Saab 17
Saab 17 | |
---|---|
Role | Reconnaissance-dive bomber |
National origin | Sweden |
Manufacturer | SAAB |
First flight | 18 May 1940 |
Introduction | March 1942[1] |
Retired | 1968 (Ethiopia) |
Primary users | Imperial Ethiopian Air Force
Royal Danish Air Force |
Produced | 1941–1944 |
Number built | 326 (including 2 prototypes)[2] |
The Saab 17 is a Swedish single-engine monoplane reconnaissance dive-bomber aircraft of the 1940s originally developed by ASJA prior to its merger into Saab. It was the first all-metal stressed skin aircraft developed in Sweden.
Design and development
The project was initiated in response to a 1938 request from the
The design chosen was a conventional
Two L 10 prototypes were ordered, the first being powered by a 880 hp (660 kW)
Supplies of suitable engines remained a major problem, and resulted in the aircraft being built in three versions with different engines. The definitive B 17A used the Swedish-built
Operational history
The first flight was on 18 May 1940 and first deliveries of dive bombers to the Flygvapnet began in March 1942,[1] while deliveries of reconnaissance versions began in June 1942, and the type was operational by September 1942 when the first exercises were carried out.[2] Problems immediately arose with wing failures, and additional modifications were needed before it could be cleared for dive bombing, which remained limited to shallow attacks thereafter.[2] The final aircraft was delivered on 31 August 1944.[6]
A B 17 was used to test the
Stig Wennerström gained some fame in Sweden for successfully bailing out from a B 17 from low altitude, with his gunner, but would later become a spy for the Soviet Union.[8]
For several months in late 1944 and early 1945 fifteen B 17As were operated by the Danish Brigade in Sweden (Danforce) a unit of 5000 men (including 50 airmen) in Sweden which had been formed to assist in liberating occupied Denmark from the Nazis, and preventing the retreating German soldiers from using civilians as human shields, and carrying out scorched earth tactics as they had done elsewhere. However, due to the German surrender on 7 May 1945, the aircraft were no longer needed and were returned to Flygvapnet control a couple of months later.[9]
Rapid advances in aviation related to improved aerodynamics, higher engine power and finally the introduction of jet engines, resulted in it having a short career, and it was gradually withdrawn from frontline service between 1948 and 1950,[2] while the last examples were retired from secondary roles by 1954. Over the next few years, examples would be sold off to various operators.
Due to the efforts of Carl Gustaf von Rosen, the Ethiopian Air Force bought 47 which were operated from 1947[2] until 1968.
From 1951, 19 B 17s were loaned to
Variants
Company designations
- L 10
- internal ASJA/Saab designation; two produced
- L 10A
- internal ASJA/Saab designation for 17A, B, and C
- L 10BL
- internal ASJA/Saab designation for S17BL
- L 10BS
- internal ASJA/Saab designation for S17BS
Flygvapnet designations
- P 7[2]
- L 10 development prototypes
- B 8
- Preliminary designation for bomber version of L 10, not used
- B 17A
- Bomber with 1,065 hp (794 kW) Svenska Flygmotor Aktiebolaget (SFA)-built STWC-3 (Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3G Twin Wasp)radial engine; 132 built
- B 17B
- Bomber with 980 hp (730 kW) SFA-built Bristol Mercury XXIVradial engine; 55 built
- B 17C
- Bomber with 1,060 hp (790 kW) Piaggio P.XIbis R.C.40D radial engine; 77 built
- S 15
- Preliminary designation for reconnaissance version of the L 10, not used
- S 17BL
- Reconnaissance version of B 17B with wheeled or ski landing gear; 21 built
- S 17BS
- Reconnaissance version of B 17B with floats, powered by a Bristol Mercury XXIV engine; 38 built
A total of 326 Saab 17 aircraft of all types were produced, and some bombers were converted into reconnaissance aircraft.[2]
Operators
- Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) - operated one target tug
- Flyvevåbnet (Royal Danish Air Force) - operated 15 on loan while in exile with the Den Danske Brigade Danforce in 1945.
- Ye Ithopya A yer Hayl (Imperial Ethiopian Air Force) - operated 47 examples[2]
- Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force) - operated two target tugs
Surviving aircraft
Five Saab 17s are known to be in existence today, three of which are on public display.
