Question for Zimme83

[oboe]

This documentary on Saab:



says in the late 40s the Swedish air force expanded to become the 4th largest in the world.  Huh?  Is that correct?  I always figured it was a smallish, efficient, well-equipped and well-trained fighting force using a mixture of home-grown (Saab) and imported (US, German?) designs.  Sort of like Switzerland except that Sweden also designed and produced their own aircraft in addition to purchases from other nations...

[save]

Sweden had ~600 planes in active service during the heights of the cold war, also a fairly good navy and ~600 000 men (conscript army) under arms in case of an conflict.

Until recently Sweden did not have an conscript army, but since then ,reality struck and a limited conscript army will soon be materialize again, also Swedish politicians want's stockpiled older versions of JAS39 to be used again, buy a new anti-missile system, and have re-activated  older robot systems.

Now Sweden have an active force in Gotland island again, due to recent Russian aggression - their decision to place Islander missiles in Kaliningrad (old Prussian Königsberg), and step up air-force presence in Baltic sea - also new subs have been taken into service.

[PR3D4TOR]

What Russian aggression?

[Zimme83]

Yes, during a few years in the late 50s the Swedish Air force was the 4th largest after USA, Russia and GB. Sweden was also one of the first countries to receive the Sidewinder in march 1959. (here under a J 35 prototype in -59)


After WW2 the modernization and expansion of the air force (and the rest of the armed forces) where very rapid. P-51D:s where the first step (first delivered in feb -45) and in late 40:s the backbone of the fighter force consisted of Vampires and Venoms before the J-29 replaced them.

[oboe]

I have a lot of admiration for Sweden.   Skål!

[Ripsnort]

Me too. Especially Swedish bikinis.

My great grandfather came over to America (legally) from Stockholm on my Dad's side. (1874) Thus our surname, Nelson.

[Shuffler]

Me too. Especially Swedish bikinis.

My great grandfather came over to America (legally) from Stockholm on my Dad's side. (1874) Thus our surname, Nelson.

Outstanding...... a real American.

[icepac]

A fighting force of extraordinary magnitude.

[Zimme83]

A 32:s practicing NOE bomb runs:

[save]

Russian do mockup air-attacks on Swedish targets, have placed Islander missiles that probably can hit out capital, flying regualy without transponder not long ago -almost causing a collision with a commercial airliner.

What Russian aggression?

[Zimme83]

I'm also a bit curious on that WC-135 that has been flying around N Europe recently.... 

[Zimme83]

A few photos from early 60:s, taken during the attack on Kaminaville (Congo):
Note that the M8 was never in service with the Swedish army, these where captured from the enemy. Behind them 2 "Kp-bilar" (armoured trucks), ugly as F... but their armor proved to be effective against Bazookas, the grenades simply bounced off the sloped armor and none of the trucks where lost in combat.




KSP 58 (M240 in the U.S) and a M/45 sub machine gun.



The UN  mission in Congo was intended as a peace keeping mission but rapidly turned into a  war between the Indian, Irish and Swedish UN forces, and the Katanga gendarmerie, mainly Mercenaries.