Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia


General information
Type	Fighter-interceptor
National origin	Sweden
Manufacturer	Svenska Aeroplan AB (SAAB)
Status	Retired from military service
Primary users	Swedish Air Force Austrian Air Force Finnish Air Force Royal Danish Air Force
Number built	651
History
Manufactured	1955–1974
Introduction date	March 8, 1960(frontline service)
First flight	October 25, 1955
Retired	2005 (Austria)
Developed from	Saab 210

The Saab 35 Draken (IPA: [²drɑːkɛn]; The Kite, ambiguous with The Dragon) 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 March 8, 1960. It was produced in several variants and types, most commonly as a fighter-interceptor.

Design

The Saab 35 Draken is a fighter aircraft, equipped with a distinctive double delta wing. According to Flight International, it is difficult to differentiate between the fuselage and the wing.^[17] The design anticipates what would later be known as a ‘blended wing-body’. The fuselage has a circular section, and the inboard portion of the wing is a large-chord surface which extended almost to the engine intakes. It was possible to dispense with a tailplane, resulting in a clean, simple overall design. The leading edge of the inner wing was swept back 80° for high-speed performance, and the outer wing 60° for good performance at low speeds

List of prototypes and test aircraft

Several prototypes and test aircraft of the Saab 35 have existed over the years. Some have been prototypes for new variants while others have been test platforms for other aircraft.

Fpl 210 "Lilldraken": Main article: Saab 210; Flygplan 210 (fpl 210; "aircraft 210"), also known as Lilldraken (Little Kite), was a scaled-down proof of concept experimental aircraft to evaluate the double delta wing configuration; though not strictly a Draken variant, it is included here as the first in a series of prototypes.

Saab AB Svenska Aeroplan

Saab AB Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget
Saab 35 Draken "The Kite" Manufactured 1955–1974

General Info

Crew: 2
Capacity: 50–58 passengers / 5,900 kg (13,007 lb) payload
Length: 27.28 m (89 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 24.76 m (81 ft 3 in)
Height: 7.73 m (25 ft 4 in)
Wing area: 55.7 m² (600 sq ft)

Powerplant

Empty weight: 13,800 kg Max takeoff weight: 22,800 kg Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce AE 2100P turboprop engines, 3,096 kW (4,152 hp) each Propellers: 6-bladed Dowty Propellers constant-speed composite fully feathering and reversible-pitch propellers

Performance

Cruise speed: 665 km/h (413 mph
Range: 2,869 km (1,783 mi, 1,549 nmi)
Service ceiling: 9,450 m)
Rate of climb: (2,240 ft/min)

Related development

- Cruise speed: 665 km/h (413 mph
- Range: 2,869 km (1,783 mi, 1,549 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 9,450 m)
- Rate of climb: (2,240 ft/min)

Special Links Saab AB Svenska Aeroplan

Links to Youtube & Others

In June 2006, Pakistan completed the purchase of six Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft to be equipped with the Saab-Ericsson ERIEYE Airborne Early Warning system.

Saab 35 Draken
"The Kite"

Some smaller airlines, including Eastern Airways in the UK, have subsequently acquired 2000s at low cost.

Youtube Link

On 3 April 2008, the first Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C was rolled out and presented to Pakistan Air Force officials during a ceremony in Sweden.

Saab AB Svenska Aeroplan
Saab 35 Draken "The Kite"
Manufactured 1955–1974