The Swedish Air Force Flying Day – Försvarsmaktens Flygdag – was held this year at the Blekinge Air Force Wing near Ronneby on a warm and sunny Sunday of 25th August. Flemming and I began watching the air show from the car:
It takes three hours of driving from my home, even longer for Flemming from his home, and then we were stuck in a car queue for about an hour. We opened the windows and enjoyed the view, none of us complained.
The parking places were conveniently located around the air base, and it didn’t take long time to get in. We began from the static display. Helicopter 14 D/E/F (NH90) – the first helicopter system in the world which is constructed of composite materials and has a fly by wire flight control system.
Fly by wire means flight controls are computer-based, in contrast with conventional mechanical flight controls. The helicopter is the result of an extensive European collaboration programme. Swedish Air Force has 18 of them.
Saab J 32 Lansen, and J 34 Hawker Hunter in the background:
Saab 32 Lansen is a two-seat transonic aircraft designed and manufactured by Saab during 1955-1960 for the Swedish Air Force. In total, 447 aircraft were delivered, and they were in service till 1997. Hawker Hunter is a transonic British fighter; Sweden had 120 of them. They were replaced by J 35 Draken in 1969.
Flemming in front of a HKP 3 Agusta Bell 204:
Engines exhibition:
Beautiful formation of Jas 39 Gripen, AJS 37 Viggen, SK 60, J 35 Draken and J 29 Tunnan, all Saab aircraft:
With Gripen in the background:
The Swedish DC-3 on the photo below. I knew Sweden had an airworthy one, but it was the first time I saw it.
Team 50 with four Saab 91 Safir (Swedish: sapphire) did a very nice air display with aerobatics:
I love this aircraft. They look a kind of heavy and awkward, but are so graceful in the air!
Saab JAS 39 E Gripen, a new generation of Gripen. Maiden flight was in 2017, and already 96 aircraft have been manufactured on order. It did a rather short air display at the air show.
A very large area of the air base was open to the public. The taxiway was also open, and only closed briefly when an aircraft needed to make its way to and from the runway.
Typical older buildings of the air base, painted in light green:
Lots of weapons were on display. The staff was there, answering all kind of questions:
Gripen and its engine:
Maintenance engineers did a dismantling of the engine in the morning, and an installation in the afternoon. I bet there were many to see this art.
Saab B 17, the only one airworthy in the world:
It participated in the air display, and did an excellent show. 323 of B 17 were produced during 1941 – 1944. Only five SAAB 17s are known to be in existence today. Two of them are in a museum in Linköping, one is on display at the Danish museum in Helsingør, and two former Ethiopian B 17s were recovered in the 1990s and purchased by a South African collector.
A pilot returning from a blazing aerobatics display, greeted by the spectators:
There was lots of military gear, many interesting things you would otherwise never see. Flemming by the side of the mobile runway lights that can be radio controlled:
In the end, the was a concert by Hemvärnets Musikkår Ängelholm (English: Home Guard’s Music Choir Ängelholm). They also performed at the opening, but we were on the road at that time. It was very nice to finish the air show with a music. Many visitors stopped by and enjoyed the concert.
An aircraft mounted on a pillar as a monument outside the air base:
We drove home after the day full of experiences. It was still +27C, and we were tired and happy. A marvellous sunset when crossing over to Denmark via the Öresund Bridge:
It was a long, but very enjoyable day!