Saab Safir

This trainer started out as a civilian general aviation aircraft for 3 persons and their luggage. 323 were produced, serving with six air forces and several civilian customers. 99 served with the Swedish air force between 1947 and 1992. Production ended in 1966.

The main customers were the Swedish, Ethiopian, Norwegian, Finnish, Tunisian and Austrian air forces. (One also ended up as a test aircraft with the Japanese air force.) Apart from that, they were also sold to civilian operators, the main ones beeing the Netherland's state air transport school, the Indonesian state civilian flying school, Lufthansa and Air France.

Design was started in 1944, when the end of the war was in sight, and Saab felt the need for civilian products. It was given the designation Saab 91 and named Safir (Saphire). Chief designer was A J Andersson, who had worked for Bücker where he designed the Jungmann, Jungmeister, Student and Bestman trainers. So it's not just a coincidence that the Safir is similar to the Bestman.

One reason it was given a nose gear was to make the aircraft safer by giving better vision on the ground and make landing easier.
The gear was retractible and the action spring balanced so the manual actuation didn't require a lot of force.
All control surfaces and the wing to the rear of the main spar was fabric covered, the rest of the aircraft metal covered.

The prototype first flew in Nov 1945, fitted with a 120 hp Gipsy Major engine.

Saab 91A

The series aircraft, Saab 91A, where fitted with 147 hp D.H. Gipsy Major X four cylinder inline engines. During 1946-48 Saab built 48 Saab 91A, ten of which were bought by the Swedish air force to be used as liasion aircraft with the designation Tp 91. Most of the rest were sold to civilian owners. The Tp 91 was retired by the Swedish air force in 1960.

The Netherlands' state air transport school purchased eight, the Ethiopian air force 16.

The prototype with swept wings

The prototype was in 1947 fitted with scaled down J 29 Tunnan wings, to test how swept wings would behave at low speeds. In that configuration it was designated Saab 201. As Saab 202 it was in 1950 given scaled down Lansen wings and a more powerful engine.

Saab 91B/91C

In 1949 Saab had an improved model ready. It had a 190 hp Lycoming O-435-A six cylinder opposed engine.

Other differences was a slightly different canopy to give better vision and the addition of a small dorsal fin.

As a three seater, it was designated Saab 91B, as a four seater Saab 91C. Space was made for the fourth seat by replacing the fuel tank to the left of the rear seat with tankage in the wings.

The Swedish air force decided to order this version as its new basic trainer, so production was restarted.

As production of the J 29 Tunnan occupied all available factory capacity in Sweden at this time, this version was produced in the Netherlands, by de Scheldewerke in Dordrecht. (The Saab 90 Scandia was also built in the Netherlands during this period, by Fokker.)

Between 1952 and 1954 they built 120 Saab 91B. 75 of them were delivered to the Swedish air force (but one was sold back almost immediately), where they were designated Sk 50B.
The one that was sold back to Saab was exported to Japan, where the Nihon university rebuilt it extensively, for example with new flaps, to give it STOL properties. Under the designation Nihon Hikoki X1G STOL it was trialled and later tranferred to the Japanese air force.

Sabena bought eight, the Indonesian civil air transport school six, Air France five, Lufthansa two and the Ethiopian air force 14. The rest were sold to

Production in Sweden

In 1955 Safir production was resumed in Sweden.

The Swedish air force bought 14 Saab 91C in 1960 as trainers and they were designated Sk 50C.

The Norwegian air force purchased 25 Saab 91Bs in 1956-57, the Finnish air force 20 Saab 91C in 1958.

The Ethiopian air force bought ten Saab 91C in 1960 and a further six in 1963-66.

The Norwegian air force acquired five retired Swedish Sk 50B in 1979.

Saab 91D

In 1957 the last version was developed. It had a lighter 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A1A engine, a new brake system and manual rudder trim.

The Finnish air force acquired ten of this type, and the Rijksluchtvaartschool in the Netherlands decided to purchase 18 Saab 91D, which were delivered in 1959-60, to replace older Tiger Moths, Harvards and Saab 91As.

The Tunisian air force bought 15 which were delivered in 1960-61.

The Finnish air force purchased a further six in 1962-63. Two of these were fitted with cameras and used as reconnaissance aircraft.

The Austrian air force bought 24, twelve to be used as basic trainers, the rest as navigational trainers, in 1964-65.

After retirement in Sweden

After the Sk 50 had been replaced by the Sk 61 Scottish Aviation Bulldog as a trainer in 1971, they were used by all wings as liasion aircraft until retirement. The last Sk 50B was retired in 1990, the last Sk 50C in 1992.

After that they were sold very cheaply to different flying clubs, some affiliated with the air force.

Technical data

Saab 91A
Span        10.60 m
Length       7.85 m
Height       2.20 m
Wing area   13.60 m2
Max altitude 4600 m
Range         940 km
Take off run  180 m
Empty weight  580 kg
Max weight    995 kg
Engine        147 hp Gipsy Major X
Max speed     265 km/h
Cruise speed  235 km/h

Saab 91B
Empty weight  710 kg
Max weight   1200 kg
Engine        190 hp Lycoming O-435-A
Max speed     275 km/h

Main sources: Kontakt 32, Svenska flygplan by Lennart Andersson, Flygande försvarare by Peter Liander

The Swedish military aviation page
Text and content last updated 1996 June 26, document last modified 2001 Sep 04 by Urban Fredriksson

griffon@canit.se