Saab 32 Lansen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saab 32 Lansen | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Saab Lansen | |
| Type | Attack aircraft, Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Saab |
| Maiden flight | 3 November 1952 (P1150 prototype) |
| Retired | 1997 |
| Primary user | Flygvapnet |
| Produced | 1953-1959 |
| Number built | 450 |
| Variants | F-101 Voodoo |
The Saab 32 Lansen (Swedish:"Lance") was a two-seater attack aircraft produced by SAAB from 1955 to 1960 for Flygvapnet, the Swedish air force. 450 aircraft were produced in different variants for ground attack and maritime strike A 32A, all-weather/night fighter J 32B and reconnaissance tasks S 32C. Later on, some aircraft were modified for use as J 32D target tugs and J 32E ECM aircraft. There were no trainer versions, but some Lansens had rudimentary controls installed in the rear seat.
[edit] Design and development
The Saab Company was approached in 1948 to develop a turbojet-powered strike aircraft to replace a series of 1940s vintage attack, reconnaissance and night-fighter aircraft in the Flygvapnet: the Saab B 18/S 18, J 21R/A 21R and J 30 (de Havilland Mosquito). The design was initially designated the P1150.
Swedish Air Force requirements for the P1150 were demanding: the aircraft had to be able to be able to attack anywhere along Sweden's 1245 miles (2000 km) coastlines within one hour of launch from a central location. It had to be capable of being launched in any weather, day or night. Special attention was to be paid to integrating the electronics and weapons systems to create the equivalent of today's weapons systems approach to combat aircraft design. The aircraft was to be armed with four 20mm cannon, rockets, bombs and/or a new anti-ship missile being developed, the Rb 04.
The design team created a sleek airframe with clean lines powered by a license-built Rolls-Royce Avon Series 100. Uniquely, the design of the swept wings was the result of an early application of computer technology. To test the, 35° sweepback design, a half-scale wing was mounted on a Saab Safir, the Saab 202 Safir. The design initially featured both Fowler flaps and a leading edge slot. The slot was discarded as unnecessary after trials with the prototypes and never appeared on a production aircraft. A small batch of P1150 prototypes completed design and evaluation trials with series production of the newly renamed Saab J 32 Lansen("Jakt (Fighter)") beginning in 1953.
[edit] Operational history
Soon after entering squadron service, the J 32 Lansen" broke the sound barrier on 25 October 1953 when a production aircraft exceeded Mach 1 in a shallow dive. The J 32 carried four 30mm ADEN cannons while the A 32 (A, Attack) had an armament of four 20mm Bofors m/49 cannon and the Rb 04C anti-ship missile, one of the earliest of its type in western service. The Lansen normally was fitted with two missiles but it could also carry an additional missile. The main role was to prevent any Soviet invasion across Sweden's extensive coastline.
It has been suggested that one planned use of the A 32A was to deliver nuclear warheads. Sweden had an active nuclear weapons program during the 1950s and 60s. As far as is known, no weapons were ever produced.[citation needed]
The A 32 Lansen was Sweden's last purpose-built attack aircraft. Throughout the Cold War years, the Lansen distinquished itself with a solid if unspectacular career; Swedish pilots often described it as pleasant to fly. Gradually, being replaced by more modern types, the Saab 32 soldiered on into the late-1990s.
[edit] Variants
- A 32A - ground attack and maritime strike
- J 32B - all-weather/night fighter
- J 32D - reconnaissance
- J 32E - electronic counter-measures
- J 32U - "U" stands for utveckling, which means that it was a development fighter aircraft
- S 32C - reconnaissance
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (J 32B)[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
- Length: 14.94 m (49 ft 0 in)
- Wingspan: 13.0 m (42 ft 8 in)
- Height: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)
- Wing area: 37.4 m² (402.6 ft²)
- Empty weight: 7,500 kg (16,535 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 13,500 kg (29,760 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× Svenska Flygmotor RM6A afterburning turbojet, 47.0 kN dry, 65.3 kN with afterburning (10,560 lbf / 14,685 lbf)
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 0.93, 990 km/h at 11,000 m (615 mph at 36,000 ft)
- Range: 2,000 km (1,240 mi)
- Service ceiling: 15,000 m (49,200 ft)
- Rate of climb: 100 m/s (19,685 ft/min)
Armament
- 4x 30 mm Aden cannons
- 4x Rb 24 air-to-air missiles
- 3x Rb 04C Anti-Ship missile
[edit] References
- ^ Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. The Great Book of Fighters. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-1194-3.
- Taylor, John W.R. "Saab 32 Lansen (Lance)." Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-425-03633-2.
[edit] External link
[edit] Related content
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
Saab 17 - MFI-15 Safari - Saab 18 - Saab 21 - Saab 21R - Saab 29 Tunnan - Saab 32 Lansen - J 35 Draken - Saab 37 Viggen - Saab 39 Gripen
Related lists
See also
Timeline of aviation
Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines
Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft
Notable military accidents and incidents · Notable airline accidents and incidents · Famous aviation-related deaths
Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft
