Saab Viggen

Unfortunately I was unable to access the archive today to check through the loan documents and the manuals – however I will do that later next week.

As Papa Lima advised the airframe number carried is 37918, which I have photographed and this has been added to the Viggen photo album. The signage at the aircraft also shows just the five figure serial, which is at odds with the guide book text. :confused:

Today as a bonus the Viggen cockpit was opening for viewing, as also depicted in the photo album! 😀

Grattis pa fodelsedagen, Papa Lima! (nearest I could get to it!)

Happy Birthday both!

A good book that I can thoroughly recommend is Putnams’ Saab Aircaft, it covers all their designs in great detail but also covers the background of Swedish aviation and Air force history.

Thank you TwinOtter for the birthday greeting. Today I shall be doing my weekly stint as a tour guide in the Aeroseum here in Gothenburg, which includes supervising cockpit visits in one of our two Viggens – perhaps the only place where free access to Viggen and Draken cockpits is permitted. I would be very pleased, as I have mentioned before on this Forum, to give private tours of the Aeroseum to Forum members if they contact me beforehand by PM.
For Viggen enthusiasts (like myself), may I recommend a little book (80 pages) published by AirDOC of Germany called “Swedish Viggens – The Saab AJ/JA/SF/SH and SK37 Viggen in Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force) Service”. This has both English and German text, and a multitude of colour photographs. ISBN 978-3 935687-15-7. I disclaim all connection with the publishers. Throughout this book the Fv numbers start with 37 (for System 37) followed by three-figure numbers, which also apply to our two Viggens in the Aeroseum.
Peter

Happy shared birthday Papa Lima. 🙂

The number quoted derives from the official loan documentation that was received and this cross checks with the Forms / Paperwork that came with the airframe – I know this question has been asked before; unfortunately I cannot find the scans that I took from the documents!

I’ll check again at the museum!!

Newark’s Viggen is Flygvapnet 37918 – where did the extra “3” come from?

Pagen – very interesting! Thank you for sharing it.

DaveF68 – you don’t rcall seeing a Viggen??:eek:

Below is the Guide Book write-up for Newark’s Viggen, which contains a few date snippets, design comments etc:

“The Viggen name comes from the Norse god Thor’s war hammer and means ‘The Thunderbolt’. The double delta design and nose canard wing combined to give the Viggen short take-off capabilities from runways and roads; quick stopping was achieved using a thrust reversing system in the tail.

Developed as a replacement for the Saab Lansen strike aircraft and also the Saab Draken fighter; the Viggen was designed for simple repair and servicing by conscripts with minimal training. The first designs were accepted in September 1962, with construction starting in 1964. The Viggen first flew on 8th February 1967 and deliveries commenced to the Swedish Air Force in June 1971.

Viggen 373 918 was built as a SH 37 maritime strike / reconnaissance variant and was fitted with the maritime PS 371/A radar, cockpit camera and tape recorder for mission analysis. Between 1993 and 1998 the aircraft was upgraded to the AJSH 37 standard featuring avionics / software upgrades and the off centered reconnaissance pod.

When the type was decommissioned in 2005, Viggen 373 918 was placed on long-term loan with the museum by the National Swedish Defence Museum. It flew in to RAF Cranwell, Lincs on 7th February 2006, piloted by Captain Jonas Haraldsson of 211 Squadron, F 21 Norrbotten Wing of the Swedish Air Force, Luleå, Sweden. This was made possible thanks to the approval of the Station Commander at RAF Cranwell and the staff at Serco.

After deactivation by the Swedish Air Force museum volunteers dismantled the aircraft, which was moved by road on 25th June 2006. The aircraft was reassembled ready for formal hand over in December 2006.”

Viggen 373 918 is nicely tucked up inside Hangar 2 for this current indifferent spell of weather!

I just wanted to say that I am well aware of the fact that the Viggen doesn’t share the same timeframe as the Lightning or Hunter. I was just pre-empting the ‘British is Best’ brigade!

Don’t forget in terms of design, the Viggen was a product of the late 50s/early 60s, with the design being finalised about 1964, so it’s not too far ahead of the F-4 in terms of generation, albeit to a different design brief.

When you look at that, you can see why the F-16 won the ‘Sale of The Century’ F-104 replacement, but just imagine if the Viggen had – Norway, Holland, Belgium and Denmark all operating Saab 37s!!

I must have seen a Viggen flying as I have the photographs to prove it, I just don’t recall it!!:diablo:

Skyhigh, I got curious when you questioned my question and had a quick Google, seems that we have been here before, post #15, 17 & 18 are probably the most interesting, http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=103892

Having never seen the Russky fighters “live” but having seen both Viggen and Phantom in the same environment you cannot help but make comparisons. An interesting thought that the Swedes might have bought the Phantom if they had not produced the Viggen – it had not occurred to me.

As hard as it to believe now, the F-4 Phantom was the same generation as the Lightning, ie one before the Viggen,
Letter of Intent 1954, service 1960 – 1996 (USAF), still in service with a few A/Fs.
This really shows just how advanced it was for its time, I agree in that the Viggen seems to embody the ruggedness, performance, and role diversification of the F-4 and I would guess that if the Swedes hadn’t built the Viggen they would have brought the Phantom?

One thing that I admire about the Swedes and Saab is that they couldn’t justify building various types for similar performance sub roles so ended up building superb multirole a/c capable of interception, reconnaissance, attack, & training etc.

Probably the most directly comparable would be the Mig-23 – similar generation, roles etc and a diferent approach to the same problems.

As a Western equivalent, the Mirage F1 is an interesting comparator.

The JA-37 version is comparable to the MiG-23, while the AJ/SH/SK-37 versions are more comparable to the MiG-27 and SU-17/20/22. The SF-37 reconnaissance variant is comparable to the MiG-21R and SU-17R.

Yes, the Mirage F1 is also a good comparison.

In many respects, so is the F-4 Phantom, actually, with the proviso of the differences between the heavier-payload 2-seat F-4 and the lighter-payload single-seat Viggen.

Looks good to me ???? Twin Otter’s baby ! not too much like a Lightening in my opinion ??

Keith 🙂

Sadly I cannot claim responsibility for this particular Saab joining the Newark ‘Saab Collection’ (however I will fess up to the other two!); that said I did help with the ‘communications and documentation’ once the initial loan had been offered!

It’s one hell of a beast! 😉

I also like its display location – only because it also causes a few comments from a couple of fellow trustees! :diablo:

We need to get the cockpit viewable on more occasions!! 🙂

That’ll be Nej then… 😎

for all we know you might be swearing ha ha

a bit of trivia whilst on the subject,

Clint Eastwood stared in the movie Firefox (down?). the producers wanted to use a Viggen in the movie but the Swedes said “NO” in Swedish off course..

That’ll be Nej then… 😎

a bit of trivia whilst on the subject,

Clint Eastwood stared in the movie Firefox (down?). the producers wanted to use a Viggen in the movie but the Swedes said “NO” in Swedish off course..

Must admit that I only ever saw Viggens once when a pair turned up at Fairford, impressive machine.
Drakens always seemed to be about but mainly Danish A/F.

Nice shot Keith, always looks slightly awkward parked between a Swift and a Javelin though!

Looks good to me ???? Twin Otter’s baby ! not too much like a Lightening in my opinion ??

Keith 🙂