Bråvalla Wing (Swedish: Bråvalla flygflottilj), also F 13 Norrköping, or simply F 13, is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located near Norrköping in south-eastern Sweden.
The Air Wing was established in 1943 as the fourth fighter wing, and the thirteenth wing in total, in the Swedish Air Force.
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.
F 13 todayEdit
The airfield is today known as Norrköping-Bråvalla airfield (ICAO: ESCK). It is currently administered by Blekinge Wing (F 17) and is mainly used as a storage facility for obsolete equipment. The underground facility called Berget (The mountain) is still being maintained and could hold a number of fighters. One of the runways is still operational and can be reactivated.
Heraldry and traditionsEdit
Coat of armsEdit
"Or, the town badge of Norrköping, sitting on a throne gules, a Saint Olof image dressed azure, crown or and halo, axe and orb azure."[3]
Colours, standards and guidonsEdit
Wing colourEdit
The first colour was presented to the wing at Svea Air Corps (F 8) at Barkarby Airport by His Majesty the King Gustaf V on 17 September 1944. Blazon: "On blue cloth in the centre the badge of the Air Force; a winged two-bladed propeller under a royal crown proper, all in yellow. In the first corner a saint seated on a bench with a crown on his head, an ax in his right hand and an orb in his left, all or, halo and axe argent." Decor through inserting and embroidery.[3]
The 1938 colour
Traditional coloursEdit
The wing had the colour of Östgöta Wing (F 3) from 1974 to 1994 and the colours of Södermanland Wing (F 11) from 1980 to 1994 as traditional colours.[3]
Colour of Östgöta Wing (F 3)
MarchEdit
”Bråvalla flygflottiljs marsch” composed around 1920s by Sam Rydberg under the name "Formering till tåg" and dedicated to Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf in 1926.[1] The march, which was also given the title "Nordiska spelen", was used as a regimental march of the Life Grenadier Regiment from 1929 to 1933 and then as a defiliation march.[4] It was adopted and established as march for Bråvalla Wing on 4 April 1986.[2]
Commanding officersEdit
From 1943 to 1977, the commanding officers was referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander") and had the rank of lieutenant colonel. From 1951, the wing commander at F 13 received the rank of colonel. From 1977 to 1981, the wing commander was referred to as sektorflottiljchef ("sector wing commander") and had the rank of senior colonel. From 1981 to 1994, the commanding officer was again referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander"), and had from 1991 the rank of colonel.
In order to relieve the sector wing commander, a deputy sector wing commander position was added in 1977. Its task was to lead the unit procurement, a task largely similar to the old wing commander position. Hence he was also referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander"). The deputy sector wing commander had the rank of colonel. On 30 June 1981, the deputy sector wing commander position was terminated.
Braunstein, Christian (2005). (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 8 [dvs 9] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN9197158488. SELIBR 9845891. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-12-17. Retrieved 2019-12-18.
Sandberg, Bo (2007). Försvarets marscher och signaler förr och nu: marscher antagna av svenska militära förband, skolor och staber samt igenkännings-, tjänstgörings- och exercissignaler (in Swedish) (New ed.). Stockholm: Militärmusiksamfundet med Svenskt marscharkiv. ISBN978-91-631-8699-8. SELIBR 10413065.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bråvalla Wing.
Boström, Valter, ed. (1993). Bråvallavingar: berättelsen om F 13 - en flygflottilj under 50 år (in Swedish). Norrköping: Bråvalla flygflottilj. ISBN9163013606. SELIBR 7449160.
bråvalla, wing, swedish, bråvalla, flygflottilj, also, norrköping, simply, former, swedish, force, wing, with, main, base, located, near, norrköping, south, eastern, sweden, bråvalla, flygflottiljactive1943, 1994countryswedenallegianceswedish, armed, forcesbra. Bravalla Wing Swedish Bravalla flygflottilj also F 13 Norrkoping or simply F 13 is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located near Norrkoping in south eastern Sweden Bravalla WingBravalla flygflottiljActive1943 1994CountrySwedenAllegianceSwedish Armed ForcesBranchSwedish Air ForceTypeWing 1940 1957 Sector wing 1957 1981 Wing 1981 1994 RoleFighter wing 1943 1976 Fighter Recon wing 1976 1994 Part ofThird Air Group 1944 1966 Milo O 1966 1991 Milo M 1991 1994 Garrison HQNorrkoping BravallaMotto s Altius Citius Pericula Commoda Suscipientes 1 Higher and faster we take moderate risks March Nordiska spelen Rydberg 2 InsigniaRoundelAircraft flownBomberB 5 B 17FighterJ 8 J 11 J 22 J 28A J 29 J 32 J 35 JA 37ReconnaissanceSF 37 SH 37TrainerS 12 Sk 15 Sk 16 Sk 50TransportTp 45 Tp 79 Tp 83 Tp 85G 101 P 1 Se 102 Se 103 Se 104 Contents 1 History 1 1 F 13 today 2 Heraldry and traditions 2 1 Coat of arms 2 2 Colours standards and guidons 2 2 1 Wing colour 2 2 2 Traditional colours 2 3 March 3 Commanding officers 3 1 Wing and sector wing commanders 3 2 Deputy sector wing commanders 4 Names designations and locations 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Print 6 3 Web 7 Further readingHistory EditThe Air Wing was established in 1943 as the fourth fighter wing and