An American bomber Boeing B-17, which has diverted into the Swedish airspace after a mission over Germany, is escorted up to the Bulltofta airfield, NE Malmö, where will interned with its crew, by a J 20 (Reggiane Re.2000) fighter of the Svenska Flygvapnet’s Flottilj F10. The Flying Fortress is one of many American aircraft landed in Sweden, intentionally or not, during the WW2. Victor Sierra

On the Swedish skies

1905 – 1986
Arne Beurling was a Swedish mathematician and professor of mathematics. In 1940 the mathematician broke the German code used for strategic military communications. This accomplishment is considered by many to be one of the greatest achievements in the history of cryptography. Using only teleprinter tapes and cipher text, he deciphered the code that the Germans believed impossible to crack in just two weeks. Beurling created a device that enabled Sweden to decipher German teleprinter traffic passing through Sweden from Norway on a cable. When Beurling was asked how he broke the code he replied, “A magician does not reveal his secrets”.

Interesting Fact: Beurling code breaking allowed Swedish authorities to know about Operation Barbarossa (The codename for Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union) before it occurred.



Arne Beurling

On 1939 the Swedish Government purchased in USA a total of 264 modern fighter aircraft, Seversky EP-1 and Vultee Vanguard, but after the outbreak of the war and its extension on the Baltic and Scandinavian areas, the Washington Government embargoed the deliveries and only 60 Seversky fighter was delivered to Svenska Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force). The latter decided the purchase of further Fiat CR.42 and, on 28 November 1940, ordered 60 modern Re.2000s built by Reggiane (Caproni Group), somewhat similar to Seversky fighter (the Re.2000’s designer Roberto Longhi spent some years in USA working with Seversky). The aircraft was paid part with hard currency, part with precious metals as nickel and chrome as well iron. The first two Re.2000 for the Svenska Flygvapnet (Italian military registration MM2303 and 2304) arrived in Sweden on Summer 1941 and was tested on 18 September 1941. The Re.2000’s Swedish military denomination was J 20 (J for Jaktplan/fighter airplane) and all 60 aircraft was assigned to Flottilj 10 (F10) based at Bulltofta and Rinkaby. The Swedish pilots appreciated the Italian fighter which performed well under harsh conditions. From Bulltofta the J 20 was mainly employed to intercept Axis and Allied aircraft into Swedish airspace. One J 20 was lost in combat on 3 April 1945, shot down by a Luftwaffe’s seaplane Dornier Do 24 near Sölvesborg, which opened the fire against the Swedish fighter, and its pilot, Erik Nordlun, was killed. Sixteen J 20 was lost in accidents and eighteen was heavy damaged. Thirty-seven plane were still in service at the end of the war but was decommissioned in July 1945. The only J 20, and also the only complete Re 2000, still existing is the plane of the Linköping’s Swedish Air Force Museum (Flygvapenmuseum). Victor Sierra