Friedrichshafen Flugzeugbau was founded in 1912. The town Friedrichshafen, located at lake Bodensee was famous for the Zeppelin airship industry. The company took over the old Zeppelin shed at Manzell and later started production branches in Weingarten and Warnemünde. When the company was laid down in 1923, their production facilities were taken over by Dornier. Friedrichshafen Flugzeugbau built mainly seaplanes for the German navy aviation.

In April 1918, five Friedrichshafens were bought by the Swedish Navy Aviation. Three were of the variant FF 33E and two of the variant FF 33L. They were of similar design, but the 33L was a smaller and lighter than the 33E. They were delivered without armaments. Both types were fitted with a Benz 150 hp water-cooled engine. The aeroplanes arrived in Stockholm in September 1918.

Two new FF33Ls were built by the Navy at Galärvarvet (TDS) in Stockholm.  Also three copies of the larger FF 33E were built on the same place.  

When the Swedish Air Force was established in 1926, two floatplanes of the type FF 33L and two of the type FF 33E were transferred to the new service branch, intended  to be used as trainers. The two FF 33Ls were built in Stockholm and had the Navy numbers 18 and 19. New numbers in the Air Force were 218 and 219. The two FF 33Es, one German-built and one Swedish-built, ex-Navy 16 and 22, got the new numbers 216 and 222. All four aircraft were designated Sk 2.

As in their time in the Navy Aviation, the Friedrichshafens were based at Hägernäs, now Wing F 2 of the Air Force. They were not very often in the air. Their main task were to train naval observers. 216 and 222 crashed and were written off in 1927. The 218 and 219 were regarded as obsolete and were written off two years later.

Friedrichshafen Flugzeugbau built about 135 FF33Ls and 180 FF33Es for the German Navy during the WWI.   

For the Model Builder

Choroszy Modelbud, Poland, has a resin model kit of the Sk 2 FF 33E. Swedish markings are not included. Scale 1:72. Kit # B27. Click on the thumbnail for larger image.

© Lars Henriksson