Military equipment of Sweden during World War II

Sweden was formally a non-belligerent nation throughout World War II, but saw considerable military build-up as the level of threat from the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany increased. Between 10,000 and 20,000 Swedes fought as volunteers abroad, a majority of them in service of Finland during the Winter War.

Army

Small arms

In the early stages of the war, Sweden relied on a numerous army through conscription and the use of a Total Defence policy. In 1945, the Swedish army had been modernized from the use of World War I weapons to semi-automatic rifles and high-tech firearms such as the Carl Gustav. The infantry had also been equipped with a great deal of rocket launchers for anti-tank warfare, and the availability of artillery had increased drastically with the World War II build-up. Throughout World War II, Sweden held the largest infantry army of the Nordic countries with more than 1,000,000 soldiers.

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
Pistol m/40  Finland/ SwedenSemi-automatic pistol Pistol m/40
Pistol m/40B
100,000 1940-1990s License-built Lahti L-35, manufactured by Husqvarna
Kpist m/37  Finland/ SwedenSubmachine gun Kpist m/37 35,000 1939-1980s -
Kpist m/45  SwedenSubmachine gun M/45
M/45B
M/45C
M/45BE
M/45BET
M/45S
300,000 1945–2007 Standard version
Minor improvements
Comes equipped with a bayonet mount
Selective-fire version, used by police
Comes equipped with a tear gas launcher
Uses a 50-round coffin magazine
M39  Germany/ SwedenSubmachine gun M39 Unknown 1940s-???? -
MP 18  German EmpireSubmachine gun MP 18 Unknown 1920s-???? -
Gevär m/96  SwedenBolt-action rifle M/1894
M/1896
M/1938
M/1941
M/1941B
127,000
535,000
88,000
5,300
5,300
1895-1980s -
Karbin M40  Germany/ SwedenBolt-action rifle Kar 98k 5,0001939-1970s -
Ag m/42  SwedenSemi-automatic rifle Ag m/42 30,0001942-1960s -
Kg m/37  United States/ SwedenLight machine gun KG m/40 Unknown1937–1980 -
Kg m/40  SwedenLight machine gun KG m/40 5,0001940-???? -
Kulspruta m/41  SwedenMedium machine gun Kulspruta m/41 Unknown1910s-1940s -
Kulspruta m/42  United States/ SwedenMedium machine gun Kulspruta m/42Unknown1942–present License-built, heavily modified M1919
Raketgevär 46  United States/ SwedenRecoilless anti-tank weapon Raketgevär 46Unknown1940s-1960s License-built M1 Bazooka

Armoured fighting vehicles

At the beginning of World War II, Sweden had a very low number of motorized vehicles, instead relying horses for transportation. When the war broke out in 1939, Sweden had one armoured division consisting of merely 13 light tanks, only 3 of which were considered to be modern (the remaining 10 had been in service since the 1920s). In 1945, the number of tanks serving the Swedish army had increased from 13 to more than 800.

