Swedish Air Force Museum
Encyclopedia
The Swedish Air Force Museum (in Swedish
, Flygvapenmuseum) is located at Malmen Airbase
in Malmslätt, just outside of Linköping
, Sweden
. Malmen is where Baron Carl Cederström
, nicknamed the "Flyer Baron" founded his flying school in 1912. Malmen Airbase
is home to the Royal Swedish Airschool operating SAAB 105 (SK60) jettrainers. Along with the Swedish Army Museum (Armémuseum
) in Stockholm
, and the Marinmuseum at Karlskrona, Flygvapenmusem constitutes the government agency Statens försvarshistoriska museer ("Swedish Museums of the Defence Forces").
The museum’s collection of artefacts includes planes, engines, instruments and uniforms. The museum has a knowledge centre (faktarum), with library and archives, containing literature, periodicals, plans, photographs and personal files relating to aviation. The museum is part of the National Swedish Museums of Military History, a government agency. The establishment of the Swedish Air Force Museum was also aided by the Östergötland Society for Aviation History (ÖFS). Today, ÖFS acts as a support organisation for the museum, and actively works at tasks such as the restoration of aircraft.
The museum has been in existence since 1984, and served both as the F 3 Malmslätt
squadron museum and a storage building in Ryd. The inauguration of the museum in 1984 marked the beginning of a public aviation museum at Malmen – the cradle of Swedish aviation. In 1989, the museum underwent an additional expansion with a second exhibition hall, enabling it to exhibit a large collection of aircraft from the decade following 1910 to today’s JAS 39 Gripen
.
Aircraft from every stage of Swedish military aviation
history are on display. Noteworthy exhibition objects from the pioneering days of World War I
include an Albatros 120
trainer, as well as a Nieuport
and Bréguet
combat aircraft. A Saab
-built Junkers Ju 86
twin-engined bomber, and a wide range of British
, American
, Italian
and Swedish-made planes reveal the diversity of aircraft types used by the Swedish Air Force during World War II
. All service aircraft of significance from the post-war years are exhibited, from the Saab J 29
"Flying Barrel", a sturdy fighter of the 1950s, to the contemporary 4th generation multirole fighter JAS 39 Gripen
. Recently, a new exhibition has been added, based around the salvaged Tp 79 (Swedish Air Force designation for C-47) ELINT aircraft, shot down by a Soviet MiG-15 in 1952. The museum also hosts a Saab 39 Gripen simulator.
In 2010 the museum had a major expansion and rebuild. The exhibitions are now divided in themes, for example:
1. Pioneers in aviation, describing the early developments in swedish aviation history in the period 1910 - 1926.
2. Between the wars, describing the establishment of the Swedish Airforce and the early developments of the swedish aviation industry in the period 1926 - 1939.
3. The Second World War, when the Swedish Airforce increased in size and the first fighter planes joined in the period 1939 - 1945.
4. Aviation technology
5. Sweden during the Cold War
, showing preparations made in case of war in the period of the 1950:s - 1980:s.
The various exhibitions including the displayed airplanes etc. are shown on three levels in the museum. There are two large hangar sized exhibition halls with a large number of airplanes and a third downstairs showing the DC-3 that was shot down in 1952 and eventually found in 2003. After interim storage, the plane was placed in its final location at the Swedish Air Force Museum on 13 May 2009.
Just outside the museum there is an English Electric Canberra
(TP 52), a Vickers Varsity
(TP 82), a Hunting Percival Pembroke
(Tp83) and a Douglas Tp79 (C-47A) on display. Those planes outside are not yet restored.
The Air Force Museum won the award for the 2011 Swedish Museum of the year. The Air Force Museum also won the prize for the 2010 Exhibition of the Year. The 2011 Swedish Museum of the Year award is sponsored by the Swedish chapter of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the Association of Swedish Museums. The award for the 2010 Exhibition of the Year is sponsored by FORUM for exhibitors.
There is a Restaurant and Cafe, (Calle C Restaurang & cafe), at the museum. Across the road from the museum there is a parking lot.
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
, Flygvapenmuseum) is located at Malmen Airbase
Malmen Airbase
Malmen Airbase is a Swedish military airbase located in Malmslätt, Linköping.The base was opened by Carl Cederström in 1912. In the beginning the airbase had only three aircraft but more were bought in the same year. From 1926 to 1974 it served as an independent wing but in 1974 it was put under F...
in Malmslätt, just outside of Linköping
Linköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Malmen is where Baron Carl Cederström
Carl Cederström
Friherre Carl Gustav Alexander Cederström was a pioneering Swedish aviator, often nicknamed "the flying Baron".-Biography:...
, nicknamed the "Flyer Baron" founded his flying school in 1912. Malmen Airbase
Malmen Airbase
Malmen Airbase is a Swedish military airbase located in Malmslätt, Linköping.The base was opened by Carl Cederström in 1912. In the beginning the airbase had only three aircraft but more were bought in the same year. From 1926 to 1974 it served as an independent wing but in 1974 it was put under F...
is home to the Royal Swedish Airschool operating SAAB 105 (SK60) jettrainers. Along with the Swedish Army Museum (Armémuseum
Armémuseum
The Swedish Army Museum is a museum of military history located in the district of Östermalm in Stockholm. It reopened in 2002 after a long period of closure, and was awarded the title of the best museum of Stockholm in 2005...
