Swedish Dive Bomber Tactics and Innovation

German Ju-87s, Soviet Pe-2s and US SBD dive bombers are known far and wide. But one country that truly innovated dive bombing isn't talked about. So let's remedy that!

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⚜ Sources ⚜
Hans G. Andersson, SAAB Aircraft since 1937, Smithsonian Institute Press, 1989

Smith, Peter; Dive Bomber!: Aircraft, Technology, and Tactics in World War II,

Smith, Peter; The History of Dive Bombing,

⚜ Honourable mentions ⚜
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[MilitaryAviationHistory]

This is a part of history I really wanted to get out there because Swedens innovation on dive bombing is so often forgotten as they did not take an active part in WW2.

A quick note on the Swedish planes mentioned in this video. As mentioned in the video, I use the term 'dive bomber' to simplify and place the planes within the context and scope of the video. These planes were able to fulfill a plethroa of roles and were tactically not limited to dive bombing. Instead, they were set up to be more flexible but special attention was placed on the ability to perform a dive bombing attack.

[RaDeus]

I remember watching a 1940s movie about Swedish divebombers when I was a kid, it was basically a less homoerotic version of Topgun, but with divebombers 😁

[kalle]

There's something about Swedish ingenuity, at least in my mind anyway... I mean, in Estonia we still use Ericsson m/1937 field telephones we got from Sweden. They still work great.

Or how about the improvement upon (I believe originally German) mess kit with the addition of a wind screen, making it a Swedish model 1940 mess kit. Yeah, we use those too. The windscreen on mine was made in 1976. Stove in 1964. Sturdy Swedish steel.

And we appreciated Swedish squad tents a lot. But then the higher-ups ruined a good thing and replaced these with some non-Swedish tents that have the stove separate from the center beam, meaning it has less room. As opposed to the Swedish one. If it ain't broke, why fix it :|

[linusorm]

your pronunciation of linköping was perfect mate!

[GamerMuscleVideos]

Whats remarkable is how in this video you used real time game-play footage from flight simulators yet it looked better quality than the animations that would typically accompany a documentary on this subject back in the early 90s lol

Really good job on the video must have taken ages to edit !

[dmg]

The A32 Lansen used this type of bomb sight, I saw what could happen if the aircraft did not have the correct angel against the target. It was a demonstration of 5 aircraft, It should have been 6 but one had to return to base due to technical problems. They should bomb a marsh in the middel of Sweden as a target (it was a combined demonstration that day with the Artillery and Airforce) 4 aircraft got in well and dropped one or 2 500kg bombs each, but the 5th was in a to shallow dive so the bombs did not release until the pilot "dipped" the nose and the the bombs missed the target with about 500 meters and started a forest fire. So we could se how a helicopter took some buckets of water from some small lakes and put the fire out. The main target was about 1, 3 km away, these blasts from the bombs was felt like a thump in Your chest. It was awsome for a boy in his early teens to see this.

[Dr.MichaelVlahos]

This is an exceptionally fine YouTube contribution. Herr "Bismarck" draws attention to the extensive lineage of Swedish aircraft innovation, which includes the fact that even in the 1940s, Sweden was producing combat aircraft fully competitive with US, British, German, Russian, and Japanese designs. You can check our as well the SAAB18 and SAAB21 to see how successful Sweden's air effort was during WWII. Even today, Sweden is the only small nation (population only, please!) that remains truly competitive in combat aircraft design — just check out the new T-X contender (with Boeing, but still all-Swedish). For sure, Sweden's aircraft industry has taken full advantage of innovation abroad — the best example is the amazing SAAB Tunnan — but nonetheless it has excelled in its own, native design skills and creativity. For example, there are a number of design elements and cues in the SAAB17 that hearken to American dive bomber fashion, but the result is strictly a Swedish creation. Your discussion of antiship tactics was really useful too. You highlight the doctrinal thinking of Sweden during a very difficult period — in terms of defensive anti-access, area denial (A2AD). Personally, I would love to see more videos like this from you. Thank you! all the best, Mike Vlahos

[styrbjornstarke]

I'm very proud of Sweden (not right now).
But we have always been great engineers, even though we are quite a small country (10 million) and (6-7 million around ww2).
I have always had that lovely feeling that my fellow Swede from across the land is belongs to a second family of mine, to take a cup of coffee with. I dont want to bring in politics but that has changed. This coherence and unity not to be found soon. And may not been found in any other country ever.

