#Draken jet series#

Munitions were held on two underwing and two underfuselage hardpoints for a total weapons load of up to 6,393lbs (J 35F) - hardpoints were later increased to six total stations. Short distance landings were further assisted by a deployable drag chute.Īs a product of the Cold War, the Draken's armament centered in on its missile-carrying capabilities. The system eventually merged internally to feed the large single engine exhausting at rear. The air intakes - along with its double delta wing shape - were defining characteristics of the Draken, featuring elliptical openings to either side of the cockpit. The undercarriage was of a conventional design featuring two main single-wheeled landing gears retracting outwards into each wing root and a single-wheeled nose gear retracting forwards. Seating accommodations allowed for a single operator positioned in the forward portion of the fuselage with excellent forward and side views. The second prototype deserves note for its breaking of the sound barrier while in a climb, an unintentional feat but nonetheless showcasing the outstanding design principles of the aircraft.

#Draken jet series#

Three prototypes followed, all powered by the Avon 200 series (the first prototype sans afterburner), with first flight achieved on October 25th, 1955. A Rolls-Royce Avon (200/300 series) afterburning turbojet engine was selected to power the new aircraft and an agreement was reached to license-produce the powerplant in Sweden as the Svenska Flygmotor RM 6B/C. The double delta wing arrangement of the new Saab was mated to a circular fuselage adorned with a single vertical tail fin and successfully tested in the Saab 210 'Lilldraken' ('Little Kite') - essentially a scaled down version of what was to become the full-size J 35 - on January 21st, 1952. Additionally, the Starfighter was relatively limited in its munitions-carrying capabilities, though its minimalist and single-minded 'rocketship' design approached allowed the Starfighter to reach record-setting speeds. In comparison, the contemporary Lockheed F-104 Starfighter utilized short stubby wings no more than inches thick, forcing fuel and the undercarriage to be stored in its tubular fuselage. Delta wings, at their core, inherently allowed for greater fuel capacity, low-speed stability and a greater weapons load. This marriage allowed the new aircraft to promote good handling at both high and low speeds as each set of wings benefitted such flight speeds. The double delta design was just that - two paired delta wings working in conjunction with one another - one pair was set forward exhibiting a sharper sweep angle and less area than the aft pair, which showcased a more gradual sweep angle. The selected form became a delta-type wing arrangement known more specifically as a 'double delta' (or even 'compound delta'). The latter request was more-or-less a standing requirement of all future Swedish-designed aircraft as well, for it was always envisioned that such aircraft would be responsible for the defense of the country by any means necessary - this meaning that the aircraft could be flown from straight short stretches of Swedish highways for an optimal reach to its combat capabilities.Įrik Bratt led the design team at Saab to fill the requirements of the specification.

The already-demanding specifications also called for a large weapons capability, long operational endurance and the ability for the platform to operate from short runways as well as roadway surfaces. This aircraft would also have to provide for a stellar-rate-of-climb as it would be commissioned to intercept incoming transonic enemy bombers. A specification was put forth in 1949 requiring a new aircraft to provide one-half times more in maximum speed than what was being made available from any other platform entering service anywhere on the globe. The 'double delta' wing arrangement of the type itself proved revolutionary and undoubtedly added to the aircraft's top-flight capabilities.īy the end of the 1940's, the Swedish government was looking forward to the inevitable replacement of the successful Saab J 29 Tunnan line.

Drakens served from 1960 through 2005 and proved their worth in over 640 production examples. The aircraft proved a viable answer to the Swedish need for a high-performance interceptor on par or excelling beyond that of anything else being fielded throughout the world at the time. The Saab J 35 Draken (translated in English to 'Dragon' but carrying the meaning of 'Kite' based on the aircraft's angular resemblance to a kite) was one of the more excellent aircraft designs to emerge from the Cold War.