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The Saab 17 was a Swedish bomber-reconnaisance aircraft.

The project first started in the end of the 1930s as the L10 by ASJA , but after the merge with SAAB in 1937 it was named Saab 17. The wings were reinforced to make it possible to use it as a dive bomber. Since there was a shortage of engines the planes were flown to the destination where the engine was removed and reused for the next delivery. The plane was also made in three versions with different engines. The 17A used a Swedish built Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp, the 17B a Polish licence-built British Bristol Mercury XXIV, and the 17C an Italian Piaggio PXI . It could be fitted with wheels, skis or floats. The first test flight was on May 18, 1940 and first deliveries to Flygvapnet in 1942. However, the time of jets was coming and it had a short service history. When the planes ended service in 1947- 1950 46 of them were sold to Ethiopia where they were in service until 1968.

1 Specifications (B 17A)

1.1 General Characteristics

• Crew: two
• Length: 9.80 m (32 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 13.70 m (44 ft 11 in)
• Height: 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 28.5 m² (306 ft²)
• Empty: 2,600 kg (5,720 lb)
• Loaded: 3,970 kg (8,734 lb)
• Maximum takeoff: kg ( lb)
• Powerplant: 1x Pratt & Whitney R-1830 14-cylinder radial, 882 kW (1,200 hp)

1.2 Performance

• Maximum speed: 435 km/h (272 mph)
• Range: 1,800 km (1,125 miles)
• Service ceiling: 8,700 m (28,500 ft)
• Rate of climb: 600 m/min (1,968 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 139 kg/m² (28 lb/ft²)
• Power/Mass: 0.22 kW/kg (0.14 hp/lb)

1.3 Armament

• 2x fixed, forward firing 7.9 mm Bofors M/22 F machine guns
• 1x 7.9 mm Bofors M/22 flexible tail gun
• 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs

2 Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft:

Designation sequence:

B 17 -