Military Aircraft Markings (Sweden)

The Flygkompaniet was formed in 1912 (naval air service - Flygvasende , in 1915 - dissolved 1926). Military Aircraft Insignia of the World report 1914 - 1915 marking as yellow-blue roundel and the latter "S" on wings and swallotail flag on rudder.

http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/aviation/text/markings/swe_markings.html#1912report reports: "1914 - With the outbreak of hostilities in Europe it was decided that there was a need to paint the aircraft so they could be seen to be Swedish. On Aug 6:th it was decided that army aircraft, on Aug 7:th that navy aircraft would have a national insignia consisting of a Swedish naval hree tongued flag on the rudder, undersides of the wings a yellow circle with broad blue outline, the letter "S" and an arabic numeral. This last painted to be read from the wingtip towards the fuselage. For navy aircraft the number was also painted with small numerals on the nose." (See also http://www.avrosys.nu/aircraft/MFV/54FarmGullberg.jpg)

So, Military Aircraft Insignia of the World is wrong by using a swallow tail flag for the fin flash.

Military Aircraft Insignia of the World reported that in 1915 new marking was adopted - three black crowns on white plate. Swallowtail flag still used as fin flash.

http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/aviation/text/markings/swe_markings.html#1912 reports: "On 1915 Sep 22 the national insignia was changed to consist of three black crown on the wing upper and lower surfaces. If necessary on a white field.

1917 - The national insignias were changed after the pattern used by other forces in Europe and was amended to also include a position on the fuselage. The crowns were usually painted on a white, nearly square, field, reaching to the leading and trailing edges of the wing and fuselage upper and lower sides. "

See http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/aviation/img/ljungbyhed96/tumli_02.jpg
and http://www.avrosys.nu/aircraft/MFV/54FarmGullberg.jpg
and http://www.avrosys.nu/aircraft/Skol/08Sk1Albatros2136KEG.jpg

Again Military Aircraft Insignia of the World is wrong by using a swallow tail flag for the fin flash.

Military Aircraft Insignia of the World reports that in 1923 - the plate was converted to white disc. The flag at rudder was substituted by vertical yellow blue stripes.

http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/aviation/text/markings/swe_markings.html#1912 disagrees: "From 1924 the navy tried several alternatives, among them three black crowns on a white circle, vertical blue/yellow/blue stripes on the rudder. In 1925-26 the army tested some alternatives, including black crowns with white borders, blue/yellow/blue and blue/yellow vertical bands on the rudder.

From March 1926 new army aircraft were delivered with white crowns with black borders. ....

On January 21st 1927 new, common, regulations for the whole air force were adopted. The directions stated that the national insignias would consist of three black crowns on a white circle and rudders with yellow and blue vertical stripes, the yellow closest to the hinge. The white circles could be omitted on light backgrounds. "

See:

So Military Aircraft Insignia of the World gives a wrong adoption date.....

Military Aircraft Insignia of the World reported that in 1937 - the current roundel of three yellow crowns on blue disc bordered with yellow ring (and no fin flash) were adopted. see Roundel.

http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/aviation/text/markings/markings1926.html reports: "1937 - The yellow/blue bands on the rudder were deleted. The national insignias were changed to be yellow crowns with black outlines on a blue circle. This as a result of camouflage trials in 1935."
See http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/aviation/img/ljungbyhed96/sk_12_02.jpg

So, there was no yellow ring in 1937......

The yellow ring was eventually adopted in 1940 as reported by http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/aviation/text/markings/markings1940.html>

See http://www.airliners.net/open.file/582021/L/

Album des pavillons reports a low visability roundel as seen on FOTW's Flygvapnetat page and http://www.airliners.net/open.file/576189/L/

http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/aviation/text/markings/markings2000.html reports: "Starting with the first batch two Gripen in 1996, they have been painted with low-viz dark grey national insignias. It can be noted that the grey markings painted on the darker and lighter grey parts of the fuselage are not of the same colour, this in order to make the contrast against the background the same."

The "new" Naval air arm (Svenska Marine Flygtjanst/Marinflyget - formed 1958) and Army aviation (Armeflygkar - formed 1954) use the same marking.