First Air Group

First Air Group
	Första flygeskadern
Active	1939–1995
Country	Sweden
Allegiance	Swedish Armed Forces
Branch	Swedish Air Force
Type	Mixed (1939–1948); Attack (1948–1995)
Size	Group
Part of	Southern Military Area
Garrison/HQ	Karlsborg (1939-1942); Stockholm (1942–1957); Gothenburg (1957–1995)
Nickname(s)	ÖB:s klubba[1]
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack	A 21A-3; A 32A Lansen; AJ 37 Viggen
Bomber	B 3 Junkers; B 4 Hawker Hart; B 17; B 18; B 18B
Fighter	J 8 Gloster Gladiator; J 21; J 21R
Reconnaissance	S 6 Fokker
	T 18B

First Air Group (Swedish: Första flygeskadern, E 1), previously named Air Group (Swedish: Flygeskadern) and later named Attack Group (Swedish: Attackeskadern) was an air group unit in the Swedish Air Force. The First Air Group was the collective name given to the attack wings who would jointly carry out heavier attacks in the event of war. It was active in various formations from 1939 to 1995. It was directly subordinate to the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces and therefore nicknamed ÖB:s klubba ("Supreme Commander's club").[1]

Naming

Since its foundation in 1926 the Swedish Air Force grouped its aircraft into Flygkår (Air Corps, like the Första flygkåren, Andra flygkåren, Tredje flygkåren - the First, the Second, the Third Air Corps etc.), this being the aviation equivalent of an army regiment. In 1936 the Swedish Air Force switched from army-like to navy-like naming of its flying units. Thus the "air corps" became "flying flotillas" (flygflottiljer, sing. flygflottilj) with the respective geographic region added as an official name, thus the Second Air Corps (Andra Flygkår) established in 1926 became the Second Royal Roslagen Flying Flotilla (Andra Kungliga Roslagens Flygflottilj) in 1936. Following the naval nomenclature these flying flotillas were further divided into divisions (divisioner, sing. division) like the navy's destroyer divisions.

In the end of 1938 the Swedish Air Force formed an air squadron (Flygeskadern) in the end of 1938. In 1942 it became the First Air Squadron (E1 Första Flygeskadern), with the Second and Third to follow in 1943 and the Fourth in 1945. So the traditional Swedish naming of air units is as follows:

Eskader or Flygeskader - USAF Air Division or RAF Air Group equivalent
Flottilj or Flygflottilj - USAF Air Wing or RAF Station equivalent
Division - Air Squadron
Grupp - Flight

History

According to the Defence Act of 1936, an air group commander would in case of war carry out the immediate command of the Swedish Air Force units that were part of the air group. In peacetime, his duties were to plan exercises, inspect wing exercises and conduct co-exercises and major practical exercises, that is, not to have constant command of Swedish Air Force wings.[2] Flygeskadern (the "Air Group") was organized in response to the emergency preparedness in September 1939 and was resolved (except for the staff) in the latter part of 1940. According to the Defence Act of 1942, four air groups would be permanently organized and in peacetime command the constituent wings regarding tactical and operational exercises. Its staff was located in Karlsborg from 1939 to 1942. In 1942 the Swedish Air Force expanded its war organization into four air groups and the Air Group was renamed First Air Group (Första flygeskadern, E 1), with its staff in Stockholm. The distribution of the Swedish Air Force wings to the air groups varied from 1 July 1945, when all four air groups had been organized. The First Air Group had attack duties, the Second and Third Air Group had fighter duties and the Fourth Air Group had reconnaissance duties.[2]

The staff were merged with the staff of the Western Airbase Area (Västra flygbasområdet, Flybo V) on 1 October 1957 and was placed in Gothenburg. This air group was meant to have attack duties.[2] Its command center Björn, was located south of Skara.[3] In 1966 the First Air Group became the only air group in the Swedish Air Force, when the three others were decommissioned. The commander of the First Air Group was subordinate to the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces according to instruction by the King in Council. Issues concerning unit training and production, the commander of the First Air Group was subordinate to the Chief of the Air Force.[1] The First Air Group was then renamed Attackeskadern ("Attack Group") and was led by a joint staff based in Gothenburg until it was decommissioned in 1995. The decommissioning decision came in conjunction with the Defence Act of 1992, in which it was decided that three geographic air commands were to be established on 1 July 1993 and subsequently retrieved the duties from the First Air Group.[4] At the decommissioning, the traditions and history of the First Air Group were transferred to the Chief of Air Force Staff, which on 30 June 1998 handed them over to the Air Force Center.

