Thulin A

The Thulin A was the first indigenous aircraft designed and built in Sweden by AB Thulinverken, a company founded by the Swedish engineer Enoch Thulin after his return from France in 1914. Inspired by the French Morane‑Saulnier monoplane, the Thulin A made its maiden flight in early 1915 at the newly opened Ljungbyhed airfield. The single‑seat, high‑wing monoplane was powered by a 100‑horse‑power Le Rhône rotary engine that drove a two‑bladed wooden propeller, giving a top speed of roughly 130 km/h and a service ceiling near 3,000 meters. Its simple wooden frame, fabric covering, and detachable wings facilitated quick assembly and repair, qualities that proved valuable during World I when the Swedish military needed a reliable trainer and reconnaissance platform. Although only a handful were produced before the war’s end, the Thulin A demonstrated Sweden’s capacity for domestic aircraft construction and laid the groundwork for later Thulin models such as the Thulin B and the more powerful Thulin D. The aircraft’s blend of French design influence and Swedish craftsmanship marks an early milestone in the nation’s aviation history, establishing AB Thulinverken as a pioneer of Swedish aeronautical engineering.