Jämtland Wing

Jämtland Wing
Jämtland Wing
Jämtlands flygflottilj
Active	1926–2004
Country	Sweden
Allegiance	Swedish Armed Forces
Branch	Swedish Air Force
Type	Corps (1926–1936); Wing (1936–1981); Sector wing (1981–1994); Wing (1994–2004)
Role	Recon wing (1926–1948); Bomb wing (1936–1946); Fighter wing (1946–2004)
Part of	1st Air Command (1938–40, 1942–48); 2nd Air Command (1948–1957); 4th Air Command (1957–1966); Milo NN (1966–1993); Milo N (1993–2000); OPIL (2000–2004)
Garrison/HQ	Östersund/Frösön
Motto(s)	Semper vigilans ("Always vigilant")
March	"Fjärde flygkårens marsch" (Lindström)
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack	A 1
Bomber	B 4, B 5, B 17A
Electronic; warfare	Sk 37E
Fighter	J 3, J 26, J 28B, J 29F, J 32B, J 35D, JA 37
Multirole helicopter	Hkp 2, Hkp 3, Hkp 10
Reconnaissance	S 1, S 6, S 14
Trainer	Sk 11, Sk 12, Sk 15, Sk 16, Sk 50, Sk 37
Transport	Tp 1, Tp 2, Tp 4, Tp 5, Tp 78, Tp 83
	G 101, Se 102, Se 103, Se 104, JAS 39A

Jämtland Wing (Swedish: Jämtlands flygflottilj), also F 4 Frösön, or simply F 4, is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located at Åre Östersund Airport outside Östersund on Frösön in the middle of Sweden.

History

The airbase was set up in 1926 as the 4th Air Corps at the old base of Jämtland Ranger Regiment at Frösö läger (Frösö camp). The main task was to perform reconnaissance for army units.

In 1930, the duties were extended to bombing with B 4 and later B 5 planes.

In 1936, the Flying Corps was reorganized as an own branch (the Air Force) and the unit was renamed Jämtlands Flygflottilj (Jämtland Wing).

In 1947, the wing was yet again redesigned as a fighter wing and received surplus P-51 Mustangs designated as J 26. These were only kept for five years until they were replaced by J 28A jets in 1952. Again, after only four years, they were in turn replaced by J 29A in 1956.

In 1967, the J 32B entered service at the wing only to be replaced again in 1969 by J 35D. These served until 1984 when the Saab 37 Viggen was introduced as served the wing for 20 years.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven famously served as a Munitions Systems specialist Conscript with the F 4 Wing for the duration of his 1-year compulsory military service in 1976-77.

The JAS 39 Gripen served briefly for only a year as a replacement for the Viggens until the wing was decommissioned in 2005.

The airfield is known today as Åre Östersund Airport (IATA: OSD, ICAO: ESNZ).

Barracks and training areas

In the rangers' old camp below Frösö Church on Frösön outside Östersund. The wing had a runway in the north-west-southeast direction.^[3]

Chancellery building
Barracks
Hangar in 2018
Old guardhouse
New guardhouse
Control tower

Heraldry and traditions

Coat of arms

The first coat of arms of the Jämtland Wing was used from 1944 to 1994. Blazon: "Azure, the provincial badge of Jämtland, an elk passant argent, attacked on the back by a rising falcon and in the front by a rampant dog both or; all animals armed and langued gules."^[4] The second coat of arms was used from 1994 to 2004. Blazon: "Azure, the provincial badge of Jämtland, an elk passant argent, attacked on the back by a rising falcon and in the front by a rampant dog both or; all animals armed and langued gules, a chief azure over a string or, charged with a winged two-bladed propeller or."^[4]

Coat of arms used from 1926 to 1994.
Coat of arms used from 1994 to 2004.

Colours, standards and guidons

The units first colour was presented to the wing on 6 June 1939 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, all or. In the first corner the provincial badge of Jämtland; an elk passant, attacked on its back by a rising falcon and in the front by a rampant dog, all or.^[5] This colour was transferred to the Statens försvarshistoriska museer.^[6]

The units last colour was presented to the wing at Frösö by His Majesty the King Carl XVI Gustaf on 2 September 2001.^[7] The colour is drawn by Kristina Holmgård-Åkerberg and embroidered by machine and hand in insertion technique by the company Libraria. Blazon: "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 the provincial badge of Jämtland; a white elk passant, attacked on its back by a rising falcon and in the front by a rampant dog, both yellow; all animals armed red. In the second corner the provincial badge of Hälsingland; a yellow buck rampant, armed and langued red (a legacy from the former Hälsinge Wing, F 15).^[7]