Organisation

1938–1940

Wings	Type	Main aircraft
F 1 Hässlö	Medium bomber	B 3 Junkers
F 3 Malmslätt	Reconnaissance	S 6 Fokker
F 4 Frösön	Light bomber / Dive bomber	B 4 Hawker Hart
F 8 Barkarby	Fighter	J 8 Gloster Gladiator

1942–1948

Wings	Type	Main aircraft
F 1 Hässlö	Bomber	B 18
F 4 Frösön	Light bomber	B 17
F 12 Kalmar	Light bomber	B 17
F 15 Söderhamn	Day-time fighter	J 21

1948–1957

Wings	Type	Main aircraft
F 6 Karlsborg	Attack	A 21A-3
F 7 Såtenäs	Attack	J 21R / B 18B
F 14 Halmstad	Attack	B 18B
F 17 Kallinge	Attack	T 18B

1957–1966

Wings	Type	Main aircraft	Comment
F 6 Karlsborg	Attack	A 32A Lansen
F 7 Såtenäs	Attack	A 32A Lansen
F 14 Halmstad	Attack	A 32A Lansen	Removed in 1961, and replaced by F 15
F 15 Söderhamn	Attack	A 32A Lansen	Added in 1961, and replaced F 14
F 17 Kallinge	Attack	A 32A Lansen

1966–1995

Wings	Type	Main aircraft	Comment
F 6 Karlsborg	Attack	A 32A Lansen. AJ 37 Viggen from 1977
F 7 Såtenäs	Attack	A 32A Lansen. AJ 37 Viggen from 1973
F 15 Söderhamn	Attack	A 32A Lansen. AJ 37 Viggen from 1974
F 17 Kallinge	Attack	A 32A Lansen until 1975	Removed from E 1 after rearmament to fighter wing

Commanding officers

Between 1938 and 1941 and 1994 to 1995 the commander had the rank of colonel. Between 1941 and 1994, the commander had the rank of major general.

Commanders

1939–1942 – Bengt Nordenskiöld
1942–1952 – Paulus af Uhr
1952–1964 – Björn Bjuggren
1964–1966 – Stig Norén
1966–1973 – Gösta Odqvist
1973–1977 – Bengt Rosenius
1977–1980 – Sven-Olof Olson
1980–1983 – Erik Nygren
1983–1990 – Bertil Nordström
1990–1994 – Bert Stenfeldt
1994–1995 – Christer Salsing (acting)

Deputy commanders

After the airbase areas were decommissioned on 30 September 1957, a deputy commander position was added. The deputy commander had the rank of colonel. When all the air groups (except the First Air Group) were decommissioned in 1966, the deputy commander position disappeared.

1957–1964 – Gösta Sandberg (acting)
1964–1966 – Karl-Erik Karlsson

Names, designations and locations

Name	Translation	From		To
Flygeskadern	Air Group	1939	–	1942
Första flygeskadern	First Air Group	1942	–	1966
Attackeskadern	Attack Group	1966	–	1995-06-30
Designation		From		To
E 1		1939	–	1995-06-30
Location		From		To
Karlsborg		1939	–	1942
Stockholm		1942	–	1957
Gothenburg		1957-10-01	–	1995-06-30

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References

Notes

"Första flygeskadern dirigent med "ÖB:s klubba"" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish). Stockholm: Flygstaben (4): 32–33. 1972. SELIBR 8257600.
"Förteckning > Flygeskadern / 1. flygeskadern" [List > Air Group / 1st Air Group] (in Swedish). National Archives of Sweden. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
Jansson, Mattias (2015-05-20). "Hemlig militärbas utanför Skara". Nyheter Väst (in Swedish). Sveriges Television. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
Regeringens proposition 1991/92:102 om totalförsvarets utveckling till och med budgetåret 1996/97 samt anslag för budgetåret 1992/93. Regeringens proposition, 8216139 ; 1991/92:102 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Riksdagstryckeriet. 1992. SELIBR 10148318. Retrieved 29 September 2010.

Print

Braunstein, Christian (2005). Svenska flygvapnets förband och skolor under 1900-talet. Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 8 [dvs 9] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. p. 122. ISBN 91-971584-8-8. SELIBR 9845891.

External links

E 1's Friendship Association (in Swedish)

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[Flygvapennytt_(1972),_pp._32-33-1] "Första flygeskadern dirigent med "ÖB:s klubba"" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish). Stockholm: Flygstaben (4): 32–33. 1972. SELIBR 8257600.

[National_Archives-2] "Förteckning > Flygeskadern / 1. flygeskadern" [List > Air Group / 1st Air Group] (in Swedish). National Archives of Sweden. Retrieved 16 October 2017.

[3] Jansson, Mattias (2015-05-20). "Hemlig militärbas utanför Skara". Nyheter Väst (in Swedish). Sveriges Television. Retrieved 16 October 2017.

[4] Regeringens proposition 1991/92:102 om totalförsvarets utveckling till och med budgetåret 1996/97 samt anslag för budgetåret 1992/93. Regeringens proposition, 8216139 ; 1991/92:102 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Riksdagstryckeriet. 1992. SELIBR 10148318. Retrieved 29 September 2010.