Number of tanks pre-war: 14

Number of tanks in 1939: 29

Number of tanks in 1940: 38

Number of tanks in 1941: 135

Number of tanks in 1942: 373

Number of tanks in 1943: 544

Number of tanks in 1944: 795

Number of tanks in 1945: 795+

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
Pbil m/39  SwedenArmoured carPbil m/39
Pbil m/40
15
30
1939-1956
1939-1960s
Standard version
Powered by a Volvo engine
Pbil m/41  SwedenArmoured car L-180
L-181
L-182
5
0 (18)
0 (1)
1933–1980 More than 50 produced, most of them sold to other countries before and during the war.
KP-bil  SwedenArmoured personnel carrier SKP
VKP
262
100
1944–2004 Manufactured by Scania-Vabis
Manufactured by Volvo
Strv m/37  Czechoslovakia/ SwedenTankette Strv m/37 48 1938–1953 License-built version of the AH-IV
Landsverk L-120  SwedenLight tank L-120 1 1937–1940 Prototype in active service but never mass-produced
Strv m/21-29  SwedenLight tank M/21
M/21-29
5
5
????-1939Standard version
Enhanced engine and armour
Strv m/31  SwedenLight tank Strv m/31 31935–1940Dug in as static bunkers for the Skåne Line
Strv L-60  SwedenLight tank Strv m/38
Strv m/39
Strv m/40
Strv m/40L
Strv m/40K
15
20
?
100
80
1939-????
1940-????
????-????
1941-????
1944-????
-
Strv m/41  Czechoslovakia/ SwedenMedium tank Strv m/412381942-1950sLicense-built, slightly upgraded version of the Panzer 38(t)
Strv m/42  SwedenMedium tank Lago I (Strv m/42)
Lago II (Strv m/42 TM)
Lago III (Strv m/42 TH)
Lago IV (Strv m/42 EH)
342 total1943-????
1943-????
1944-????
1944-????
Standard version
Two engines and electromagnetic gearbox
Two engines and two hydraulic gearboxes
One engine and a hydraulic gearbox

Artillery

Sweden's artillery corps was made to specialize in mobility and warfare in the Swedish homeland terrain, which mostly consisted of thick forests and small, remote towns. Anti-aircraft warfare was considered important even before the war began, due to Sweden's small aircraft capacity in the 1930s. The Bofors 40 mm, a Swedish auto cannon, was exported to most warring countries in thousands of examples, making it the most common anti-aircraft weapon of the war.

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
Bofors 37 mm  SwedenLight anti-tank gunBofors 37 mmUnknown1935-???? -
Bofors 20 mm  SwedenAnti-aircraft auto cannonBofors 20 mm2,592[1]1940-???? -
Bofors 40 mm  SwedenAnti-aircraft auto cannonL/60
L/70
924[2]1934–present Standard version
Greatly improved version for combat against jet aircraft
Bofors 75 mm Model 1929  SwedenAnti-aircraft gun7.5 cm m/30
8 cm m/29
350[2]1930–present Another 8 bought by Finland, 36 by the Netherlands and dozens by Hungary
Bofors 75 mm Model 1934  SwedenMountain gunBofors 75 mm74[1]1934-???? -
10.5 cm kanon modell 1927  SwedenHeavy field gunModel 19274 in the coastal artillery, many more in the army1927–1945 -
Kanon m/34  SwedenHeavy field gunM/34681942-???? -
Bofors 12 cm M. 14  SwedenTowed howitzerM.14Unknown????-???? -
Haubits m/40  SwedenTowed howitzerM/40400 total1940-???? -
Sav m/43  SwedenSelf-propelled artilleryM/43361943–1973 -
L-62  SwedenSelf-propelled anti-aircraft gunL-62 Anti
L-62 Anti II
136
6
1938-????
1942-????
Most in Hungarian service
All served the Swedish corps in the Winter War

In addition to these weapons, Sweden also possessed 9 unspecified heavy anti-aircraft guns with a caliber of 105 mm.[2]

Navy

The Swedish government saw a strong naval defense against a possible Soviet invasion as a high priority during World War II, and like with the rest of Sweden's military the Royal Navy lived through an enormous enhancement, ending up as the second-strongest naval power of the Baltic Sea after the Soviet Union.

Major surface combatants

Class Origin Type Names Quantity In service Notes
Gotland class  SwedenSeaplane cruiserHMS Gotland11933-1963 The Swedish response to an aircraft carrier, able to carry 8 Hawker Osprey
Tre Kronor class  SwedenCruiserHMS Göta Lejon
HMS Tre Kronor
21944-1984The Göta Lejon was launched on 17 November 1945, 94 days after the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II
Fylgia class  SwedenArmoured cruiserHMS Fylgia11905-1957The HMS Fylgia is the smallest armoured cruiser ever to be launched
Clas Fleming class  SwedenMine cruiserHMS Clas Fleming11912-1960 -
Dristigheten class  SwedenCoastal defence shipHMS Dristigheten11900-1947 -
Sverige class  SwedenCoastal defence shipHMS Drottning Victoria
HMS Gustav V
HMS Sverige
31915-1957 -