By the way, its said that the Swedish Airforce "Instructions book(?)" is written in blood. Because all the mistakes that led to death have been noted whilst doing the extreme tactics.

Long live family Sweden.

[bennylofgren]

As I wrote in a comment thread somewhere, the SAAB B 17 had an interesting innovation in its landing gear. They folded backwards and not into the wing, and had this streamlined cover that made them look almost like drop tanks when "retracted". There were several reasons for that design. First, it left more space in the wings for fuel. But more interestingly, they doubled as dive brakes. When starting a dive attack, the landing gears were extended as speed brakes to avoid overstressing the airframe or engine. With this design no separate airbrakes were needed, thus saving weight and complexity. They could also be replaced with retractable, flush skis for winter operations. There was also a float-equipped version, the SAAB S 17BS.

[Geobiery]

I love these videos of yours Bismarck! Especially this topic in particular, while it may be esoteric, I just picked up the expanded Sweden mod for HOI IV and was just playing as them the other day. Keep up the good work.

[brendenauer]

I love the way you go about making your history lessons. I look forward to all your videos

[DarthFolo]

3 of the 4 Harts (Harts 'X', 'Y' and 'Z' ) sent to Finland were lost during their first mission. X and Y due to collision with each-other resulting in both pilots captured and one observer killed. The surviving observer remained in the plane as it hit the trees and was thrown through the bottom of the aircraft but managed to ski home.
Hart 'Z' was intercepted and shot down but both the pilot and the observer (Sgt Thure Hansson which was an acquaintance of mine and the one who told me the story) also managed to ski back to friendly lines.

[saamkapadia]

Im Swedish and i really appreciate this video! Tack så mycket Bismarck!

[derptomistic]

Swedish tactics during the age of line battles was also quite impressive.  The platoon would be placed in two lines and would walk calmly toward their opponents.  The opposing force would definitely get the first shot off, but at extreme range most of the shots would miss.  Once the enemies fire the first volley, the Swedes started running toward them while they reloaded.  Once the Swedes were about 15 paces away from the enemy formation, the first line would crouch and fire and the second line would run right past them to 10 paces and do the same.  After the second line fires, the first line charges past them with bayonets ready and would initiate melee combat with the horribly wounded enemy formation, being reinforced by the second line a few seconds later once their bayonets were ready.  It had to be done quickly, for if the enemy force was able to reload before the two volleys are fired, then the Swedes would be in for a bad day.

[benjaminsavoy]

Your content is superb! But I must say that I had trouble finding this channel again, even after searching keywords like "bf109 WT" and "dogfighting guide". Fortunately I could remember a title of a video obscure enough for youtube's search engine to bring me back with "Swedish dive bomber tactics" Keep up the good work!

[theordinarytime]

The threat of a Naval invasion has spured a lot of Swedish development in the aviation department. As dive bombing and torpedos became obsolete/impractical Sweden was/is at the forefront of development regarding aircraft borne anti-ship missiles. And the planes themselves, designed with anti-ship duty in mind.

[Blablablablaify]

Who are the ten people who didn't like this video??? What's not to like!? Thank you, Herr Bismarck, for another wonderful video.

[johanrunfeldt]

Erik Wilkenson was involved in the development of the American Norden bombsight used in B-17s and B-24s during WW2, then went home to design the sights for the B17 and B18, and stayed with Saab to design sights for every combat design up to and including the J35 Draken.

[AdurianJ]

That dive bombing method still existed as an option in the Viggen but the computer did all the calculations.
If it existed until 1977 in it's mechanical variant that means it went out of service when the A32A Lansen was replaced by the AJ37 Viggen

[UHCAFGaming]

Seeing as how we're a Swedish n00b War Thunder youtube channel we sooo need a Swedish tree in the game (never mind that Swedish soil hasn't seen armed conflict in 200 years).

Love this video!!