Jaktfalken

The Jaktfalken, meaning “hawk of the hunt,” was Svenska Aero’s most ambitious fighter project of the early 1930s. Development began in 1932 when the Swedish Air Force issued a requirement for a high‑performance, single‑engine interceptor capable of operating from the country’s scattered airfields. Designed by chief engineer Erik Forsberg, the aircraft featured an all‑metal low‑wing monoplane layout, a retractable under‑carriage and a compact, aerodynamically refined fuselage. Power was supplied by a licensed Bristol Mercury radial engine delivering 830 hp, driving a two‑bladed propeller that gave the Jaktfalken a top speed of 470 km/h and a service ceiling of 11,500 metres. Armament comprised four 7.7 mm machine guns mounted in the forward fuselage, with provisions for light bombs in later variants. Only twelve production examples were built before the programme was halted in 1936 in favour of the newer Saab J 21. Despite its short service life, the Jaktfalken introduced several innovations to Swedish aviation, including the first use of hydraulic landing‑gear retraction and an advanced aerodynamic wing profile that influenced subsequent Scandinavian designs. Its legacy endures as a symbol of Sweden’s rapid technological transition from wooden biplanes to modern all‑metal fighters.

Svenska Aero

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