Military Balloons in Sweden (1898-1936)

In the last decade of the 19^th century, the Swedish military authorities become aware of the advantages of tethered observation balloons for direction of artillery fire, particularly for fortress artillery.

The first Swedish military balloon rose to the skies in July 1898 at the fortress of Vaxholm. According to orders a balloon department was founded with Kapten Jäderlund as commander, together with another officer, one warrant officer and two ”well-grown and intelligent” men from each company as well as a some other troop.

After a few years, the Field Telegraph Corps founded a special balloon company with its base at Frösunda north of Stockholm, not far from today’s airport of Arlanda. This lasted to 1926, when the Army Artillery took over the balloon operations. The balloon era of the Swedish defence should last to the 17^th of September 1936, when Furir Carl-Erik Sunesson made the last military flight in a free-flying balloon..

Several types of balloons existed in the Swedish defence, tethered as well as free-flying.
 
For the balloons used by the Swedish Army and Navy, see the list below.
 
Click on the thumbnails for pictures and descriptions.

 

Updated 2010-07-24