Göta Wing ( sv, Göta flygflottilj), also F 9 Säve, or simply F 9, was a Swedish Air Force

wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is exp ...

with the main base located near Gothenburg in south-west Sweden.

History

The decision to set up the air wing was made in 1936 to defend the import/export harbours on the west coast. The wing itself was not commissioned until October 1, 1940 and the airfield took until 1941 to complete. Initially, two squadrons of J 8 fighters were commissioned in 1940, but they were quickly replaced by three squadrons of J 11s. In 1942 hangars and some of the base command were relocated inside large shelters blasted out of the rocks. Initially the shelter area was only 8,000 m² (72,000 sq ft.) but it was later extended to 22,000 m² (200,000 sq ft.) 30 m (100 ft) below ground level. During 1943, the J 11s were replaced by J 22s and subsequently by J 21s in 1946. The J 21s served for only three years until 1949 when they were replaced by the J 28B. After yet only two years the J 28Bs were in turn replaced by the J 29. The 29 Tunnan did serve for over ten years until they were finally replaced by the J 34 where some units came from Svea Wing (F 8) and

Södertörn Wing Södertörn Wing ( sv, Södertörns flygflottilj), also F 18 Tullinge, or simply F 18, is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located in Tullinge just south-west of the capital Stockholm on the east coast. Heraldry and tradition ...

(F 18). The squadrons were gradually decommissioned one per year 1967-1969 until the wing itself was decommissioned on June 30, 1969. The airfield later operated as

Gothenburg City Airport Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has a ...

. The old mountain hangars house the ''Aeroseum'' museum.

Barracks and training areas

The wing was first based at F 7 and from 16 June 1941 on the Säve Airfield at

Hisingen Hisingen () is the fifth-largest island of Sweden (after Gotland, Öland, Södertörn and Orust), with an area of . It is a river island, formed by the split of the Göta Älv at Bohus, and is defined to the east and south by the main arm of th ...

in the City of Gothenburg. The runway system comprised three runways and the wing had two underground hangars; one from 1944 and one from 1955. File:F 9 Säve 01.JPG, Guardhouse and control tower File:Entrance to The Aeroseum (7490297192).jpg, Entrance to the underground hangar File:Saab SH 37 Viggen 37911 001-1.jpg, A

Saab 37 Viggen The Saab 37 Viggen (Swedish language, Swedish for ''"the thunderbolt, Bolt"'' or ''"the Tufted Duck"'' (#Name, see name)) is a retired Swedish single-seat, single-engine, short-medium range combat aircraft. Development work on the type was init ...

in the underground hangar File:Berghangar F 9 Säve.jpg,

Saab 29 Tunnan The Saab 29 ''Tunnan'', colloquially ''Flygande tunnan'' or just ''Tunnan'' ( en, "The flying barrel", "The barrel"),. is a Swedish fighter that was designed and manufactured by Saab in the late 1940s. It was the second turbojet-powered comb ...

in the underground hangar in the 1950s

Heraldry and traditions

Coat of arms

Blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visua ...

: "The coat of arms of Gothenburg, azure, with waves argent six times divided bendy-sinister argent, charged with a double-tailed crowned lion rampant or, armed and langued gules".

Colours, standards and guidons

The colour of the wing was presented by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf at the Säve Airfield on 13 October 1941.

: "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 rampant yellow lion with an open crown." Decor through inserting and embroidery. File:Fana m1939 Göta flygflottilj.jpg, The 1939 colour.

Commanding officers

Commanding officers from 1940 to 1969. The commanding officer was referred to as ''flottiljchef'' ("wing commander") and had the rank of colonel. *1940–1948: Magnus Bång *1948–1959: Arthur Åhmansson *1959–1960:

Åke Mangård Major General Åke Mangård (21 January 1917 – 24 March 1998) was a Swedish Air Force officer. His senior commands include commanding officer of the Göta Wing (F 9) from 1959 to 1960, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff from 1960 to 1961 and co ...

*1960–1969: Ulf Cappelen-Smith

Names, designations and locations

Footnotes

References

Notes

Print

Web

External links

Webpage listing all air force squadrons in Sweden

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gota Wing Wings of the Swedish Air Force Military units and formations established in 1940 Military units and formations disestablished in 1969 1940 establishments in Sweden 1969 disestablishments Hisingen Bunkers in Europe Gothenburg Garrison Disbanded units and formations of Sweden