Svenska Aero
Encyclopedia
Svenska Aero was a Swedish aircraft manufacturer on Hästholmen in Lidingö
. The company was founded September 10, 1921 to license build Caspar-Werke
and Heinkel
aircraft. The company was bought by ASJA
in 1932.
After World War I
, the German aircraft industry had several problems. German airlines was forbidden to operate multi engined aircraft and during a period all manufacturing of aircraft in Germany was banned. By 1921, some of the restrictions was lifted, civilian aircraft could be made after approval of an international control commission if they fulfilled certain requirements. In order to bypass these rules and to be able to make whatever aircraft they wanted several aircraft manufacturers moved abroad. In 1921, Carl Clemens Bücker handled the purchase of a reconnaissance aircraft from Caspar-Werke
in Travemünde
. Because they expected problems due to the rules in the peace treaty regarding the export of German fighter aircraft Bücker explored the possibility to smuggle the parts out of Germany and assemble the aircraft in Sweden.
To make the purchase easier, Ernst Heinkel
and Bücker started Svenska Aero in Lidingö 1921. The contract on the aircraft was transferred from Caspar to Svenska Aero.
Heinkel and some German assembly workers temorarily moved to Lidingö to assemble the aircraft.
Bücker, who at the time was hired as test pilot by the navy airforce at TDS (Torpeddepartementet på flottans varv i Stockholm, Swedish for "the torpedo department at the navy's whafr in Stockholm"), quit to become CEO and the only board member of the new company. The first aircraft was assembled from components from Caspar-Werke in Travemünde. Some assembly was carried out at Svenska Aero's facilities, but they were finished by TDS some the facilities of Svenska was unsuitable for production. In reality only rudders and pontoons was made in Sweden, the rest of the components was secretly manufactured by Caspar in several locations in Germany to avoid detection of the allies. During 1922 to 1923, the company moved into a former shipyard in Skärsätra on Lidingö since the company had received additional orders from the navy airforce. The parts for those aircraft was made in Sweden by Svenska Aero, but assembled by TDS. In 1928, the navy ordered four J 4 (Heinkel HD 19) as a fighter with pontoons. That delivery came to be the last license built aircraft by Svenska Aero.
In the mid 1920s, Svenska Aero created their own design department to be able to make their own aircraft models. Sven Blomberg, earlier employed by Heinkel Flugzeugwerke, was hired as head of design. In 1930, he was joined by Anders Johan Andersson from Messerschmitt. Despite that, Svenska Aero designed and made six different models on their own the manufacturing was not the success Bücker counted on. The airforce was only interested in buying prototypes and then building them themselves. in their workshops TDS and CFM
. This led to financial problems for the company and, in 1932, Bücker decided to sell the company with staff to ASJA for 250,000 SEK. After the company had been sold, Bücker returned to Germany and started Bücker Flugzeugbau
. Also, A. J. Andersson joined the new company ad head of design. Together, they created several internationally well known aircraft like Bücker Bü 181
Bestmann and Bücker Bü 133
Jungmeister. At the outbreak of World War II
, Autumn 1939, Andersson returned to Sweden where he led the design of the twin engine Saab 18
.
Including licence built and own designs Svenska Aero made a total of 58 aircraft. Seven was exported to Latvia
and one to Norway
.
The importance for the Swedish armed forces was greater than the number of manufactured aeroplanes may give the impression of. Between 1926 and 1932, the airforce bought 15 different types of aircraft, of them eight came from Svenska Aero.
Lidingö
Lidingö is an island in the inner Stockholm archipelago, located north east of central Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. It is also the seat of Lidingö Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 44,000 inhabitants in 2011....
. The company was founded September 10, 1921 to license build Caspar-Werke
Caspar-Werke
The Caspar-Werke was a German aircraft manufacturer of the early 20th century. It was founded in 1911 by Karl Caspar under the name Zentrale für Aviatik in Fuhlsbüttel. In its early years, the firm built Etrich and Rumpler types under licence, and was dissolved following World War I.In 1921, Caspar...
and Heinkel
Heinkel
Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. It is noted for producing bomber aircraft for the Luftwaffe in World War II and for important contributions to high-speed flight.-History:...
aircraft. The company was bought by ASJA
AB Svenska Järnvägsverkstädernas Aeroplanavdelning
AB Svenska Järnvägsverkstädernas Aeroplanavdelning was a company making aircraft in Linköping, Sweden. The company was started as a subsidiary company of ASJ ). The company was started in the 1930s headed by Sven Blomberg, earlier designer at Svenska Aero...
in 1932.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the German aircraft industry had several problems. German airlines was forbidden to operate multi engined aircraft and during a period all manufacturing of aircraft in Germany was banned. By 1921, some of the restrictions was lifted, civilian aircraft could be made after approval of an international control commission if they fulfilled certain requirements. In order to bypass these rules and to be able to make whatever aircraft they wanted several aircraft manufacturers moved abroad. In 1921, Carl Clemens Bücker handled the purchase of a reconnaissance aircraft from Caspar-Werke
Caspar-Werke
The Caspar-Werke was a German aircraft manufacturer of the early 20th century. It was founded in 1911 by Karl Caspar under the name Zentrale für Aviatik in Fuhlsbüttel. In its early years, the firm built Etrich and Rumpler types under licence, and was dissolved following World War I.In 1921, Caspar...
in Travemünde
Travemünde
Travemünde is a borough of Lübeck, Germany, located at the mouth of the river Trave in Lübeck Bay. It began life as a fortress built by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, in the 12th century to guard the mouth of the Trave, and the Danes subsequently strengthened it. It became a town in 1317 and in...