the thirteenth wing in total in the Swedish Air Force The location had been mapped out in 1941 and consisted of purchased land from Sorby 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 Norrkoping main hotel until the first office buildings were completed in 1945 The wing was given the name Bravalla as a tie to the Battle of Bravalla 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 F 13 today Edit The airfield is today known as Norrkoping Bravalla airfield ICAO ESCK It is currently administered by Blekinge Wing F 17 and is mainly used as a storage facility for obsolete equipment The underground facility called Berget The mountain is still being maintained and could hold a number of fighters One of the runways is still operational and can be reactivated Heraldry and traditions EditCoat of arms Edit Or the town badge of Norrkoping sitting on a throne gules a Saint Olof image dressed azure crown or and halo axe and orb azure 3 Colours standards and guidons Edit Wing colour Edit The first colour was presented to the wing at Svea Air Corps F 8 at Barkarby Airport by His Majesty the King Gustaf V on 17 September 1944 Blazon On blue cloth in the centre the badge of the Air Force a winged two bladed propeller under a royal crown proper all in yellow In the first corner a saint seated on a bench with a crown on his head an ax in his right hand and an orb in his left all or halo and axe argent Decor through inserting and embroidery 3 nbsp The 1938 colourTraditional colours Edit The wing had the colour of Ostgota Wing F 3 from 1974 to 1994 and the colours of Sodermanland Wing F 11 from 1980 to 1994 as traditional colours 3 nbsp Colour of Ostgota Wing F 3 March Edit Bravalla flygflottiljs marsch composed around 1920s by Sam Rydberg under the name Formering till tag and dedicated to Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf in 1926 1 The march which was also given the title Nordiska spelen was used as a regimental march of the Life Grenadier Regiment from 1929 to 1933 and then as a defiliation march 4 It was adopted and established as march for Bravalla Wing on 4 April 1986 2 Commanding officers EditFrom 1943 to 1977 the commanding officers was referred to as flottiljchef wing commander and had the rank of lieutenant colonel From 1951 the wing commander at F 13 received the rank of colonel From 1977 to 1981 the wing commander was referred to as sektorflottiljchef sector wing commander and had the rank of senior colonel From 1981 to 1994 the commanding officer was again referred to as flottiljchef wing commander and had from 1991 the rank of colonel Wing and sector wing commanders Edit 1943 1947 Lage Thunberg 1947 1948 Grels Naeslund 1948 1950 Ante Soderlindh 1950 1959 Frank Cervell 1959 1964 Nils Magnus von Arbin 1964 1966 Hans Neij 1966 1966 Gunnar Rissler 1966 1979 Carl Norberg 1980 1984 Kurt Hagerstrom 1984 1987 Borje Bjorkholm 1987 1991 Hermann Schulz 1991 1994 Gote Pudas Deputy sector wing commanders Edit In order to relieve the sector wing commander a deputy sector wing commander position was added in 1977 Its task was to lead the unit procurement a task largely similar to the old wing commander position Hence he was also referred to as flottiljchef wing commander The deputy sector wing commander had the rank of colonel On 30 June 1981 the deputy sector wing commander position was terminated 1977 1979 Bengt Lonnbom 1979 1981 Stig AbrahamssonNames designations and locations EditName Translation From ToKungl Bravalla flygflottilj Royal Bravalla Wing 1943 07 01 1974 12 31Bravalla flygflottilj Bravalla WingBravalla Air Group 5 1975 01 01 1994 06 30Designation From ToF 13 1943 1957 09 30F 13 Se O1 1957 10 01 1981 06 30F 13 Se G1 1957 10 01 1965 F 13 1981 07 01 1994 06 30Location From ToBravalla Airport 1943 07 01 1994 06 30See also EditSwedish Air Force List of military aircraft of SwedenReferences EditNotes Edit a b Braunstein 2005 p 92 a b Sandberg 2007 p 64 a b c Braunstein 2005 p 91 Stolt 2000 2002 p 42 Appich 1988 p 42 Print Edit Braunstein Christian 2005 Svenska flygvapnets forband och skolor under 1900 talet PDF Skrift Statens forsvarshistoriska museer 1101 7023 8 dvs 9 in Swedish Stockholm Statens forsvarshistoriska museer ISBN 9197158488 SELIBR 9845891 Archived from the original PDF on 2019 12 17 Retrieved 2019 12 18 Sandberg Bo 2007 Forsvarets marscher och signaler forr och nu marscher antagna av svenska militara forband skolor och staber samt igenkannings tjanstgorings och exercissignaler in Swedish New ed Stockholm Militarmusiksamfundet med Svenskt marscharkiv ISBN 978 91 631 8699 8 SELIBR 10413065 Stolt Lars C 2000 2002 Sam H Rydberg Svenskt biografiskt lexikon in Swedish Vol 31 National Archives of Sweden p 42 Web Edit Appich Thomas W Jr 22 July 1988 Reference Aid Swedish English Glossary of Military and Technical Acronyms and Abbreviations PDF United States Joint Publications Research Service Foreign Broadcast Information Service Archived PDF from the original on 20 February 2017 Retrieved 5 February 2021 Further reading Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bravalla Wing Bostrom Valter ed 1993 Bravallavingar berattelsen om F 13 en flygflottilj under 50 ar in Swedish Norrkoping Bravalla flygflottilj ISBN 9163013606 SELIBR 7449160 58 36 39 N 16 06 13 E 58 61083 N 16 10361 E 58 61083 16 10361 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bravalla Wing amp oldid 1114247494, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
