The Bizarre Airplane Design That Shook Up Aviation.

In the 1960s, a tailless double-delta wing aircraft was more of an unproven technology than an audacious undertaking. But although the design lacked historical knowledge, the ambitious Swedish engineers at Saab pursued it with determination. Unsurprisingly, when the J-35 model was finalized, the airframe encountered numerous problems during its initial service life. Due to its unstable nature, the double-delta configuration made it difficult to land, requiring manual stabilization during such attempts. Little did the Swedish know that the challenge would provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to discover a maneuver not yet known to any other nation, the Cobra. As the test pilots entered an uncontrollable stall at high alpha, they unexpectedly learned how to control it by quickly negating the angle of attack to counter the suspension. The maneuver turned the airframe into its own airbrake, reducing its speed instantaneously. Out of nowhere, the Saab 35 became an indisputable icon. A Bold Idea After World War II, the development of jet fighter technology advanced significantly, and Sweden would not stay behind. The country foresaw the need for a supersonic fighter capable of intercepting bombers at high altitudes while also being able to engage others. In the fall of 1948, the Swedish Air Force, through the Defense Material Administration, announced a freshly formulated set of requirements for a leading-edge interceptor. Notably, the aircraft was required to attack hostile bombers in the transonic speed range. As such, the original requirement specified a top speed of no less than Mach 1.4. In 1956, the top speed requirement was revised to Mach 1.7, and three years later, it was raised to Mach 2. Additionally, the cockpit was required to accommodate a single pilot and enable combat operations in all weather conditions, both day and night. Moreover, it was required to operate out of austere airstrips while loaded with all the necessary equipment to neutralize modern jet bomber aircraft. Furthermore, the aircraft had to be simple enough for conscripts with minimal training to refuel and rearm the aircraft within ten minutes. Unlike the contemporary U.S. Air Force F-104 Starfighters, which were conceived at the same time, the Nordic creation had to fulfill a role unique to Sweden, operating from reinforced public roads. During the Cold War, the Swedish defense developed a system to use public roads as part of wartime airbases to protect against potential nuclear threats, and Saab was up to the task. Nordic Dragon Meeting all the criteria for the advanced interceptor aircraft was a challenging task for the engineers and designers. As preliminary studies revealed, the use of a delta-wing configuration could address most of the critical issues. The delta-wing, with its triangular shape, offered several advantages over conventional wings, providing more internal volume for fuel storage and often being structurally robust. However, they tended to experience higher drag, and the unconventional aircraft called for an unconventional proposal. Nevertheless, to achieve the most optimized aerodynamics, the forward fuselage had to be extended, which resulted in an excessively heavy aircraft. Consequently, the innovative designers opted for a unique, or rather radical, approach, a double delta-wing. As promising as the double delta-wing seemed, the configuration was completely untested, and in an era before the advent of computer-aided testing and flight simulation, the engineers faced a slow and laborious undertaking. The optimum solution demanded extensive wind tunnel testing to explore the configuration's uncertain behavior. Although mock-ups were useful for proof of concept, only live flight tests could provide valuable insights. As a result, the entire staff of more than 500 technicians, led by aviation engineer Eric Bratt, built a small but flyable test aircraft, the subscale Saab 210. The Lille Drakken, or Little Dragon, flew for the first time over Stockholm in January of 1952, performing splendidly. The subsequent results supported the order for three full-sized prototypes, and three years later, the first full-sized Drakken conducted its maiden flight. Superstall With the exception of an afterburner, the first prototype successfully completed its first flight. However, as Flight International recounted, an unusually intensive flight test program was required to fully define the aircraft's exceptional speed, range, and complex systems. On the other hand, the second prototype, equipped with an afterburner, unintentionally broke the sound barrier while climbing on its very first flight. The double-delta configuration was not only functional, but it proved to be exceptional. Back in the 1960s, Swedish Saab pilots discovered the Kortparad, or Cobra Maneuver, a controlled superstall state. The technically challenging display involved rapidly lifting the nose, causing the aircraft to fly forward, perpendicular to the ground. Then, facing the sky, the pilot would