) in 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...
, and the Marinmuseum at Karlskrona, Flygvapenmusem constitutes the government agency Statens försvarshistoriska museer ("Swedish Museums of the Defence Forces").
The museum’s collection of artefacts includes planes, engines, instruments and uniforms. The museum has a knowledge centre (faktarum), with library and archives, containing literature, periodicals, plans, photographs and personal files relating to aviation. The museum is part of the National Swedish Museums of Military History, a government agency. The establishment of the Swedish Air Force Museum was also aided by the Östergötland Society for Aviation History (ÖFS). Today, ÖFS acts as a support organisation for the museum, and actively works at tasks such as the restoration of aircraft.
The museum has been in existence since 1984, and served both as the F 3 Malmslätt
F 3 Malmslätt
F 3 Malmslätt, Kungliga Östgöta Flygflottilj, Royal Östgöta Air Force Wing, or simply "F 3", is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located at Malmen air base near Linköping in south-eastern Sweden.- History of the airbase :...
squadron museum and a storage building in Ryd. The inauguration of the museum in 1984 marked the beginning of a public aviation museum at Malmen – the cradle of Swedish aviation. In 1989, the museum underwent an additional expansion with a second exhibition hall, enabling it to exhibit a large collection of aircraft from the decade following 1910 to today’s JAS 39 Gripen
JAS 39 Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force...
.
Aircraft from every stage of Swedish military aviation
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...
history are on display. Noteworthy exhibition objects from the pioneering days of 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...
include an Albatros 120
Albatros Flugzeugwerke
Albatros-Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer best known for supplying the German airforces during World War I.The company was based in Johannisthal, Berlin, where it was founded by Walter Huth and Otto Wiener on December 20, 1909. It produced some of the most capable fighter aircraft...
trainer, as well as a Nieuport
Nieuport
Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...
and Bréguet
Breguet
Breguet may refer to: * Breguet , watch manufacturer* Breguet Aviation, a defunct French aircraft manufacturer; was formally known as "Société Anonyme des Ateliers d'Aviation Louis Breguet"...
combat aircraft. A Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
-built Junkers Ju 86
Junkers Ju 86
The Junkers Ju 86 was a German monoplane bomber and civilian airliner designed in the early 1930s, and employed by both sides during World War II. The civilian model Ju 86B could carry 10 passengers. Two were delivered to Swissair and five to Luft Hansa...
twin-engined bomber, and a wide range of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Swedish-made planes reveal the diversity of aircraft types used by the Swedish Air Force during 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...
. All service aircraft of significance from the post-war years are exhibited, from the Saab 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...
"Flying Barrel", a sturdy fighter of the 1950s, to the contemporary 4th generation multirole fighter JAS 39 Gripen
JAS 39 Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force...
. Recently, a new exhibition has been added, based around the salvaged Tp 79 (Swedish Air Force designation for C-47) ELINT aircraft, shot down by a Soviet MiG-15 in 1952. The museum also hosts a Saab 39 Gripen simulator.
In 2010 the museum had a major expansion and rebuild. The exhibitions are now divided in themes, for example:
1. Pioneers in aviation, describing the early developments in swedish aviation history in the period 1910 - 1926.
2. Between the wars, describing the establishment of the Swedish Airforce and the early developments of the swedish aviation industry in the period 1926 - 1939.
3. The Second World War, when the Swedish Airforce increased in size and the first fighter planes joined in the period 1939 - 1945.
4. Aviation technology
5. Sweden during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, showing preparations made in case of war in the period of the 1950:s - 1980:s.
The various exhibitions including the displayed airplanes etc. are shown on three levels in the museum. There are two large hangar sized exhibition halls with a large number of airplanes and a third downstairs showing the DC-3 that was shot down in 1952 and eventually found in 2003. After interim storage, the plane was placed in its final location at the Swedish Air Force Museum on 13 May 2009.
Just outside the museum there is an English Electric Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
(TP 52), a Vickers Varsity
Vickers Varsity
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.* Ellis, Ken. Wrecks & Relics. Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing, 21st edition, 2008. ISBN 9-780859-791342....
(TP 82), a Hunting Percival Pembroke
Percival Pembroke
-See also:-Bibliography:* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 . London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10014-X....
(Tp83) and a Douglas Tp79 (C-47A) on display. Those planes outside are not yet restored.
The Air Force Museum won the award for the 2011 Swedish Museum of the year. The Air Force Museum also won the prize for the 2010 Exhibition of the Year. The 2011 Swedish Museum of the Year award is sponsored by the Swedish chapter of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the Association of Swedish Museums. The award for the 2010 Exhibition of the Year is sponsored by FORUM for exhibitors.
There is a Restaurant and Cafe, (Calle C Restaurang & cafe), at the museum. Across the road from the museum there is a parking lot.