Östgöta Air Force Wing, also F 3 Malmslätt, or simply F 3, is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located at Malmen air base near Linköping in south-eastern Sweden.
History
In August 1912, the first pilot school in Sweden was set up at Malmslätt by Carl Gustav Cederström at the location of the 1st Life Grenadier Regiment. In 1927, that regiment merged with the 2nd Life Grenadier Regiment and moved to new garrisons in Linköping Town to give room for the newly set up 3rd Flying CorpsF 3. The name was changed in 1936 to Östgöta Flygflottilj. Initially, the corps, or wing, operated the S 1, S 6, S 16, S 17, S 18 and S 22 in reconnaissance squadrons until 1948 when it was converted to a fighter wing by converting the S 22s and replacing other reconnaissance aircraft with three squadrons of J 22s. In 1950, F 3 received the J 28A from Bråvalla Air Force Wing which was replaced rather quickly with J 29As in 1953. Not until 1965 were they in turn replaced by J 35Ds. One squadron was decommissioned in 1970 and the two remaining were converted to J 35Fs. The two remaining squadrons of J 35F were moved in 1973 to Blekinge Air Force Wing when the air wing was decommissioned. The remaining administrative part of the wing was decommissioned in 1974. The air base was still kept active as a detachment to Bråvalla Air Force Wing as F 13 M until 1994, to Uppland Air Force Wing as F 16 M until 2003 and now serving as F 17 M to Blekinge Air Force Wing. The airfield is known today as Malmen Air Base. It is currently home to the Swedish Air Force Museum.
Barracks and training areas
The 1st and the 2nd Life Grenadier Regiments' old training area Malmen outside Linköping was taken over and modernized, while the Swedish Air Force Maintenance Depot at Malmslätt retained the parts that belonged to the Aviation Company. The old training heath was the airfield. When the jet fighters were introduced, the first runway was built in an east-west direction. A northbound crossing runway was built in 1969 and became the main runway.
Heraldry and traditions
Coat of arms
Colours, standards and guidons
A colour was presented on 6 June 1939 at F 8 at Barkarby Airport by His Majesty the KingGustaf V. It was transferred to F 13 in 1974 and is today preserved at the Swedish Army Museum. Blazon: "On blue cloth in the centre the badge of the Air Force; a winged two-bladed propeller under a royal crown proper. In the first corner a griffin segreant or with dragonwing and tail, armed and langued gules between four roses argent".
Commanding officers
Commanding officers from 1926 to 1974. The commanding officer was referred to as flottiljchef and had the rank of colonel.