turn the airframe into an enormous airbrake to slow down the vehicle as quickly as possible. While not directly applicable to combat scenarios, the maneuver demonstrated the Saab 35's tremendous maneuverability. In fact, the Saab 35 was twice as capable as other single-engine jets of its era, making it possible to dispense with a tailplane altogether. The result was a sleek but straightforward profile. As distinctive as the double-delta wing was, however, the circular fuselage was almost indistinguishable from its surface, anticipating what would be known as the blended-wing body. On the other hand, the inboard portion of the wing was a large chord surface extending almost to the engine intakes. For high-speed performance, the leading edge of the inner wing had an 80-degree sweep while the outer wing was angled at 60 degrees for lower speeds. Overall, the double-delta proved to be extremely capable. Most Satisfactory Deliveries of Draken's first iteration began in late 1959. As reported by Flight International, the introduction of the J35A to service was not only smooth, but the scramble and turnaround times were actually, quote, most satisfactory. The first Swedish Air Force wing to receive the type was F-13, stationed at Norkoping, but by the end of 1960, multiple wings were already equipped with the Draken and had achieved operational status. Although the J35 Draken was primarily designed as a high-altitude interceptor and not a dogfighter, it proved to be more than capable in both roles, with good quick-turn capability and high speed at all altitudes. Early models were intended solely for air defense, but an improved one was later developed, the J35B. This model featured an enhanced power plant, a license-built Rolls-Royce Avon 200-300 engine, or Svenska Fliegmotor RM6BC, an enlarged afterburner, and a redesigned rear fuselage. It also had a new Saab-built S-7 Collision Course Gunsight and Fire Control Radar, as well as integration with the Air Defense Control Network's Trill 60. No less than 651 Drakens were manufactured, with the Swedish fleet incorporating six different versions. Eventually, two additional models were offered for export, primarily to Denmark and Finland. Those variants were equipped with a Ferranti-built Airpass 2 Fire Control Radar, which was effective in acquiring various air-to-air or air-to-surface targets. Moreover, the ground mapping mode would work in conjunction with the navigation systems. Notably, the Saab 35 was just as successful outside of Sweden as it was inside it. The United States would employ a dozen formerly Danish Drakens as trainers, and Austria purchased several dozen specially refurbished J-35Ds, equipping them with internal cannons instead of air-to-air missiles, as the Austrian state treaty restricted the use of such missiles. Not Too Bad For the most part, the cockpit of the Draken featured Swedish-sourced instrumentation, with newer models introducing several advancements, such as a revised canopy and more modern avionics, including a three-axis autopilot. A typical layout included two separate radio units, a high-speed data link, and two navigation systems. However, as the stick lacked a natural feedback system, a Q-feel system generated artificial forces. The fuselage consisted of a front and rear section bolted together. The forward section, integrated with the intake ducts and wing, accommodated the fire control radar, cockpit, nose undercarriage, integral fuel tanks, and other systems. Likewise, the rear portion, manufactured as a single piece with the inner wing, contained the power plant and afterburner, bag-type fuel tanks, main landing gear, drogue parachute, and armament. The Draken's main armament was carried externally, with up to four AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles hung on hardpoints beneath the wings and fuselage. Alternative payloads included a variety of bombs and rockets, and also provisions for installing a pair of 30mm cannons, housed within each inboard wing panel, or additional fuel tanks could take up the same space. In a reconnaissance mode, the J-35 could instead be fitted with various camera pods underneath the fuselage. Over the years, the design saw several upgrades, with the last being the J-35J, produced during the late 1980s. However, the Draken had already been replaced by the Saab 37 Beacon at that point, and it was irremediably phased out by 1999. The Draken left a remarkable legacy with its double-delta configuration, which became increasingly popular at Saab. The aircraft remained in use in some capacity until the mid-2000s, through a service-life extension program, ending its service life after roughly five decades. A long-lived run for a supposedly experimental aircraft. Thank you for watching our video. We hope you enjoyed learning about the remarkable Saab J-35 Draken. To keep up with our latest aviation stories, make sure to subscribe to Dark Skies and explore our other fascinating videos on our Dark Documentaries channels. And don't forget to hit the like button and stay tuned for more exciting content.