Saab 35 Draken
Saab · Sweden · first flew 1955 · fighter
Sweden's Mach 2 interceptor, the Draken pioneered the double-delta wing and proved an agile dogfighter as well as a fast climbing defender.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Sharp pointed nose with intakes on the fuselage sides |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Unique double-delta wing, steeply swept inner blending to a flatter outer panel
- Tailless layout with a single tall dorsal fin
- Sharp pointed nose with intakes on the fuselage sides
The double-delta wing, with its sharp kink between inner and outer sections, is unique to the Draken. There is no tailplane, just a single fin above the slim fuselage.
Specifications
- The Saab 35 Draken has a length of 15.35 m (50 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.42 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2150 km/h (1336 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Saab's prototype first flew in 1955 and the Draken entered Swedish Air Force service in 1960, its then-untested double-delta planform packaging fuel and structure efficiently while giving good high-speed and low-speed behaviour. It was designed to operate from Sweden's dispersed road bases.
Variants
Swedish marks ran from the J 35A through the definitive J 35F and upgraded J 35J, with the S 35E reconnaissance and SK 35C trainer versions. Export models were built for Denmark, Finland and Austria.
Where you'll see it
The Draken served chiefly with the Swedish Air Force but was genuinely multinational, also flying with Denmark, Finland and Austria, the last of which retired the type in 2005. It is a Swedish aircraft rather than a British one, though examples appear at airshows and in collections worldwide.
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