During research for the Whirlwind Fighter Project we have met some very enthusiastic Swedish guys at Duxford Airshow.
What we did not know amongst other things was a Volunteer Swede fllew with 137 squadron sadly loosing his life on the attack on the German capital ships
during the channel dash.
Does anyone have any more information on Swedish volunteers during the second world war ?.And where there any more flying Whirlwinds.
Mike E
By: Papa Lima - 21st September 2011 at 06:01
The question of whether there were any Swedish pilots in the Luftwaffe was posed on a Swedish web site in 2004, and the responses were all negative. They included the following quotation (source unknown):
“The Luftwaffe authorities however, were for their part, more reserved and hardly willing to put their machines in the hands of foreigners. It was too easy for a candidate to desert in possession of a modern aircraft or to reach neutral countries or land behind enemy lines. This intransigent opinion was to be relaxed during the course of the war. The losses of German aviation provide evidence of how it became possible for Estonians Latvians, Russians, Norwegians, Danes, French, Belgians and others to enter the exclusive ranks of German aircrew. They are found in all units, fighter, night-harassment, bomber, etc. Despite understandable desertions at the war’s end, it is nonetheless clear that the greater part of these foreign volunteers died alongside their German colleagues before the final collapse of the IIIrd Reich.”
By: J Boyle - 21st September 2011 at 03:57
Did any fight for the Axis?
And while we’re on the topic…did any Swiss nationals fight for either side?
By: Firebex - 21st September 2011 at 02:39
Many Thanks guys it helps a lot.
Mike E
By: roadracer - 20th September 2011 at 23:52
Might not be what you were looking for but some Swedes fought with the Finnish airforce. Cant remember where i read about it but there are details here;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Voluntary_Air_Force_%28Winter_War%29
By: Firebex - 20th September 2011 at 20:21
Many Thanks Jan that is most helpfull as it fills some of the gaps.
Mike E
By: Jan - 20th September 2011 at 16:28
Hi Mike,
That would be P/O Ralph Häggberg. Six volunteer Swedish pilots served with the RAF during WW II. More on Häggberg here:
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/swedish_aviators/haggberg.htm
More on the other Swedish pilots here: http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/swedish_aviators/swedes_raf.htm
Regards,
Jan
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September 20, 2011 at 3:23 pm