F 8 Barkarby
Encyclopedia
F 8 Barkarby, Kungliga Svea
Flygflottilj, Royal Svealand Air Force Wing, or simply "F 8", is a former Swedish Air Force
wing with the main base located in Barkarby
just north of the capital Stockholm
on the east coast.
with paved runways.
From 1926 until 1938 the airfield was also used for evaluation of new aircraft for the Swedish Air Force
. Units from other wings were also stationed here for air defense of the capital Stockholm
.
In 1936, the decision was made to set up a permanent fighter air wing. Three squadrons of J 8
were initially detached to F 1 Hässlö
but moved to Barkarby on October 1, 1938. The aircraft were rather quickly replaced in 1940 by J 9
.
In 1945 after the end of the war, the squadrons were reequipped with J 22
. Some of the aircraft were received from F 16
and F 9
. A few J 21A-1
were also stationed here initially for trials and training.
In 1949 the squadrons were gradually converted to jets
with the introduction of J 28B
Vampire. They were in turn replaced in 1952 with J 29
Tunnan.
In 1957 the squadrons received the J 34
Hunter. They were kept until 1964 when the three squadrons were disbanded and the aircraft were transferred to other wings. The name was changed to Kungliga Svea Flygkår (Royal Svealand Air Corps).
In 1961 a decision was made to base the new high-altitude Rb 68 Bloodhound air-to-air missile at F 8 and replace the fighters. F 8 Barkarby became the technical centre in Sweden for training officers and conscripts for using the new missiles.
F 8 remained an active military base until the decommissioning in 1974 when it was opened for general aviation.
for general aviation.
Svealand
Svealand , Swealand or Sweden proper is the historical core region of Sweden. It is located in south central Sweden and is one of three lands of Sweden, bounded to the north by Norrland and to the south by Götaland. Deep forests, Tiveden, Tylöskog, Kolmården, separated Svealand from Götaland...
Flygflottilj, Royal Svealand Air Force Wing, or simply "F 8", 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 in Barkarby
Barkarby
Barkarby is a district of Järfälla Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden and part of the contiguously built-up Stockholm urban area.Barkarby has a station of the Stockholm commuter rail network.-1912 Summer Olympics:...
just north of the capital Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
on the east coast.
History of the airbase
The meadows in the area were used since 1913 for basic flying training. From 1919 until 1936 the airport was a permanent international airport until the commercial traffic was transferred to the newly built Stockholm-Bromma AirportStockholm-Bromma Airport
Stockholm-Bromma Airport is an airport in Stockholm, Sweden. Stockholm-Bromma Airport is located west northwest of downtown Stockholm and is the closest to the city...
with paved runways.
From 1926 until 1938 the airfield was also used for evaluation of new aircraft for the 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...
. Units from other wings were also stationed here for air defense of the capital Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
In 1936, the decision was made to set up a permanent fighter air wing. Three squadrons of J 8
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
were initially detached to F 1 Hässlö
F 1 Hässlö
F 1 Hässlö, Kungliga Västmanlands Flygflottilj, Royal Västmanland Air Force Wing, or simply "F 1", is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located at Hässlö Flygplats near Västerås in central Sweden.- History of the airbase :...
but moved to Barkarby on October 1, 1938. The aircraft were rather quickly replaced in 1940 by J 9
Seversky P-35
The Seversky P-35 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in U.S...
.
In 1945 after the end of the war, the squadrons were reequipped with 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...
. Some of the aircraft were received from F 16
F 16 Uppsala
F 16 Uppsala, Upplands Flygflottilj, Uppland Air Force Wing or simply "F 16" is a Swedish air force base located just north of Uppsala on the east coast of Sweden...
and F 9
F 9 Säve
F 9 Säve, Göta Flygflottilj, Göta Air Force Wing, or simply "F 9", is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located near Gothenburg in south-west Sweden.- History of the airbase :...
. A few J 21A-1
Saab 21
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Billing, Peter. "A Fork-Tailed Swede." Air Enthusiast Twenty-two, August–November 1983. Bromley, Kent, UK: Pilot Press Ltd., 1983....
were also stationed here initially for trials and training.
In 1949 the squadrons were gradually converted to jets
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
with the introduction of J 28B
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...
Vampire. They were in turn replaced in 1952 with 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...
Tunnan.
In 1957 the squadrons received the J 34
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
Hunter. They were kept until 1964 when the three squadrons were disbanded and the aircraft were transferred to other wings. The name was changed to Kungliga Svea Flygkår (Royal Svealand Air Corps).
In 1961 a decision was made to base the new high-altitude Rb 68 Bloodhound air-to-air missile at F 8 and replace the fighters. F 8 Barkarby became the technical centre in Sweden for training officers and conscripts for using the new missiles.
F 8 remained an active military base until the decommissioning in 1974 when it was opened for general aviation.
Current use
The airfield is known today as Barkarby AirportBarkarby Airport
Barkarby Airport was a disbanded Swedish Air Force base, near Akalla north of Stockholm used for general aviation. Barkarby Airport was one of Sweden’s oldest active airports until it was closed in 2010. A large shopping complex is still situated close to – and partly on – the airfield. Current...
for general aviation.
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