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The 'SAAB 91 ''Safir''' (English:"Sapphire") is a three (91A, B, B-2) or four (91C, D) seater, single engine trainer aircraft.
The Safir was built by Saab in Linköping, Sweden, (203 aircraft) and ''De Schelde'' in Dordrecht, Netherlands (120 aircraft).
The Saab 91A is powered by a 125-hp four cylinder De Havilland Gipsy Major 2c piston engine, or a 145-hp Gipsy Major 10 piston engine. The 91B, B-2 and C have a six cylinder Lycoming O-435A engine with 190 hp. The 91D has a four cylinder Lycoming O-360-A1A engine with 180 hp.
The all-metal Safir was designed by Anders J. Andersson, who had previously worked for Bücker, where he designed the all-wood Bücker Bü 181 "Bestmann". The Safir thus shares many conceptual features of its design with the Bestmann.
The "Safir" was later used as a platform to test at low speeds the new swept wing for the Saab J 29 Tunnan jet fighter.

Contents

Service

Operators

Civil Operators

Specifications (91A)

References

External links

Related content

Service

First flight on November 20, 1945, 323 units were built in 5 versions (A, B, B-2, C and D). The Safir was used by the Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Austrian, Tunisian and Ethiopean air forces as a trainer aircraft, and a single aircraft was used by the Japanese Self-Defense Force as an STOL test platform.
Major civilian users were Air France, Lufthansa and the Dutch ''Rijksluchtvaartschool'' (RLS) in Eelde, near Groningen.
During development of the Saab 29, the initial Saab 91 prototype was modified with a scaled down version of the Saab 29's swept wings; this aircraft was designated 'Saab 201 Experimental Aircraft'. This same airframe was later fitted with wings designed for the Saab 32 Lansen; this was designated 'Saab 202'.

Operators

★ - Austrian Air Force

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★ - Swedish Air Force

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Civil Operators

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Specifications (91A)

References

External links

★ Ärna Flygclubb Swedish language

★ FC Flygkubb

★ SAAB 91 D Safir - HB-DBL

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