden for the production of
the B 17 and B 18. Furthermore, the aircraft would
use a Twin Wasp super-engine from Svensk Flygmotor
(SFA), the same as SAAB used for its Saab 17.
The result was a steel airframe manufactured by
Hägglund & Söner in Örnsköldsvik with a surface
covering of molded birch plywood supplied by
Svenska Möbelfabrikerna (SMF) in Bodafors. The
components were then assembled in Bromma,
Stockholm.
The prototype of the J 22 first flew in September 1942
and was then the world's fastest aircraft in relation to
engine power. Serial deliveries began in October
1943 and went to the Göta Air Wing (F 9). The J 22
had good maneuverability and good acceleration.
Performance-wise, the J22 was on par with most
fighter aircraft in its first year with a well-trained pilot.
Variants:
•
J 22-1 or J 22A fighter aircraft (originally J 22 UBv
for Original Armament (Ursprunglig Beväpning))
armed with two 8 mm machine guns m/22 and two
13.2 mm automatic gun m/39A. 142 aircraft built
1943 - 1952.
•
J 22-2 or J 22B fighter aircraft (originally J 22 FBv
for Improved Armament (Förbättrad Beväpning))
armed with four 13.2 mm automatic gun m/39A.
58 aircraft built 1951 – 1952.
•
S 22-3 or S 22 reconnaissance aircraft was armed
with a vertically-mounted reconnaissance camera
Ska4 in the midsection. 9 aircraft built 1945 – 1946.
Specifications:
•
Length
7.8 m
•
Wingspan
10.00 m
•
Height
2.8 m
•
Wing area
16.0 m²
•
Empty weight
2,000 kg
•
Max. takeoff weight
2,760 kg
•
Max. flight altitude
9,300 m
•
Max. speed
590 km/h
•
Rate of climb
9.28 m/s
•
Range
1,270 km
•
Engine
1 × SFA STWC-3G, 1,065 hp
Armament, J 22A: 2 × 8 mm machine gun m/22, 2 ×
13,2 mm automatic gun m/39A. J 22B: 4 × 13,2 mm
automatic gun m/39A.
Images:
Fighter aircraft J 22 marked I from F 3 Östgöta Wing in
1949. Image: Flygvapenmuseum, ID: FVMF.002921.
Fighter aircraft J 22 marked 43 from F 9 Göta Wing at
Säve in August 1944. Image: Flygvapenmuseum, ID:
FVMF.002110.
P-51 Mustang, J 26
The North American P-51 Mustang was an American
single-seat fighter aircraft produced by North
American Aviation during World War II.
Between 1945 and 1948, i.e. after World War II,
Sweden bought 161 used P-51Ds from the Allies.
The Swedish Air Force gave them the designations J
26 (fighter) and S 26 (reconnaissance). The first planes
were flown by American pilots from Liverpool,
England, to Bromma Airport in Stockholm on 10 April
1945. The Mustangs ended up at Upplands Air Wing
(F 16) and Jämtland Air Wing (F 4). Later, single aircraft
also entered service at Svea Air Wing (F 8) and
Norrbotten Air Wing (F 21). In 1948, the S 26 was used
for reconnaissance missions over Soviet territory
(Baltic States).
The image shows
fighter aircraft P-51
Mustang, J 26, in
Swedish service,
marked T from F 16
Wing in Uppsala.
Image: Flygvapenmuseum, ID: FVMF.002114.
Twelve Mustang were modified for photo
reconnaissance and re-designated S 26. Some of
these aircraft participated in the secret Swedish
mapping of new Soviet military installations at the
Baltic coast in 1946–1947, an endeavor that entailed
many intentional violations of Soviet airspace.
However, the Mustang could out-dive any Soviet
fighter of that era, so no S 26s were lost in these
missions.
In 1953, the Air Force began decommissioning the
then remaining 93 aircraft to prepare for their sale to
Israel, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua.
