Military equipment of Sweden during World War II

Sweden was formally a non-belligerent nation throughout World War II, but saw considerable military build-up as the level of threat from the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany increased. Between 10,000 and 20,000 Swedes fought as volunteers abroad, a majority of them in service of Finland during the Winter War.

Army

Small arms

In the early stages of the war, Sweden relied on a numerous army through conscription and the use of a Total Defence policy. In 1945, the Swedish army had been modernized from the use of World War I weapons to semi-automatic rifles and high-tech firearms such as the Carl Gustav. The infantry had also been equipped with a great deal of rocket launchers for anti-tank warfare, and the availability of artillery had increased drastically with the World War II build-up. Throughout World War II, Sweden held the largest infantry army of the Nordic countries with more than 1,000,000 soldiers.

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
Pistol m/40 Finland
 Sweden
Semi-automatic pistolPistol m/40
Pistol m/40B
100,0001940-1990sLicense-built Lahti L-35, manufactured by Husqvarna
Kpist m/37 Finland
 Sweden
Submachine gunKpist m/3735,0001939-1980s-
Kpist m/45 SwedenSubmachine gunm/45
m/45B
m/45C
m/45BE
m/45BET
m/45S
300,0001945–2007Standard version
Minor improvements
Comes equipped with a bayonet mount
Selective-fire version, used by police
Comes equipped with a tear gas launcher
Uses a 50-round coffin magazine
Kpist m/39 Germany
 Sweden
Submachine gunm/39Unknown1940s-????-
MP 18 German EmpireSubmachine gunMP 18Unknown1920s-????-
Gevär m/96 SwedenBolt-action riflem/1894
m/1896
m/1938
m/1941
m/1941B
127,000
535,000
88,000
5,300
5,300
1895-1980s-
Karbin m/40 Germany
 Sweden
Bolt-action rifleKar 98k5,0001939-1970s-
Ag m/42 SwedenSemi-automatic rifleAg m/4230,0001942-1960s-
Kg m/37 United States
 Sweden
Light machine gunKg m/21
m/37
Unknown1937–1980Modified M1918 Browning produced under license.
Kg m/40 SwedenLight machine gunKg m/405,0001940-????-
Ksp m/41 SwedenMedium machine gunKsp m/14
m/14-29
Unknown1910s-1940sStandard mount.
Ksp m/36 mount.
Ksp m/36 SwedenMedium machine gunKsp m/36Unknown1910s-1940sUpgraded M1917 Browning produced under license.
Ksp m/42 United States
 Sweden
Medium machine gunKsp m/42Ksp m/421942–presentLicense-built, modified M1919.
Raketgevär 46 United States
 Sweden
Recoilless anti-tank weaponRaketgevär 46Unknown1940s-1960sLicense-built M1 Bazooka

Armoured fighting vehicles

At the beginning of World War II, Sweden had a very low number of motorized vehicles, instead relying horses for transportation. When the war broke out in 1939, Sweden had one armoured division consisting of merely 13 light tanks, only 3 of which were considered to be modern (the remaining 10 had been in service since the 1920s). In 1945, the number of tanks serving the Swedish army had increased from 13 to more than 800.

Number of tanks pre-war: 14

Number of tanks in 1939: 29

Number of tanks in 1940: 38

Number of tanks in 1941: 135

Number of tanks in 1942: 373

Number of tanks in 1943: 544

Number of tanks in 1944: 795

Number of tanks in 1945: 795+

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
Pbil m/39 SwedenArmoured carPbil m/39
Pbil m/40
15
30
1939-1956
1939-1960s
Version with Scania-Vabis engine
Version with Volvo engine.
Pbil m/41 SwedenArmoured carPbil m/4151933–1980More than 50 produced, most of them sold to other countries before and during the war.
Landsverk L-120 SwedenLight tankL-12011937–1940Prototype in active service but never mass-produced.
Strv m/21-29 SwedenLight tankm/21
m/21-29
10
5 former m/21
1922-1939Standard version
Upgraded with new engine and electrical starter.
Strv m/31 SwedenLight tankStrv m/3131935–1940Dug in as static bunkers for the Skåne Line
Strv m/37 Czechoslovakia
 Sweden
Light tankStrv m/37481938–1953License-built version of the AH-IV with Scania-Vabis engines.
L-60 SwedenLight tankStrv m/38
Strv m/39
Strv m/40L
Strv m/40K
16
20
100
80
1938-1957
1940-1957
1941-1957
1943-1960
Landsverk L-60 In Swedish service.
Strv m/41 Czechoslovakia
 Sweden
Light tankStrv m/41S1
Strv m/41S2
116
104
1942-1950sLicense-built, upgraded version of the LT. vz. 38.
Strv m/42 SwedenMedium tankStrv m/42 TM
Strv m/42 TH
Strv m/42 EH
Strv m/42 TV
100
125+30 former TM
57
70 former TM
1943-????
1943-1960
1944-1960
1944-1960
2 Scania-Vabis engines and electromagnetic gearboxes.
2 Scania-Vabis engines and hydraulic gearboxes.
1 Volve engine and a hydraulic gearbox.
2 Scania-Vabis engines and a mechanical gearbox.
Sav m/43 SwedenSelf-propelled artillerySav m/43181944–1973-
Tgbil m/42 SwedenArmoured personnel carrierTgbil m/42 SKP
Tgbil m/42 VKP
262
100
1944–2004Manufactured by Scania-Vabis
Manufactured by Volvo