. Because they expected problems due to the rules in the peace treaty regarding the export of German fighter aircraft Bücker explored the possibility to smuggle the parts out of Germany and assemble the aircraft in Sweden.
To make the purchase easier, Ernst Heinkel
Ernst Heinkel
Dr. Ernst Heinkel was a German aircraft designer, manufacturer, Wehrwirtschaftführer in the Third Reich, and member of the Nazi party. His company Heinkel Flugzeugwerke produced the Heinkel He 178, the world's first turbojet aircraft and jet plane, and the Heinkel He 176, the first rocket aircraft...
and Bücker started Svenska Aero in Lidingö 1921. The contract on the aircraft was transferred from Caspar to Svenska Aero.
Heinkel and some German assembly workers temorarily moved to Lidingö to assemble the aircraft.
Bücker, who at the time was hired as test pilot by the navy airforce at TDS (Torpeddepartementet på flottans varv i Stockholm, Swedish for "the torpedo department at the navy's whafr in Stockholm"), quit to become CEO and the only board member of the new company. The first aircraft was assembled from components from Caspar-Werke in Travemünde. Some assembly was carried out at Svenska Aero's facilities, but they were finished by TDS some the facilities of Svenska was unsuitable for production. In reality only rudders and pontoons was made in Sweden, the rest of the components was secretly manufactured by Caspar in several locations in Germany to avoid detection of the allies. During 1922 to 1923, the company moved into a former shipyard in Skärsätra on Lidingö since the company had received additional orders from the navy airforce. The parts for those aircraft was made in Sweden by Svenska Aero, but assembled by TDS. In 1928, the navy ordered four J 4 (Heinkel HD 19) as a fighter with pontoons. That delivery came to be the last license built aircraft by Svenska Aero.
In the mid 1920s, Svenska Aero created their own design department to be able to make their own aircraft models. Sven Blomberg, earlier employed by Heinkel Flugzeugwerke, was hired as head of design. In 1930, he was joined by Anders Johan Andersson from Messerschmitt. Despite that, Svenska Aero designed and made six different models on their own the manufacturing was not the success Bücker counted on. The airforce was only interested in buying prototypes and then building them themselves. in their workshops TDS and CFM
CFM
CFM is an abbreviation for cubic feet per minute which is a measure of flow for liquids and gases, like air or water. CFM may also refer to:*Calea Ferată din Moldova, the Moldovan State Railway...
. This led to financial problems for the company and, in 1932, Bücker decided to sell the company with staff to ASJA for 250,000 SEK. After the company had been sold, Bücker returned to Germany and started Bücker Flugzeugbau
Bücker Flugzeugbau
Bücker-Flugzeugbau GmbH was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in 1932. It was most notable for Its highly regarded sports planes which went on to be used as trainers by the Luftwaffe during World War II....
. Also, A. J. Andersson joined the new company ad head of design. Together, they created several internationally well known aircraft like Bücker Bü 181
Bücker Bü 181
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David and Lake, Jon. . Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing, Single volume edition, 1996. ISBN 1-874023-95-6....
Bestmann and Bücker Bü 133
Bücker Bü 133
|-See also:-Bibliography:* König, Erwin. Bücker Bü 133 "Jungmeister" . D-86669 Stengelheim, Germany: Unitec Medienvertrieb e.K.,...
Jungmeister. At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Autumn 1939, Andersson returned to Sweden where he led the design of the twin engine Saab 18
Saab 18
|-See also:-References:CitationsBibliography* Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Orbis, 1997. ISBN 0-7607-0592-5....
.
Including licence built and own designs Svenska Aero made a total of 58 aircraft. Seven was exported to Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and one to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
The importance for the Swedish armed forces was greater than the number of manufactured aeroplanes may give the impression of. Between 1926 and 1932, the airforce bought 15 different types of aircraft, of them eight came from Svenska Aero.
License built
- Heinkel He 1Heinkel HE 1The Heinkel He 1 was a two seat, low-wing monoplane floatplane, designed in 1921 by German designer Ernst Heinkel at Caspar-Werke. The aircraft was initially produced under licence in Sweden for the Navy of 1921...
Hansa Brandenburg type 31 (military designation S 2) earlier called Caspar S.I - Heinkel He 1Heinkel HE 1The Heinkel He 1 was a two seat, low-wing monoplane floatplane, designed in 1921 by German designer Ernst Heinkel at Caspar-Werke. The aircraft was initially produced under licence in Sweden for the Navy of 1921...
- Hansa Brandenburg type 32 (military designation S 2) - Heinkel He 2 Hansa Brandenburg type 42 (military designation S 3) earlier called HE S.II (4 made)
- Heinkel He 4 Hansa Brandenburg type 47 (military designation S 4) earlier called HE S.IIa (5 made)
- Heinkel He 5 Hansa (military designation S 5) (14 made)
- Heinkel HD 19 (military designation J 4) (5 made)
- Heinkel HD 24 (military designation Sk 4) (6 made)
- Heinkel HD 35Heinkel HD 35-External links:*...
trainer (military designation Sk 5) (1 made)
Designed and built
- Svenska Aero SA-10 Piraten (military designation Ö 7) (2 made)
- Svenska Aero SA-11 Jaktfalken (military designation J 5) (1 made)
- Svenska Aero SA-12 Skolfalken (military designation Sk 8) (1 made)
- Svenska Aero SA-13 Övningsfalken (military designation Ö 8) (1 made)
- Svenska Aero SA-14 Jaktfalken II (military designation J 6) (11 made)
- Svenska Aero SA-15 prototype (military designation S 8) manufactured by ASJA
Aircraft sold by Svenska Aero made by Casper/Heinkel
- Heinkel HE 3
- Heinkel HD 14
- Heinkel HD 16 (military designation T-1)
- Heinkel HD 33