F 13 Norrköping
Encyclopedia
F 13 Norrköping
, Bråvalla Flygflottilj, Bråvalla Air Force Wing, or simply "F 13", is a former Swedish Air Force
wing with the main base located near Norrköping
in south-eastern Sweden.
.
The location had been mapped out in 1941 and consisted of purchased land from Sörby, Knivberga and Ringstad farmsteads. In 1942, preparation work on the almost square 1000 m by 1000 m grass air field was started and completed in September 1943. The main administration was housed inside Norrköping main hotel until the first office buildings were completed in 1945. The wing was given the name Bråvalla as a tie to the Battle of Bråvalla in 770.
The first fighter squadrons were set up by the Italian built J 11
in 1943 which was quickly replaced by the Swedish built J 22
in 1944.
In 1946, F 13 became the first wing in the Swedish Air Force to convert to jets with the J 28
. It was later also first wing to introduce J 29
and J 35 in service in 1951 and 1960 respectively.
In 1976 a new reconnaissance squadron was set up with a combined SF/SH 37 fleet and in 1980, F 13 was yet again the first wing to receive the JA 37.
On June 3, 1992 the decision was made to decommission the squadrons on June 30, 1993 and the remaining wing administration on June 30, 1994.
and is mainly used as a storage facility for obsolete equipment. The underground facilitys called Berget (The mountain) is still being maintained and could hold a number of fighters. One of the runways is still oprational and can be reactivated.
Norrköping
Norrköping is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County. The city has a population of 87,247 inhabitants in 2010, out of a municipal total of 130,050, making it Sweden's tenth largest city and eighth largest...
, Bråvalla Flygflottilj, Bråvalla Air Force Wing, or simply "F 13", is a former Swedish Air Force
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
wing with the main base located near Norrköping
Norrköping
Norrköping is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County. The city has a population of 87,247 inhabitants in 2010, out of a municipal total of 130,050, making it Sweden's tenth largest city and eighth largest...
in south-eastern Sweden.
History of the airbase
The Air Wing was established in 1943 as the fourth fighter wing, and the thirteenth wing in total, in the Swedish Air ForceSwedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
.
The location had been mapped out in 1941 and consisted of purchased land from Sörby, Knivberga and Ringstad farmsteads. In 1942, preparation work on the almost square 1000 m by 1000 m grass air field was started and completed in September 1943. The main administration was housed inside Norrköping main hotel until the first office buildings were completed in 1945. The wing was given the name Bråvalla as a tie to the Battle of Bråvalla in 770.
The first fighter squadrons were set up by the Italian built J 11
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
in 1943 which was quickly replaced by the Swedish built J 22
FFVS J 22
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Andersson, Hans G. SAAB Aircraft since 1937; 2nd revised edition. London: Putnam Aeronautical books, 1997. ISBN 0-85177-886-0...
in 1944.
In 1946, F 13 became the first wing in the Swedish Air Force to convert to jets with the J 28
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
. It was later also first wing to introduce J 29
Saab Tunnan
The Saab 29, popularly called Flygande tunnan , was a Swedish fighter designed and manufactured by Saab in the 1950s. It was Sweden's second turbojet-powered combat aircraft, the first being the Saab 21R...
and J 35 in service in 1951 and 1960 respectively.
In 1976 a new reconnaissance squadron was set up with a combined SF/SH 37 fleet and in 1980, F 13 was yet again the first wing to receive the JA 37.
On June 3, 1992 the decision was made to decommission the squadrons on June 30, 1993 and the remaining wing administration on June 30, 1994.
F 13 today
The airfield is today known as Norrköping-Bråvalla airfield (ICAO: ESCK). It is currently administered by F 17 KallingeF 17 Kallinge
F 17 Kallinge, Blekinge Flygflottilj, Blekinge Air Force Wing, or simply "F 17", is a Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located near Ronneby in southern Sweden. It is one of the three remaining wings in Sweden and currently has two squadrons of multirole aircraft. F17 in the south and F21...
and is mainly used as a storage facility for obsolete equipment. The underground facilitys called Berget (The mountain) is still being maintained and could hold a number of fighters. One of the runways is still oprational and can be reactivated.
See also
- Swedish Armed ForcesSwedish Armed ForcesThe Swedish Armed Forces is a Swedish Government Agency responsible for the operation of the armed forces of the Realm. The primary task of the agency is to train, organize and to deploy military forces, domestically and abroad, while maintaining the long-term ability to defend the Realm in the...
- Swedish Air ForceSwedish Air ForceThe Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
- List of military aircraft of Sweden