Artillery

Sweden's artillery corps was made to specialize in mobility and warfare in the Swedish homeland terrain, which mostly consisted of thick forests and small, remote towns. Anti-aircraft warfare was considered important even before the war began, due to Sweden's small aircraft capacity in the 1930s. The Bofors 40 mm, a Swedish auto cannon, was exported to most warring countries in thousands of examples, making it the most common anti-aircraft weapon of the war.

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
Pvkan m/38 SwedenLight anti-tank gunm/34
m/38
m/38F
Unknown1935-????37mm Bofors AT gun.
Lvakan m/40 SwedenAnti-aircraft autocannonm/402,592[1]1940-????20mm Bofors AA gun.
Lvakan m/36 SwedenAnti-aircraft autocannonm/36
m/36A
m/36H
m/36P
m/38
m/39
924[2]1934–present40mm Bofors L/60 AA gun.
Bofors 75 mm Model 1929 SwedenAnti-aircraft gun7.5 cm m/30
8 cm m/29
350[2]1930–presentAnother 8 bought by Finland, 36 by the Netherlands and dozens by Hungary
Bofors 75 mm Model 1934 SwedenMountain gunBofors 75 mm74[1]1934-????-
10.5 cm kanon modell 1927 SwedenHeavy field gunModel 19274 in the coastal artillery, many more in the army1927–1945-
Kanon m/34 SwedenHeavy field gunm/34681942-????-
Bofors 12 cm m/14 SwedenTowed howitzerm/14Unknown????-????-
Haubits m/40 SwedenTowed howitzerm/40400 total1940-????-

In addition to these weapons, Sweden also possessed 9 unspecified heavy anti-aircraft guns with a caliber of 105 mm.[2]

The Swedish government saw a strong naval defense against a possible Soviet invasion as a high priority during World War II, and like with the rest of Sweden's military the Royal Navy lived through an enormous enhancement, ending up as the second-strongest naval power of the Baltic Sea after the Soviet Union.

Costal defence ships

Class Origin Type Names Quantity In service Notes
Sverige class SwedenCoastal defence shipHSwMS Drottning Victoria
HSwMS Gustav V
HSwMS Sverige
31915-1957
Oscar II class SwedenCoastal defence shipHSwMS Oscar II11905-1950
Äran class SwedenCoastal defencet shipHSwMS Manligheten
HSwMS Tapperheten
HSwMS Äran
31901-1950

Cruisers

Class Origin Type Names Quantity In service Notes
Gotland class SwedenSeaplane cruiserHSwMS Gotland11933-1963The Swedish response to an aircraft carrier, able to carry 8 Hawker Osprey
Tre Kronor class SwedenCruiserHSwMS Göta Lejon
HSwMS Tre Kronor
21944-1984The Göta Lejon was launched on 17 November 1945, 94 days after the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II
Fylgia class SwedenArmoured cruiserHSwMS Fylgia11905-1957The HSwMS Fylgia is the smallest armoured cruiser ever to be launched
Clas Fleming class SwedenMine cruiserHSwMS Clas Fleming11912-1960
Örnen class SwedenTorpedo cruiserHSwMS Örnen11897-1947Used as a cadet ship from 1926

