The Saab 35 Draken was a Swedish-produced supersonic fighter developed during the Cold War. In addition to the Swedish Air Force, it was also used by the Austrian, Finnish and Danish Air Forces.
The aircraft was designed and produced by Saab AB, with a total of 651 built. Numerous variants were developed, mainly as interceptors.
Production took place between 1955 and 1974, starting with the Saab 210 technology demonstrator.
The prototype's first flight took place on 25 October 1955, while it entered operational service with the Swedish Air Force in March 1960.
Il Draken It was the first fighter aircraft built in Western Europe capable of flying at supersonic speeds in level flight, and being effectively deployed.
Featuring a distinctive double delta wing configuration, the Draken It was capable of reaching high speeds and excellent performance at high altitudes.
Although not particularly versatile in terms of armament and upgradeability, it offered good maneuverability and reasonable operational capabilities at different altitudes, making it effective in air defense. However, over time it was surpassed by more modern platforms. Its innovative design entailed relatively high maintenance costs and a certain technical complexity.
Il Draken It was never used in actual combat. The Swedish Air Force decommissioned it in 1999.
The Saab 35 Draken (J35 F Draken) had a wingspan of 9,42 m, height 3,89 m and length 15 m.
The empty weight was 7865 kg, while fully loaded it was 11000 kg.
Engine: 1 Rolls-Royce AvonThe maximum speed was 2450 km/h at 11000 m and the service ceiling was 20000 m.
The armament consisted of 1 or 2 30 mm ADEN cannons, AIM-9 air-to-air missiles Sidewinder, AIM-4 Falcon and AIM-26 Falcon, 75 mm or 135 mm unguided rockets (in air-to-surface configuration).
Photo: web / SAAB
