Saab 91 Safir
| Saab 91 Safir | |
|---|---|
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| Saab 91C of the Swedish Air Force | |
| Role | Trainer |
| National origin | Sweden |
| Manufacturer | Saab |
| First flight | 20 November 1945 |
| Primary users | Swedish Air Force Finnish Air Force |
| Produced | 1946-1966 |
| Number built | 323 |
The Saab 91 Safir (English:"Sapphire") is a three (91A, B, B-2) or four (91C, D) seater, single engine trainer aircraft. The Safir was built by Saab in Linköping, Sweden, (203 aircraft) and by De Schelde in Dordrecht, Netherlands (120 aircraft).
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[edit] Design and development
The Safir's first flight on 20 November 1945. The all-metal Safir was designed by Anders J. Andersson, who had previously worked for Bücker, where he designed the all-wood Bücker Bü 181 "Bestmann". The Safir thus shared many conceptual features of its design with the Bestmann.
The Saab 91A is powered by a 125 hp four cylinder de Havilland Gipsy Major 2c piston engine, or a 145 hp Gipsy Major 10 piston engine. The 91B, B-2 and C have a six-cylinder Lycoming O-435A engine with 190 hp[1]. The 91D has a four-cylinder Lycoming O-360-A1A engine with 180 hp.
The "Safir" was later used as a platform to test at low speeds the new swept wing for the Saab 29 Tunnan jet fighter.
[edit] Operational history
323 units were built in 5 versions (A, B, B-2, C and D). The Safir was used by the Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Austrian, Tunisian and Ethiopean air forces as a trainer aircraft, and a single aircraft was used by the Japan Defense Agency as an STOL test platform.[2]
Major civilian users were Air France, Lufthansa and the Dutch Rijksluchtvaartschool (RLS) in Eelde, near Groningen.
During development of the Saab 29, the initial Saab 91 prototype was modified with a scaled down version of the Saab 29's swept wings; this aircraft was designated Saab 201 Experimental Aircraft. This same airframe was later fitted with wings designed for the Saab 32 Lansen; this was designated Saab 202.
A single Saab 91 Safir was modified as the Saab X1G for research in Japan.
[edit] Variants
- 91A - Used a de Havilland Gipsy Major 1 or a Gipsy Major 10.
- 91B - Rebuilt for a Lycoming O-435.
- 91B-2 - 91B variant for Royal Norwegian Air Force with minor modifications, mainly a constant speed propeller.
- 91C - Seated three passengers after fuel tanks had been moved to the wings. Also equipped with a constant speed propeller.
- 91D - Same as 91C, but with Lycoming O-360 A1A.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Military operators
- Finnish Air Force Former operator
- Finnish Frontier Guard Former operator
[edit] Civil Operators
[edit] Specifications (91A)
Data from Safir in the Air[3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 2 passengers
- Length: 7.80 m (25 ft 7 in)
- Wingspan: 10.60 m (34 ft 9 in)
- Height: 2.20 m (7 ft 3 in)
- Wing area: 13.6 m² (146 sq ft)
- Max. takeoff weight: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy Major X four-cylinder air-cooled inline engine, 145 hp (108 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 264 km/h (143 knots, 164 mph)
- Cruise speed: 235 km/h (127 knots, 146 mph) (econ cruise)
- Stall speed: 85 km/h (46 knots, 53 mph)
- Range: 942 km (509 nmi, 585 mi)
- Service ceiling: 4,600 m (15,100 ft)
- Rate of climb: 5.3 m/s (1,050 ft/min)
[edit] See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
[edit] References
- ^ Flying Magazine: 39. August 1954.
- ^ SAAB Safir s/n 91.201
- ^ Smith, 1947, pp. 459–462.
- Smith, Maurice A. "Safir in the Air". Flight, 23 October 1947, pp. 459–462.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Saab 91 |
- Ärna Flygclubb Swedish language
- FC Flygkubb
- SAAB 91 D Safir - HB-DBL
- SAAB 91 Safir for MS Flight Simulator
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