The Swedish Air Force Museum in Linköping has two aircraft in their collection, a S 17BL '5', serial 17005 which is on static display in the museum, and a B 17A '7', serial 17239, the latter being kept in airworthy condition and which is periodically flown.[11]
Another B 17A 'E', serial 17320 which was donated by the Flygvapnet after having served as a target tug is on display at the Danish Museum of Science and Technology in Helsingør/Elsinore.
Two former Ethiopian B 17As were recovered in the 1990s and purchased by a South African collector as a part of a large batch of ex-Ethiopian aircraft. These were shipped to Lithuania but their current status and location is unknown following the collapse of the collector's business interests.[12]
Specifications (B 17C)
Data from Saab Aircraft since 1937[13]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
- Length: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 13.7 m (44 ft 11 in)
- Height: 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 28.5 m2 (307 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 2,680 kg (5,908 lb)
- Gross weight: 3,870 kg (8,532 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Piaggio P.XIbis R.C.40D 14 cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 790 kW (1,060 hp)
- Propellers: 3-bladed Piaggio P.1001 variable pitch propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 435 km/h (270 mph, 235 kn)
- Cruise speed: 370 km/h (230 mph, 200 kn)
- Minimum control speed: 125 km/h (78 mph, 67 kn)
- Range: 1,700 km (1,100 mi, 920 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 9,800 m (32,200 ft)
- Rate of climb: 10 m/s (2,000 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 139 kg/m2 (28 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.220 kW/kg (0.134 hp/lb)
Armament
- Guns:
- 2 × fixed forward-firing 8 mm (0.315 in) Flygplanskulspruta Ksp m/22F (M1919 Browning AN/M2) machine guns
- 1 × rear cockpit flexible 8 mm (0.315 in) Flygplanskulspruta Ksp m/22R (M1919 Browning AN/M2) machine gun
- Bombs:
- 700 kg (1,500 lb) of bombs could be carried. Racks were provided under the wings, in an internal bomb bay and externally on the fuselage centreline.
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Aichi D3A
- Blackburn Skua
- Caproni Ca.355
- Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
- Douglas SBD Dauntless
- Mitsubishi Ki-51
- Naval Aircraft Factory SBN
- Northrop A-17
- Sukhoi Su-2
- Vultee Vengeance
Related lists
References
Citations
- ^ a b Annerfalk, 1999, p.58
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Annerfalk, 1999, p.59
- ^ Karlström, 1988, p.52
- ^ "B 17 – Saab 17 (1941–1955)". Avrosys. pp. 1–5. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
- ^ Annerfalk, 1999, p.84
- ISSN 1100-9837.
- ^ Annerfalk, 1999, p.95
- ^ Annerfalk, 1999, p.144
- ^ Annerfalk, 1999, p.100
- ISSN 1100-9837.
- ^ Poelstra, Jack. "SE-BYH Saab B 17A c/n 17239 - Swedish Air Force Museum - Groningen Airport Eelde in Holland - 7 July 2005". Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ "Baltbound Bombers – 2". Lae – inte bara en stad på Nya Guinea (in Swedish). Retrieved 3 September 2015.
- ^ Andersson, 1989, pages 59–65
Bibliography
- Annerfalk, Anders (1999). Flygvapnet An Illustrated History of the Swedish Air Force. Ljungsbro, Sweden: Aviatic Förlag. ISBN 91-86642-049.
- Andersson, Hans G. (1989). Saab Aircraft since 1937. Washington, D.C. / London, UK: Smithsonian Institution Press / Putnam. pp. 59–65. ISBN 0874743141.
- Karlström, Björn (1988). Flygplans - Ritningar 3 Svenska Flygvapnets Bombflygplan 1926-1986. Stockholm: Allt om Hobby. ISBN 9789185496259.
Further reading
- Bill Gunston, ed. (1989). Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II (2001 ed.). New York & London: Military Press & Crescent Books. ISBN 1851704930.
- Widfeldt, Bo; Hall, Åke (1997). SAAB 17; Den Forsta Egna Konstruktionen (in Swedish). Air Historic Research. ISBN 9789197160582.
- Edlund, Ulf; Andersson, Lennart; Berns, Lennart; Stridsberg, Sven (2003). "Svensk flyghistoria under 1900-talet". Svensk Flyghistorisk Tidskrift. Stockholm: Svensk Flyghistorisk Förening. ISSN 1100-9837.