Swedish Air Force Austrian Air Force Finnish Air Force Royal Danish Air Force
Produced
1955–1974
Number built
651[2]
Variants
Saab 210
Saab 35JSaab 35C
The Saab 35 Draken (IPA:[²drɑːkɛn]; The Kite, ambiguous with The Dragon)[Nb 1][3] is a Swedish fighter-interceptor developed and manufactured by Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (SAAB) between 1955 and 1974. Development of the Saab 35 Draken started in 1948 as the Swedish air force future replacement for the then also in development Saab 29 Tunnan dayfighter and Saab 32B Lansen night fighter. It featured an innovative but unproven double delta wing, which led to the creation of a sub-scale test aircraft, the Saab 210, which was produced and flown to test this previously-unexplored aerodynamic feature. The full-scale production version entered service with frontline squadrons of the Swedish Air Force on 8 March 1960.[1] It was produced in several variants and types, most commonly as a fighter-interceptor.
The Saab 35 Draken is known for, among other things, its many "firsts" within aviation. It was the first Western European-built combat aircraft with true supersonic capability to enter service and the first fully supersonic aircraft to be deployed in Western Europe.[Note 1][6] Designwise it was one of, if not the first, combat aircraft designed with double delta wings, being drawn up by early 1950.[7] The unconventional wing design also had the side effect of making it the first known aircraft to be capable of and perform the Cobra maneuver.[8][9][10] It was also one of the first Western-European-built aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in level flight,[11] reaching it on 14 January 1960.[12]
The Draken functioned as an effective supersonic fighter aircraft of the Cold War period, although it was never used in conflict. Even though the type was designed and intended as an interceptor, it was considered to be a very capable dogfighter for the era. In Swedish service, it underwent several upgrades, the ultimate of these being the J 35J model. By the mid-1980s, the SAF's Drakens had largely been replaced by the more advanced JA 37 Viggen fighter, while the introduction of the more capable Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter was expected in service within a decade, although delayed. As a consequence of cutbacks and high maintenance costs, the SAF opted to retire the Draken during December 1999. The type was also exported to the air forces of Austria, Denmark and Finland. Danish aircraft have been exported, post-service, to the United States where they have seen use as training aircraft for test pilots.
^ abBoström, Valter (1993). Bråvallavingar. Berättelsen om F13 - en flygflottilj under 50 år. Sweden. p. 19. ISBN 9163013606.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Cite error: The named reference saab-scania was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Ängelholms Flygmuseum, Saab J35 Draken history in English" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-02-24. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
^ ab"North American F-100 Super Sabre, Online Photo Library, Armee de l'Air (French Air Force)". f-100.org. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
^ ab"North American F-100 Super Sabre, Online Photo Library, Kongelige Danske Flyvevaben (Royal Danish Air Force)". f-100.org. Archived from the original on 2018-08-09. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
^Jackson, Robert, Men of Power: The Lives of Rolls-Royce Chief Test Pilots Harvey and Jim Heyworth, p. 159
^Draken 50 år. Sweden: Svensk Flyghistorisk Förening. 2005. p. 27.
^"F10 Kamratförening". www.f10kamratforening.se.
^"I kanten av envelopen". February 26, 2011.
^Ulf Edlund & Hans Kampf (2009). System 37 Viggen, flyghistorisk revy. Sweden: Svensk flyghistorisk förening. pp. 212, 213.
^Draken 50 år. Sweden: Svensk Flyghistorisk Förening. 2005. pp. 33, 59.
^"VÄGEN TILL DRAKEN". Retrieved 2021-05-27.
Cite error: There are <ref group=Nb> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=Nb}} template (see the help page). Cite error: There are <ref group=Note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=Note}} template (see the help page).
The Saab35Draken (IPA: [²drɑːkɛn]; The Kite, ambiguous with The Dragon) is a Swedish fighter-interceptor developed and manufactured by Svenska Aeroplan...
The Saab 210 is an approximately 70% scale research prototype for the double-delta configuration of the Saab35Draken supersonic fighter. It became known...
The Saab35Draken is a Swedish fighter aircraft that was manufactured by Saab between 1955 and 1974. As well as being operated by the Swedish Air Force...
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came to be part of Saab's core in the team around Saab 29 Tunnan and upcoming aircraft types like the Saab 32 Lansen and Saab35Draken.[citation needed]...
Fil (CSF). These radars were originally used on the Mirage III C and Saab35Draken, and then in constantly evolving variants on different models of aircraft...
Bratt. Erik Bratt was responsible for the construction of Saab35Draken and Saab 37 Viggen by Saab AB, Linköping Sweden. Bratt personified in Sweden the...
providing combat critical information to airborne aircraft, the Saab35Draken and Saab J32 Lansen fighter aircraft, by means of digital telemetry links...
supersonic flight. Hermann Behrbohm was significant in the design of Saab35Draken and Saab 37 Viggen. He made the calculations supporting Alexander Lippisch...
high-lift vortex without the need for a foreplane. Examples include the SaabDraken fighter, the experimental General Dynamics F-16XL, and the Hawker Siddeley...
McDonnell Douglas F-15 STOL/MTD as a proof of concept aircraft. The Saab35Draken was another early aircraft with limited supermaneuverable capabilities...
aircraft manufacturer or model, such as HN for F/A-18 Hornet, DK for Saab35Draken, VN for Valmet Vinka etc. The Whites occupied most of the airbases that...
Lakomaa was recruited to Saab in 1944 as an aircraft designer. He was involved in the development of the fighters Saab35Draken and Saab 37 Viggen, and later...
Institute. From 1954 to 1967 at Saab AB, he participated in the aerodynamic core of the projects for Saab35Draken and Saab 37 Viggen, both cutting-edge...
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reconditioned Saab35Draken fighter aircraft to supersede the Saab 105 as the Austrian Air Force's main interceptor in 1988. The Saab 105 remained in...
Sk 35C Saab 35 Draken - SE-DXP J 35J Saab35Draken - SE-DXR AJS 37 Saab 37 Viggen - SE-DXN Sk 37 Saab 37 Viggen - SE-DXO Sk 50 Saab 91 Safir - SE-FVV...
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