Active 1944–1994 Reconnaissance B 5, B 17 | Garrison/HQ Norrköping | |
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Wing commanders Lage Thunberg (1943-1947)
Grels Næslund (1947-1948)
Ante Söderlindh (1948-1950)
Frank Cervell (1950-1959)
Nils M von Arbin (1959-1964)
Hans Neij (1964-1966)
Gunnar Rissler (1966)
Carl Norberg (1966-1980)
Kurt Hagerström (1980-1984)
Börje Björkholm (1984-1987)
Herman Schultz (1987-1991)
Göte Pudas (1991-1994) Fighter J 11, J 22, J 28A, J 29, J 32, J 35, JA 37, SF 37, SH 37 Trainer P 1, Se 102, Se 103, Se 104, Sk 16, Sk 50 | ||
F 13 Norrköping, Bråvalla Flygflottilj, Bråvalla Air Force Wing, or simply "F 13", is a former Flygvapnet - Swedish Air Force - wing with the main base located near Norrköping in south-eastern Sweden.
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History of the airbase
The Air Wing was established in 1943 as the fourth fighter wing, and the thirteenth wing in total, in the Swedish Air Force.
The location had been mapped out in 1941 and consisted of purchased land from Sörby, Knivberga and Ringstad farmsteads. In 1942, preparation work on the almost square 1000 m by 1000 m grass air field was started and completed in September 1943. The main administration was housed inside Norrköping main hotel until the first office buildings were completed in 1945. The wing was given the name Bråvalla as a tie to the Battle of Bråvalla in 770.
The first fighter squadrons were set up by the Italian built J 11 in 1943 which was quickly replaced by the Swedish built J 22 in 1944.
In 1946, F 13 became the first wing in the Swedish Air Force to convert to jets with the J 28. It was later also first wing to introduce J 29 and J 35 in service in 1951 and 1960 respectively.
In 1976 a new reconnaissance squadron was set up with a combined SF/SH 37 fleet and in 1980, F 13 was yet again the first wing to receive the JA 37.
On June 3, 1992 the decision was made to decommission the squadrons on June 30, 1993 and the remaining wing administration on June 30, 1994.
F 13 today
The airfield is today known as Norrköping-Bråvalla airfield (ICAO: ESCK). It is currently administered by F 17 Kallinge and is mainly used as a storage facility for obsolete equipment. The underground facility called Berget (The mountain) is still being maintained and could hold a number of fighters. One of the runways is still oprational and can be reactivated.