March

"Fjärde flygkårens marsch" was composed by the Verner Lindström, music director at Jämtland Ranger Regiment. It was originally established on 1 December 1972 by the Chief of the Air Force.^[1]^[2]

Medals

In 1999, the Jämtlands flygflottiljs (F 4) förtjänstmedalj ("Jämtland Wing (F 4) Medal of Merit") in gold and silver (JämtlffljGM/SM) of the 8th size and oval in shape, was established. The medal ribbon is of blue moiré with broad yellow edges and a green line on the middle followed on each side by a white stripe.^[8]

In 2005, the Jämtlands flygflottiljs (F 4) minnesmedalj ("Jämtland Wing (F 4) Commemorative Medal") in silver (JämtlffljMSM) of the 8th size was established. The medal ribbon is of blue moiré with broad yellow edges and a green line on the middle followed on both sides by a white stripe. A miniature of the coat of arms of the wing is attached to the ribbon.^[9]

Ribbon bar of the medal of merit
Ribbon bar of the commemorative medal

Commanding officers

From 1926 to 1936, the commanding officers was referred to as kårchef ("corps commander") and had the rank of major. When the wing organization was introduced in 1936, the commanding officer was referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander"), and had the rank of lieutenant colonel. At the end of the 1940s, the wing commander got the rank of colonel. From 1980 to 1994, the wing commander was referred to as sektorflottiljchef ("sector wing commander") and had the rank of senior colonel. From 1994 to 2006, the commanding officer was again referred to as flottiljchef ("wing commander"), and had the rank of colonel.

Corps, wing and sector wing commanders

1926–1934: Gösta von Porat
1931–1932: Åge Lundström (acting)
1934–1937: Georg Gärdin
1937–1943: Egmont Tornberg
1943–1947: Björn Bjuggren
1947–1961: Carl Otto Hugosson
1961–1966: Kjell Rasmusson
1966–1968: Erik Nygren
1969–1973: Evert Båge
1973–1977: Harry Winblad
1977–1985: Rolf Gustafsson
1985–1990: Svante Liljedahl
1990–1994: Gunnar Ståhl
1994–1996: Tord Karlsson
1996–1998: Frank Fredriksson
1998–2000: Ola Gynäs
2000–2003: Jan Salestrand
2003–2005: Tommy Bengtsson
2005–2006: Hans Hansson
2006–2006: Lena Hallin

Deputy sector wing commanders

In order to relieve the sector wing commander, a deputy sector wing commander position was added in 1980. 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.

1980–1983: Robert Gustafsson
1983–1984: Owe Wiktorin
1984–1987: Michael von Rosen
1987–1989: Lennart Brodin
1989–1993: Bert Darby

Names, designations and locations

Name	Translation	From		To
Fjärde flygkåren	4th Air Corps	1926-07-01	–	1936-06-30
Kungl. Jämtlands flygflottilj	Royal Jämtland Wing	1936-07-01	–	1974-12-31
Jämtlands flygflottilj	Jämtland Wing Jämtland Air Group^[10]	1975-01-01	–	2004-12-31
Avvecklingsorganisation F 4	Decommissioning Organization F 4	2005-01-01	–	2006-06-30
Designation		From		To
F 4		1926	–	1957-09-30
F 4/Se N3		1957-10-01	–	1981-06-30
F 4/Se NN		1981-07-01	–	1994-06-30
F 4		1994-07-01	–	2004-12-31
AO F 4		2005-01-01	–	2006-06-30
Location		From		To
Frösö Airport		1926-07-01	–	2006-06-30

Footnotes

^ The march was established on 1 December 1972.^[2]

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b Braunstein 2005, p. 56
^ ^a ^b Sandberg 2007, p. 49
^ Braunstein 2005, p. 57
^ ^a ^b Braunstein 2006, pp. 58–59
^ Braunstein 2005, p. 55
^ "Ny fana till F 4" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (4). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 27. 2001. SELIBR 8257600.
^ ^a ^b Braunstein 2004, p. 69
^ Braunstein 2007, p. 106
^ Braunstein 2007, p. 122
^ Appich 1988, p. 41

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.
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 91-971584-8-8. SELIBR 9845891.
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.
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.
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.

Web

Appich, Thomas W. Jr. (22 July 1988). "Reference Aid Swedish–English Glossary of Military and Technical Acronyms and Abbreviations" (PDF). United States Joint Publications Research Service. Foreign Broadcast Information Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2021.