In the thirties, the interest for gliding started in Sweden. In 1933, the first Swedish sailplane, a Grunau ESG-31 was registered as SE-ADP. It belonged to the aircraft designer Edmund Sparrmann. 1941 was a significant year. The new Soaring Centre at Ålleberg was opened. It is still an important centre for gliding in Sweden, with its airfield, school, workshop and museum.   

The Air Force supported at an early stage the civil gliding movement. The sailplane activity was a good base of recruitment for future Air Force pilots. When the need for pilots increased in the years of WWII, this became still more important.  

In the beginning of the forties, the Air Force started sailplane activities of its own. The target group was the non-flying personnel. Many of them had naturally a great interest in aviation. This group now got the chance to fly themselves, and talented pilots could be discovered for further training to ”real pilot”. All this was obtained for a reasonable sum of money and without wasting much valuable fuel. The activities were held at off-duty hours at evenings and weekends.  

All Air Force wings were provided with one or two training gliders and some real soaring sailplanes. Most of the aircraft were delivered as building kits and were assembled during the winters by the sailplane fliers themselves.   

In the fifties, the Air Force phased out the sailplane activities. The aircraft were handed over to the civil clubs. 

Also note the Lg 105 in the list below - a Swedish transport glider than never went into service.

Please click on the thumbnails for pictures and information

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