Skirmish at Sövde
| Skirmish at Sövde | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of World War II | ||||||||
 | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Belligerents | ||||||||
 Germany |
 Sweden |
 United States | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
|
1 Messerschmitt Me 410 2 pilots[1] | 1[1] |
1 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress damaged 1 pilot injured | ||||||
The skirmish at Sövde was an aerial incident in 1944 where a German Messerschmitt Me 410 and an American Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress accidentally flew into Swedish air-space. After several warning shots, the accident evolved into a short-lived confrontation around Sövde between the Swedes and the German and American planes.
The German confrontation[edit]
Upon entering Swedish air space through Simrishamn, the German Messerschmitt Me 410 faced numerous warning shots by the Swedish military, though, the German plane would ignore warning shots making the Swedes declare luftfara (air hazard) at 11:52. A Swedish motorbrigade observed the Messerschmitt Me 410s movements closely; this is when the German plane started firing at the Swedes who returned fire.[2] The German plane was shortly thereafter shot down killing both of the pilots as well as a Swede on whom they had crashed.[3]
The American confrontation[edit]
An hour later, a damaged American Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress also flew over Swedish air space at the request of their pilot Frank Ammann. They too faced bombardment by the Swedes but most of the Americans managed to deploy their parachutes and land safely on the ground, and those who remained in the aircraft crashed in Näsby but were mostly unharmed.[3][4]
Aftermath[edit]
Upon crashing in Näsby, the frightened Americans were greeted by a group of curious Swedes. The Americans initially tried to flee aboard their aircraft but were calmed down by an off-duty Home Guard soldier.[3][4] The Americans would be treated well by the locals, Frank Ammann would even be invited for breakfast by the Emilsson family where he would give his helmet to Caj Emilsson as a souvenir.[3]
The American Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress would later be confiscated and scrapped by Swedish authorities.[3][4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Accident Messerschmitt Me 410 A-1/U4 420622,". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Persson, Evert (2008). "Messerschmitt ME 410, nr 420622 nedskjutet i Sövde by den 11 april 1944" [Messerschmitt ME 410, no. 420622 shot down in Sövde village on April 11, 1944.]. www.sjobo.nu (in Swedish). Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e https://www.forcedlandingcollection.se/USAAFe/USAAF035-440411-lackinshackin.html
- ^ a b c "7.motorbrigaden tvingar, Flygande Fästning A 4166 HK att nödlanda 11 April 1944" [The 7th Motor Brigade forces Flying Fortress A 4166 HK to make an emergency landing on 11 April 1944.]. www.sjobo.nu (in Swedish). December 2002. Retrieved 21 March 2024.