Uppland Wing

Uppland Wing (Swedish: Upplands flygflottilj), also F 16 Uppsala, or simply F 16, is a Swedish air force base located just north of Uppsala on the east coast of Sweden. The air base was mainly used for fighter squadrons but has had no active squadrons since 2003.

Uppland Wing
Upplands flygflottilj
Active1943–2003
CountrySweden
AllegianceSwedish Armed Forces
BranchSwedish Air Force
TypeWing (1940–1957)
Sector wing (1957–1965)
Wing (1965–1981)
Great sector wing (1981–1994)
Wing (1994–2003)
RoleFighter wing
Part ofSecond Air Group (1944–1948)
Third Air Group (1948–1966)
Eastern Military District (1966–1991)
Middle Military Area (1991–2000)
Joint Forces Command (2000–2003)
Garrison/HQUppsala/Ärna
Motto(s)Labor-Effectus-Vigor[note 1] ("Work-Efficiency-Satisfaction")
March"Svensk högvakt" (Berg)[note 2]
Insignia
Roundels
Aircraft flown
BomberB 5, B 17
FighterJ 22, J 26, J 29, J 32, J 35, JA 37
Multirole helicopterHkp 3B
TrainerSk 11, Sk 12, S 15, Sk 16, S 35, Sk 50, Sk 60
TransportTp 87, Tp 102A
G 101, Se 102, Se 103, Se 104

History

F 16 was established by buying farmland from Ärna gård and Bärby gård in 1943. The grass fields were used as runways for the air base that was founded in 1944.

The airbase was well outside the city limits of Uppsala at the time of the founding, but because of city growth, it later was adopted in as a suburb under the name Ärna as the population near the base and the city grew together.

The original emblem of F 16 was a golden sheaf of grain on a blue shield, but when F 2 Hägernäs airbase was decommissioned in 1974, F 16 took over its coat of arms of Uppland.

The Swedish government decided in 1996 that the wing with the squadrons would be decommissioned on December 31, 2003. The base is still active with various military schools.

The base was also home to F 20 Uppsala Air Force Academy.

The airfield is now known as Ärna or Uppsala Airport (ICAO: ESCM)

Heraldry and traditions

Coat of arms

The first coat of arms of the Uppland Wing was used from 1943 to 1994. Blazon: "Azure, the badge of the dynasty Vasa, a ”vase” or".[3] The second coat of arms was used from 1994 to 2003. Blazon: "Gules, the provincial badge of Uppland, an orb or, banded and ensigned with a cross-crosslet, a chief azure over a barrulet or, charged with a winged twobladed propeller of the last colour".[3]

Colours, standards and guidons

The units first colour was presented to the wing on 17 September 1944 at F 8 at Barkarby by His Majesty the King Gustaf V. Blazon: "On blue cloth in the centre the badge of the Air Force; a winged two-bladed propeller under a royal crown proper. In the first corner, the badge of the House of Vasa, a ”vase” or".[4]

The units last colour was presented to the wing at the Artillery Yard in Stockholm by the Supreme Commander, General Owe Wiktorin on 30 April 1996.[5] It was handed over to the Uppsala Air Force Training schools (F 20) as a traditional colour when F 16 was disbanded on 31 December 2003. The colour is drawn by Ingrid Lamby and manufactured by machine in appliqué technique by the Engelbrektsson Flag factory. Blazon: "On blue cloth in the centre the badge of the Air Force; a winged two-bladed propeller under a royal crown proper. In the first corner the provincial badge of Uppland; an orb, banded and ensigned with a cross crosslet and in the second corner a seven-pointed star (a legacy from seven disbanded wings: the former Västmanland Wing (F 1), Roslagen Wing (F 2), Östgöta Wing (F 3), Svea Wing (F 8), Södermanland Wing (F 11), Bråvalla Wing (F 13) and Södertörn Wing (F 18). All décor in yellow.[5]

March

”Upplands flygflottiljs marsch” with the work name ”Svensk högvakt” was composed around 1950 by the music director Per Berg and was adopted on 15 June 1971[1] and established on 26 April 1976.[2]

Medals

In 2003, the Upplands flygflottiljs (F 16) minnesmedalj ("Uppland Wing (F 16) Commemorative Medal") in bronze (UpplffljBMM) of the 8th size was established. The medal ribbon is of blue moiré with a yellow stripe on the middle and a broad red stripe on each side. The wing coat of arms is attached to the ribbon.[6]

Commanding officers

From 1943 to 1981, the commanding officers was referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander"), and had the rank of colonel. From 1981 to 1994, the wing commander was referred to as sektorflottiljchef ("sector wing commander") and had the rank of senior colonel. From 1994 to 2003, the commanding officer was again referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander"), and had the rank of colonel.

