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Saab 35 Draken Aircraft Aluminum Contractors Model

Saab 35 Draken Aircraft Aluminum Contractor's Model (8 x 11.5") This contractor's display model of the Saab 35 is mounted on a triangular base (3" x 5") and was cast from the same aircraft grade aluminum that was used in the manufacture of the real aircraft. The model was built at the Saab works model shop in Linkoping, Sweden. Probably fewer than fifty were ever made to promote their new double-delta mach 2 fighter bomber. These models were typically given to high ranking defense officials, military officers and top management involved in the program. The descriptive plaque simply reads: "Saab 35", which denotes that this model was cast very early in the program because once Swedish prototypes flew successfully they were assigned a "J" prefix to the model number and given a nickname; thus, the "Saab model 35" became the "J-35 Draken (dragon). Another feature that points to the very early manufacture of this model is the absence of the small dorsal fin, which was not added until flight test indicated its necessity. The J-35, which first flew in 1955, was a giant step forward aerodynamically and structurally, as the plane pioneered the double-delta design with decreasing chord thickness from front to back. Structurally, it made extensive use of extruded aluminum honeycomb construction and a technique known as extended tooling. It is amazing that a small country like Sweden could design and produce a fighter on par with giants such as the US and the Soviet Union. The J-35 was used for more than two decades until phased out and replaced by the J-37 Viggen. A true "cold war warrior" the J-35 protected Sweden's neutrality in the darkest days of the cold war. The model is purposely tilted on its stand so that the viewer will have an oblique overhead view that emphasizes the unique double-delta and long flowing lines of this aircraft. Very good condition. Very rare!