The Saab 35 Draken, a groundbreaking Cold War era fighter, was Sweden's response to the escalating threats from the USSR. Introduced as the first Western European airframe with supersonic capabilities, the Draken also pioneered the double delta wing configuration and was the first to perform the Cobra maneuver.
The Saab 35 Draken is regarded as a success – and an innovative milestone in aviation history. Today, the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California, operates a fleet of six Drakens.
Saab 35 Draken: Pilots Needed Nerves of Steel to Test Fly This Bad Boy
Not too expensive and very reliable, the Saab 35 has made its mark. Here is how the warplane s unusual design makes it so unique.
Here s What You Need to Remember: The Saab 35 Draken was in use in some capacity until the mid-2000s a run of about fifty years. Not too bad for an initially experimental aircraft.
The Saab 35 was a radical Swedish design and unlike some popular Nordic furniture, was quite robust and experienced great longevity.
Eureka
Engineers at Saab had a radical idea for a new jet fighter, the Saab 35 they would use a double delta wing design (which would prove very popular at Saab). Delta wings are recognizable as large, triangle-shaped wings that are widest at the rear and taper inwards closer to the nose of the plane.