Destroyers

Number of destroyers pre-war: 13

Number of destroyers in 1939: 14

Number of destroyers in 1940: 19

Number of destroyers in 1941: 20

Number of destroyers in 1942: 23

Number of destroyers in 1943: 27

Number of destroyers in 1944: 28

Number of destroyers in 1945: 28

Class Origin Type Names Quantity In service Notes
Göteborg class SwedenDestroyerHSwMS Göteborg
HSwMS Stockholm
HSwMS Malmö
HSwMS Karlskrona
HSwMS Norrköping
HSwMS Gävle
61935-1962
1936-1965
1938-1970
1939-1979
1940-1965
1941-1968
After World War II, all ships were rebuilt as frigates
Romulus class Italy
 Sweden
Destroyer/torpedo boatHSwMS Romulus
HSwMS Remus
21940-1958Originally torpedo boats, rebuilt as destroyers for patrolling the Baltic Sea
Psilander class Italy
 Sweden
DestroyerHSwMS Psilander
HSwMS Puke
21940-1947-
Vidar class SwedenDestroyerHSwMS Wale
HSwMS Ragnar
HSwMS Sigurd
HSwMS Vidar
HSwMS Wale
41909-1947
1909-1947
1910-1947
1908-1940
-
Wrangel class SwedenDestroyerHSwMS Wachtmeister
HSwMS Wrangel
21917-1947-
Ehrensköld class SwedenDestroyerHSwMS Ehrensköld
HSwMS Nordenskjöld
21926-1963-
Klas class SwedenDestroyerHSwMS Klas Horn
HSwMS Klas Uggla
21932-1958
1932-1942
-
Mode class SwedenDestroyerHSwMS Magne
HSwMS Mjölner
HSwMS Mode
HSwMS Munin
41942-1966
1942-1966
1942-1970
1943-1968
-
Visby class SwedenDestroyerHSwMS Hälsingborg
HSwMS Kalmar
HSwMS Sundsvall
HSwMS Visby
41943-1978
1944-1978
1943-1982
1943-1982
-

Submarine chasers

Class Origin Type Names Quantity In service Notes
Jägaren class SwedenSubmarine chaserHSwMS Jägaren
HSwMS Kaparen
HSwMS Snapphanen
HSwMS Väktaren
41932-1959
1933-1959
1934-1959
1934-1959

The ship type was called ”vedettbåt” in Swedish used in anti-submarine warfare and for mine clearance. Equipped with two 75 mm guns, anti-aircraft guns and depth charges.

Patrol boats

Class Origin Type Notes
A class SwedenPatrol boatThe ship type was called ”vedettbåt” in Swedish. 40 boats where built for the coastal artillery. The boats where equipped with one 37 mm M/89 canon and had a crew of six men.

Mine warfare ships

Class Origin Type Names Quantity In service Notes
Älvsnabben class SwedenMine layerHSwMS Älvsnabben11943-1982

Auxiliary ships

Class Origin Type Names Quantity In service Notes
HSwMS Patricia SwedenSubmarine tenderHSwMS Patricia11940-1971Passenger ship purchased by the Swedish navy and converted to a submarine tender. Transported Swedish crew members for sailing the 4 Italian destroyers purchased by the Swedish navy home to Sweden.
HSwMS Dristigheten SwedenSeaplane tenderHSwMS Dristigheten11900-1947An improved Oden class coastal defence ship and sole member of her class. Converted to a depot ship/seaplane tender in 1927
HSwMS Jacob Bagge SwedenTraining shipHSwMS Jacob Bagge11898-1947Originally a Örnen class torpedo cruiser. Converted to a seaplane tender (1927-1935) then to a training ship from 1941 and onwards.

Air force

Sweden's air force at the beginning of World War II was relatively small and lacked modern radar systems, engines, or weaponry. This changed during the build-up in the 1940s, though, eventually providing Sweden with an aircraft storage that was both numerous and of high quality, in preparation for the Cold War.

Fighter aircraft

Just as the rest of the Swedish Armed Forces, the number of fighter aircraft increased drastically from 98 before the war to almost 600 in 1945. 239 additional aircraft were manufactured immediately after the war.