Destroyers

Number of destroyers pre-war: 13

Number of destroyers in 1939: 14

Number of destroyers in 1940: 19

Number of destroyers in 1941: 20

Number of destroyers in 1942: 23

Number of destroyers in 1943: 27

Number of destroyers in 1944: 28

Number of destroyers in 1945: 28

Class Origin Type Names Quantity In service Notes
Göteborg class  SwedenDestroyerHMS Göteborg
HMS Stockholm
HMS Malmö
HMS Karlskrona
HMS Norrköping
HMS Gävle
61935-1962
1936-1965
1938-1970
1939-1979
1940-1965
1941-1968
After World War II, all ships were rebuilt as frigates
Romulus class Kingdom of Italy Italy/ SwedenDestroyer/torpedo boatHMS Romulus
HMS Remus
21940-1958Originally torpedo boats, rebuilt as destroyers for patrolling the Baltic Sea
Psilander class Kingdom of Italy Italy/ SwedenDestroyerHMS Psilander
HMS Puke
21940-1947-
Vidar class  SwedenDestroyerHMS Wale
HMS Ragnar
HMS Sigurd
HMS Vidar
HMS Wale
41909-1947
1909-1947
1910-1947
1908-1940
-
Wrangel class  SwedenDestroyerHMS Wachtmeister
HMS Wrangel
21917-1947-
Ehrensköld class  SwedenDestroyerHMS Ehrensköld
HMS Nordenskjöld
21926-1963-
Klas class  SwedenDestroyerHMS Klas Horn
HMS Klas Uggla
21932-1958
1932-1942
-
Mode class  SwedenDestroyerHMS Magne
HMS Mjölner
HMS Mode
HMS Munin
41942-1966
1942-1966
1942-1970
1943-1968
-
Visby class  SwedenDestroyerHMS Hälsingborg
HMS Kalmar
HMS Sundsvall
HMS Visby
41943-1978
1944-1978
1943-1982
1943-1982
-

Air force

Sweden's air force at the beginning of World War II was relatively small and lacked modern radar systems, engines, or weaponry. This changed during the build-up in the 1940s, though, eventually providing Sweden with an aircraft storage that was both numerous and of high quality, in preparation for the Cold War.

Fighter aircraft

Just as the rest of the Swedish Armed Forces, the number of fighter aircraft increased drastically from 98 before the war to almost 600 in 1945. 239 additional aircraft were manufactured immediately after the war.

Number of fighters pre-war: 98

Number of fighters in 1939: 158

Number of fighters in 1940: 290

Number of fighters in 1941: 290

Number of fighters in 1942: 485

Number of fighters in 1943: 485

Number of fighters in 1944: 485

Number of fighters in 1945: 593

Number of fighters post-war: 832

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
J 3 Nazi Germany Germany/ SwedenBiplane fighter aircraftJ 3B71930-1945 Another 8 aircraft were in use prior to the war
J 6  SwedenBiplane fighter aircraftJ 6
J 6A
J 6B
7
3
7
1929–1941 3 donated to Finland for the Winter War
J 7  United Kingdom/ SwedenBiplane reconnaissance aircraftJ 7111930–1940 2 donated to Finland for the Winter War
J 8  United Kingdom/ SwedenBiplane reconnaissance aircraftJ 8
J 8A
37
18
1937-1942
1938-1945
Some used in Finland
J 9  United States/ SwedenFighter aircraftJ 9601940–1951Sweden's first monoplane aircraft
J 11 Kingdom of Italy Italy/ SwedenBiplane fighter aircraftJ 11721940–1946-
J 12 Kingdom of Italy Italy/ SwedenFighter aircraftJ 12601939–1945-
J 21  SwedenFighter and attack aircraftJ 21A-1541945–1949Another 128 aircraft were built immediately after the war
J 22  SwedenFighter aircraftJ 22A
J 22B
143
55
1942–1952Numbers may not be correct for the World War II era; some may have been built in 1946
J 26  United StatesFighter aircraftP-51B
P-51D
2
52
1945–1954Originally P-51 Mustang, another 111 aircraft purchased immediately after the war

Bomber aircraft

During World War II the Swedish government maintained a neutral (alternatively, defensive) stance and thus saw no priority in adding offensive aircraft to the air force. Despite this, a fairly large number of bombers and ground-attack aircraft served in the Swedish air force during World War II and after, possibly for intimidation purposes - in fact, after 1940, Sweden had more bombers than fighter aircraft. These offensive aircraft may have been meant to attack Soviet naval bases in the Baltic Sea, and some of the later designs could even reach Moscow with full payload.

Number of bombers pre-war: 88

Number of bombers in 1939: 116

Number of bombers in 1940: 276

Number of bombers in 1941: 346

Number of bombers in 1942: 534

Number of bombers in 1943: 743

Number of bombers in 1944: 775

Number of bombers in 1945: 879

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
B 3 Nazi Germany Germany/ SwedenBomber aircraftB 3
B 3A
B 3B
B 3C
B 3D
3
35
2
16
16
1936-1948
1937-1958
1937-1958
1939-1944
1941-1958
72 total
B 4  United Kingdom/ SwedenBiplane bomberB 4
B 4A
3
42
1937–1947 5 used in the Winter War
B 5  United States/ SwedenGround attack aircraftB 5A
B 5B
B 5C
1
64
38
1938-1942
1940-1950
1941-1950
103 total
B 6  United States/ SwedenGround attack aircraftB 621940-1953 More were ordered but never entered service
S 16 Kingdom of Italy Italy/ SwedenLight bomber
Reconnaissance aircraft
Reconnaissance aircraft
Torpedo bomber
Light transport
B 16A
S 16A
S 16B
T 16A
Tp 16A
30
66
14
14
2
1940-1943
1940-1945
1942-1945
1941-1942
1941-1946
126 total
Saab 17  SwedenBomber and reconnaissance aircraftB 17
B 17B
B 17C
S 17BL
S 17BS
132
54
77
64
56
1943-1948
1942-1945
1943-1947
1942-1949
1942-1949
383 total
Saab 18  SwedenBomber and reconnaissance aircraftB 18A
B 18B
62
120
1944-1947
1945-1958
-
T 1 Nazi Germany Germany/ SwedenTorpedo bomberT 121928–1939-
T 2 Nazi Germany Germany/ SwedenTorpedo bomber seaplaneT 2121939–1948-

Auxiliary aircraft

Name Origin Type Versions Quantity In service Notes
Trp 1 Nazi Germany GermanySmall passenger transport aircraftTrp 131928-1946The world's first all-metal transport aircraft
Trp 2 Nazi Germany GermanyPassenger and transport aircraftTrp 2
Trp 2A
0
2
1933-1945One Trp 2 was in use until 1935
Trp 3  United KingdomLight transport aircraftTrp 311936-1942-
Trp 4  United StatesTrainer and utility aircraftTrp 411940-1953-
Tp 5 Nazi Germany GermanyTransport aircraftTp 551940-1945-
Tp 6  United StatesSTOL aircraftTp 611940-1941-
Tp 7  United KingdomTransport and trainer aircraftTp 711940-1944Still preserved in flying condition
Tp 8  United StatesBiplane transport aircraftTp 8
Tp 8A
3
1
1940-????-
Tp 9 Nazi Germany GermanyBomber, reconnaissance and airlinerTp 911940-????-
Tp 10 Nazi Germany GermanyAirlinerTp 1011942-1944-
Tp 11  PolandReconnaissance aircraftTp 1111939-1951-
Tp 12  SwedenReconnaissance aircraftGV 3861941-1945-

See also

References

  1. 1 2 http://www.smhs.eu/gallery_116.html
  2. 1 2 3 Militärhistoria issue 10, 2015

Sources and further reading

Off-site sources

Fellow Wikipedia articles used as sources

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.