SAAB Anniversary Airshow | News

From June 1st to 4th, the "Aerospace Forum" trade exhibition and conference was staged at Linköping-Malmen airbase in Sweden. Held for the second time in 2012, it is scheduled to become a biannual event. On June 4th, the airbase hosted a public airshow, with a VIP/media day on the preceding day. The main theme of the show was the 75th anniversary of the Saab AB aerospace and defence company.

Although best known in North America for its automobiles, Saab was founded in 1937 as an aircraft manufacturer. (The Saab automobile company and the Saab aerospace company split up in 1996 and both have operated independently since then.) Its first production aircraft was the Saab B17, a two-seat dive bomber/reconnaissance aircraft. One B17 ("Johann Blå", Blue Johann) is still maintained in flying condition and performed at the air show on both days.

The Swedish Air Force museum, adjacent to the airbase (also known as Malmslätt after the nearby village), also set up a temporary display to mark the anniversary. This included a Saab 91 Safir trainer aircraft together with a Saab 92, Saab’s first production car. Other former Swedish air force aircraft on display within the museum include a J21R, Sweden’s first jet fighter aircraft.

Although Saturday morning started quite sunny, the airshow was hampered by the weather. The public airshow on Sunday in particular suffered from heavy rain. For photographers, the positioning of the display line provided another challenge: the main runway for takeoffs and landings was 01-19, with the main crowd line set up to the west of it. The display line however, was south of runway 08-26. Backlight could have been a serious problem if the sun had not been shrouded by clouds for most of the day. Still, the layout of the airbase and the public areas offered a number of good photographic opportunities. Runway and taxi shots were possible from many different angles, and some of the aircraft taking part in the flying display could be viewed up close as well on the flight line.

Two main elements dominated the flying programme: Saab historic jets and Malmslätt-based helicopters. The Swedish Air Force Historic Flight was represented by several aircraft from its fleet, including civilian-registered J29 Tunnan ("Flying Barrel"), J32D Lansen, AJS37 Viggen and Sk60E.

The performance of Viggen 37098/SE-DXN was a highlight for many. The Viggens were retired from active duty in late 2005 and the final Air Force Viggen flight took place in 2007. It was not until March 2012 that a Viggen flew again, and Malmslätt was one of the first official venues for Viggen 37098 to display.

Malmslätt is home to the Swedish Defence Helicopter Wing, the Försvarsmaktens Helikopterflottiljen. Currently, the wing operates four helicopter types: the AS.332 Super Puma, Agusta A.109, multinational NH90, and the UH-60M Blackhawk. The Blackhawk is Sweden’s most recent purchase; deliveries started in December 2011. The Helicopter Wing proudly showed its assets in a "tactical display". With seven helicopters, forty-odd troops and pyrotechnics, an airmobile insertion and extraction was simulated. A medevac flight and door gunners firing from aboard the A109s made the tactical display one of the highlights of the day.

To mark Saab’s anniversary, the flying display included several commemorative formations, including a six-ship formation with nearly all of the fighter jet types ever produced by Saab. Another formation was made up of six Sk60s jet trainers, reminiscent of the Swedish Air Force’s now-disbanded "Team 60" display team.

As usual during Swedish airshows, only a limited number of foreign participants was present. The two aerobatic teams that performing were both non-Swedish: the Swiss air force PC-7 team (operating nine PC-7s) and the "Baltic Bees" civilian jet team with five Latvian-based Aero L39Cs. A single Finnish Army NH90 and a South African Air Force Gripen were the remaining two foreign aircraft to fly a display (the latter awaiting delivery to its future operator).

Despite the grey weather, the show turned out to be a very nice one. What the show lacked in quantity was compensated in quality, even more so on the ground. A second South African Gripen was on static display, accompanied by Gripens from the Royal Thai Air Force, Hungarian Air Force, Swedish Air Force and the British Empire Test Pilots School.