Number of fighters pre-war: 98

Number of fighters in 1939: 158

Number of fighters in 1940: 290

Number of fighters in 1941: 290

Number of fighters in 1942: 485

Number of fighters in 1943: 485

Number of fighters in 1944: 485

Number of fighters in 1945: 593

Number of fighters post-war: 832

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
J 3 Germany
 Sweden
Biplane fighter aircraftJ 3B71930-1945Another 8 aircraft were in use prior to the war
J 6 SwedenBiplane fighter aircraftJ 6
J 6A
J 6B
7
3
7
1929–19413 donated to Finland for the Winter War
J 7 United Kingdom
 Sweden
Biplane reconnaissance aircraftJ 7111930–19402 donated to Finland for the Winter War
J 8 United Kingdom
 Sweden
Biplane reconnaissance aircraftJ 8
J 8A
37
18
1937-1942
1938-1945
Some used in Finland
J 9 United States
 Sweden
Fighter aircraftJ 9601940–1951Sweden's first monoplane aircraft
J 11 Italy
 Sweden
Biplane fighter aircraftJ 11721940–1946-
J 20 Italy
 Sweden
Fighter aircraftJ 12601939–1945-
J 21 SwedenFighter and attack aircraftJ 21A-1541945–1949Another 128 aircraft were built immediately after the war
J 22 SwedenFighter aircraftJ 22A
J 22B
143
55
1942–1952Numbers may not be correct for the World War II era; some may have been built in 1946
J 26 United StatesFighter aircraftP-51B
P-51D
2
52
1945–1954Originally P-51 Mustang, another 111 aircraft purchased immediately after the war

Bomber aircraft

During World War II the Swedish government maintained a neutral (alternatively, defensive) stance and thus saw no priority in adding offensive aircraft to the air force. Despite this, a fairly large number of bombers and ground-attack aircraft served in the Swedish air force during World War II and after, possibly for intimidation purposes - in fact, after 1940, Sweden had more bombers than fighter aircraft. These offensive aircraft may have been meant to attack Soviet naval bases in the Baltic Sea, and some of the later designs could even reach Moscow with full payload.

Number of bombers pre-war: 88

Number of bombers in 1939: 116

Number of bombers in 1940: 276

Number of bombers in 1941: 346

Number of bombers in 1942: 534

Number of bombers in 1943: 743

Number of bombers in 1944: 775

Number of bombers in 1945: 879

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
B 3 Germany
 Sweden
Bomber aircraftB 3
B 3A
B 3B
B 3C
B 3D
3
35
2
16
16
1936-1948
1937-1958
1937-1958
1939-1944
1941-1958
72 total
B 4 United Kingdom
 Sweden
Biplane bomberB 4
B 4A
3
42
1937–19475 used in the Winter War
B 5 United States
 Sweden
Ground attack aircraftB 5A
B 5B
B 5C
1
64
38
1938-1942
1940-1950
1941-1950
103 total
B 6 United States
 Sweden
Ground attack aircraftB 621940-1953More were ordered but never entered service
B 16 Italy
 Sweden
Light bomber
Reconnaissance aircraft
Reconnaissance aircraft
Torpedo bomber
Light transport
B 16A
S 16A
S 16B
T 16A
Tp 16A
30
66
14
14
2
1940-1943
1940-1945
1942-1945
1941-1942
1941-1946
126 total
Saab 17 SwedenBomber and reconnaissance aircraftB 17
B 17B
B 17C
S 17BL
S 17BS
132
54
77
64
56
1943-1948
1942-1945
1943-1947
1942-1949
1942-1949
383 total
Saab 18 SwedenBomber and reconnaissance aircraftB 18A
B 18B
62
120
1944-1947
1945-1958
-
T 1 Germany
 Sweden
Torpedo bomberT 121928–1939-
T 2 Germany
 Sweden
Torpedo bomber seaplaneT 2121939–1948-

Auxiliary aircraft

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
Trp 1 GermanySmall passenger transport aircraftTrp 131928-1946The world's first all-metal transport aircraft
Trp 2 GermanyPassenger and transport aircraftTrp 2
Trp 2A
0
2
1933-1945One Trp 2 was in use until 1935
Trp 3 United KingdomLight transport aircraftTrp 311936-1942-
Trp 4 United StatesTrainer and utility aircraftTrp 411940-1953-
Tp 5 GermanyTransport aircraftTp 551940-1945-
Tp 6 United StatesSTOL aircraftTp 611940-1941-
Tp 7 United KingdomTransport and trainer aircraftTp 711940-1944Still preserved in flying condition
Tp 8 United StatesBiplane transport aircraftTp 8
Tp 8A
3
1
1940-????-
Tp 9 GermanyBomber, reconnaissance and airlinerTp 911940-????-
Tp 10 GermanyAirlinerTp 1011942-1944-
Tp 11 PolandReconnaissance aircraftTp 1111939-1951-
Tp 12 SwedenReconnaissance aircraftGV 3861941-1945-

See also

References

  1. http://www.smhs.eu/gallery_116.html
  2. Militärhistoria issue 10, 2015

Sources and further reading

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