Wing and sector wing commanders

  • 1943–1944: Bengt Jacobsson
  • 1944–1952: Knut Lindahl
  • 1952–1964: Karl-Erik Karlsson
  • 1964–1967: Björn Hedberg
  • 1967–1971: Gösta Norrbohm
  • 1971–1973: Sven-Olof Olson
  • 1973–1976: Jan-Henrik Torselius
  • 1976–1978: Bertil Nordström
  • 1978–1985: Karl-Erik Fernander
  • 1985–1989: Rolf Gustafsson
  • 1989–1990: Arne Hansson
  • 1990–1994: Stig Dellborg
  • 1994–1997: Ulf Sveding
  • 1997–1999: Mats Nilsson
  • 1999–2002: Tommy Pålsson
  • 2002–2003: Christer Olofsson

Deputy sector wing commanders

In order to relieve the sector wing commander, a deputy sector wing commander position was added in 1981. 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 1994, the deputy sector wing commander position was terminated.

  • 1981–1983: Lars-Erik Englund
  • 1983–1985: Jan-Olov Gezelius
  • 1985–1988: Hans Hagberg
  • 1988–1990: Swen Persson
  • 1990–1992: Kjell Nilsson
  • 1992–1993: Ulf Sveding

Names, designations and locations

Name Translation From To
Kungl. Upplands flygflottilj Royal Uppland Wing 1943-07-01 1974-12-31
Upplands flygflottilj Uppland Wing
Uppland Air Group[7]
1975-01-01 2003-12-31
Designation From To
F 16 1943-07-01 1957-09-30
F 16/Se O3 1957-10-01 1965-??-??
F 16 1965-??-?? 1981-06-30
F 16/Se M 1981-07-01 1993-06-30
F 16/FK M 1993-07-01 1994-06-30
F 16 1994-07-01 2003-12-31
Location From To
Ärna Airport 1943-07-01 2003-12-31

See also

Footnotes

  1. Added in 1971–1973 at the initiative of the then wing commander, Colonel Sven-Olof Olson.[1]
  2. The march was adopted in June 1971 and established on 26 April 1976.[2]

References

Notes

Print

  • Braunstein, Christian (2004). Svenska försvarsmaktens fälttecken efter millennieskiftet [The flags and standards of the Swedish armed forces after the turn of the millennium] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 7 [dvs 8] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-7-X. SELIBR 9815350.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Braunstein, Christian (2005). Svenska flygvapnets förband och skolor under 1900-talet (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 8 [dvs 9] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 9197158488. SELIBR 9845891.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Braunstein, Christian (2006). Heraldiska vapen inom det svenska försvaret [Heraldry of the Swedish Armed Forces] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 9 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-9-6. SELIBR 10099224.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Braunstein, Christian (2007). Utmärkelsetecken på militära uniformer [Decorations on Swedish military uniforms] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 12 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 978-91-976220-2-8. SELIBR 10423295.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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. ISBN 978-91-631-8699-8. SELIBR 10413065.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Web

Further reading

  • Regefalk, Egon, ed. (1993). Vingar över Uppland: ett halvsekel med Ärnaflyget : F 16 1943-1993 (in Swedish). [Uppsala]: [Mellersta luftfartssektorn/ Upplands flygflottilj]. ISBN 9163015978. SELIBR 7449320.
  • Ulriksson, Christer, ed. (2003). Det sista decenniet: F 16 Upplands flygflottilj : en minnesbok 1993-2003 (in Swedish). [Uppsala]: [Upplands flygflottiljs kamratfören.] ISBN 9163139324. SELIBR 9500508.

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