From 12 June 2010 to 9 January 2011, we will present an exhibition on Sweden’s first aviator, Carl Cederström (1867-1918). Baron Cederström graduated with a degree in agriculture, but his curiosity and adventurous nature led him to pursue fields other than farming.
In the 1890s, Cederström lived in the United States where he tried his hand at being a cowboy, performer, magician and a master of card tricks. Upon his return to Sweden, he started an automobile company. In the summer of 1909, Carl Cederström witnessed a flight by Louis Blériot of France, and decided to earn an aviator’s certificate.
The flying baron
Carl Cederström attending the aviation school in Pau, France, and received his certificate in May 1910. In Sweden, he received Swedish Aeronautical Association’s aviator certificate No. 1. Soon he was presenting flying shows in his Bleriot plane. It was not usual for him to attract crowds of more than 10,000 spectators. Carl Cederström, who became known as the Flying Baron, became a major sensation, and was often in the news. During a period, he worked at the Södertelge Werkstäder factory, supervising the manufacture of planes. In 1916, we established Nordisk Aviatik AB in Stockholm. Carl Cederström was killed in 1918 during the delivery of a plane to Finland.
Cars and boats
The year 1891, marked the first time an automobile was shown in Sweden. Carl Cederström realised the possibilities inherent in this invention, and opened the automobile company, Bil-Aktiebolaget in Stockholm, in 1906. The following year witnessed the construction of the first Swedish racing boat, a 12 metre long mahogany boat with a 50 HP engine. Carl Cederström was one of three owners of the boat. He was often in the Stockholm archipelago where he drove his racing boat and mingled with well-known cultural figures like Albert Engström, Bruno Liljefors and Anders Zorn.
First school of aviation at Malmen
In June 1911, Carl Cederström arranged a flying demonstration at the Malmen garrison area outside of Linköping. The following year, he established the first school of aviation in Sweden, starting with two planes, one automobile and one mechanic. The students included officers from the Army and Navy. In 1913, the army air corps took over the school.
The Carl Cederström exhibition is produced by Hugin&Munin.