During the summer of 1938, the last preparations for the opening of the Air Force Fighter Wing F 8 at Barkarby were made. F 8 was due to operate the whole fleet of Gloster Gladiators. In the middle of summer 1938,  the annual combat flying exercise was held at Rinkaby-Åhus in the south of Sweden. 

At these photos from the exercise we can see some machines, for example code 7 (SwAF/n 237), code 9 (SwAF/n 239), code 11 (SwAF/n 241) and code 12 SwAF/n 242). 

At the first of October, 1938, the Gladiatiors of Wing F 8 flew from  F 1 at Västerås to take their brand new facilities at Barkarby in use.

© Lars Henriksson

Updated 2010-06-21