The Swedish Mustang retained its American
armament instead of being re-armed with the
standard Swedish 13.2 mm automatic gun m/39. This
weapon was considerably more powerful than the
Mustang's American 12.7 mm AN/M2 machine guns,
but the Air Force chose not to rearm because after
the war there would be large quantities of American
ammunition available for purchase at surplus prices.
Variants, Sweden:
•
P-51B-7, J 26B, 1 (2) aircraft 1945 - 1952
•
P-51D-5, J 26, 1 aircraft 1945 - 1946
•
P-51D-20, J 26, 158 aircraft 1945 - 1954
•
P-51D, S 26, 12 aircraft 1948 - 1954
Specifications:
•
Length
8.8 m
•
Wingspan
11.3 m
•
Height
4.17 m
•
Wing area
21.8 m²
•
Empty weight
3,465 kg
•
Max. takeoff weight
5,490 kg
•
Max. flight altitude
12,771 m
•
Max. speed
703 km/h
•
Range
3,050 km
•
Rate of climb
1,060 m/s
•
Engine
1 × Packard Merlin V-1650-7
•
Engine power
1,490 hp
Images:
Fighter aircraft J 26 Mustang at F 8 Svea Wing,
Stockholm, circa 1950-1951. Photo: Georg Eriksson,
Image: Flygvapenmuseum, ID: FVMF.001992.
An American P-51D Mustang over France during
World War II. Image: Wikipedia.
de Havilland Mosquito, J 30
The de Havilland Mosquito was a British fighter
twin-engined aircraft used during World War II. It was
one of the most versatile aircraft of the war and was
used as a bomber, fighter-bomber, reconnaissance,
night fighter, and torpedo-bomber aircraft. The
Mosquito was unique in that it was made of wood.
This meant that Britain's extensive furniture industry
could be used for its manufacture, while not being as
dependent on strategically important raw materials
such as aluminum. After the Mosquito proved its
worth, it was adapted for a variety of tasks.
The Mosquito was a shoulder-wing aircraft with two
Rolls-Royce Merlin engines mounted in nacelles
under the wings.
The image shows
fighter aircraft J 30,
DH 98 Mk 19
"Mosquito" (night
fighter). Image:
Flygvapenmuseum,
ID: FVM.149990.
Between 1948 and 1954 Mosquito served in the
Swedish Air Force as a night fighter with the
designation J 30.
The 1945 Defense Committee recommended that
the Air Force equip a night fighter wing. At first, a
modification of the Saab 18 was planned, but with
the end of World War II, large surplus stocks were
available and the purchase of second-hand aircraft
was cheaper than the cost of modifying the Saab 18.
In 1948, Sweden acquired 60 "de Havilland Mosquito
Mk XIX", a radar-equipped night-fighter version (an
American reconnaissance radar that enabled the
location of other aircraft in darkness and clouds).
They were also equipped with four-blade propellers,
which distinguished them from the British Mk XIX. All
aircraft were based at the Västmanland Air Wing (F 1)
in Västerås.
Due to many accidents, several of them fatal, the
Mosquito was phased out in 1953 and replaced by
the jet-powered de Havilland Venom, J 33. The
Mosquito J 30 was the last propeller-driven fighter in
the Swedish Air Force.
Specifications:
•
Crew
2
•
Length
13.57 m
•
Wingspan
16.52 m
•
Height
5.3 m
•
Wingarea
42.18 m²
•
Empty weight
6,500 kg
•
Max. takeoff weight
11,350 kg
•
Max. flight altitude
12,000 m
•
Max. speed
615 - 700 km/h
•
Range
3,200 km
•
Rate of climb
14.5 m/s
•
Engine
2 × Rolls-Royce Merlin
•
Engine power
2 × 1,565 – 1,960 hp
Armament: The night fighter versions had four 20
mm automatic guns but no machine guns because
the whole nose was entirely used by the radar.
Images:
Night fighter J 30 Mosquito on a Swedish
airfield, 1948- 1954.
Image: Flygvapenmuseum, ID: FVMF.002411
Night fighter J 30 Mosquito in Swedish service,
October 1949. Image: Wikipedia.
