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Swedish P-35s
An excellent beginning!
A Swedish friend with whom I served in Korea in the 1970s and then visited in Sweden about 15 years ago, flew P-35s (EP-106/J 9s) on neutrality patrols when he was assigned to Flygflottilj 8 at Barkaby Airfield in 1940.
He told me that there was a rumor that the USAAF flew confiscated P-35s in combat in the Philippines still wearing Swedish markings.
I was never able to confirm that the U.S. P-35s actually flew in combat in those markings, but did acquire a photograph at the Air Force Museum of P-35As (the confiscated EP-106s) in Swedish markings taxying at Clark Field, having been removed from the crates and assembled, and not yet repainted.
There are many stories about that grand old Swedish airman that are not relevant to this thread -- navigating a Hawker Hart up the coast of Sweden by memory of geography when he lost his map and lights; landing a Gloster Gladiator after the airscrew came off; flying the first P-51s delivered to the Flygvapnet -- but I will save them for a more appropriate occasion.
Don
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