×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024) Special Forces
HOME
AVIATION INDEX
MODERN AIR FORCES
AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE AIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT
AIRCRAFT BY TYPE
AIRCRAFT BY DECADE
COLD WAR AIRCRAFT
Aviation / Aerospace

Saab J29 Tunnan (Barrel)


Single-Seat Jet-Powered Fighter Aircraft [ 1949 ]



The Saab J29 became the second locally designed, developed and produced jet aircraft by Sweden in the post-World War 2 period.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/16/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
The Saab J 29 Tunnan (meaning "barrel" due to its stubby-like barrel appearance) originating from Swedish aero-industry during the Cold War period (1947-1991) was the second jet-fighter design produced the country following the close of World War 2 (1939-1945). The war set the stage for jet-powered flight and the Swedes joined the air services of the world in heavily investing in the newer, more viable propulsion schemes becoming available. Following other powers of the period, Swedish engineers relied heavily on captured German data concerning jet-powered flight and high-speed, swept-wing research. This information was incorporated it into the latest available designs for Saab which, in turn, produced the portly J29. The series went on to become the mainstay of the Swedish Air Force for its time in the air, its tenure coming to a close in 1976. Austrian was its only foreign operator.

At its core, the compact Tunnan was a single-seat, single-engine aircraft. It largely followed design approaches of the time concerning jets in that the nose section was cut down to serve as the intake for the air-breathing engine buried within the lower aft section of the fuselage. From under the tail unit was the jetpipe and the whole system sat cleanly under the pilot's feet, running along a straight line from nose-to-empennage. This arrangement forced the deep fuselage with the pilot sitting atop it overlooking the nose. The canopy was only lightly framed and of a two-piece design. The empennage was short and capped by a small-area rudder and mid-mounted horizontal tailplanes. The wing mainplanes were mid-mounted along the fuselage sides with strakes noted along their chord lines. These members were swept back for the high-speed flight expected of this speedy little interceptor/fighter. A retractable tricycle undercarriage would be used for ground-running.

The Swedes went to work in the post-war world as soon as late-1945 to which Project JxR was established. Requirements were penciled out in October of that year and two competing airframes were drawn up in response - R101 and R1001. The latter, to become the Tunnan, was selected for further development.

Initial testing (including extensive wind tunnel work) of the new aircraft's swept wing functionality occurred on a Saab 91 "Safir" (a prop-powered trainer platform) airframe with initial prototypes receiving the green-light from these results. Engineers originally selected the British de Havilland "Goblin" turbojet engine but this powerplant was superseded by the newer de Havilland "Ghost" series before the end of 1945. In 1946, the Swedish Air Force approved of the progress on their new fighter and furthered the program to completion to expedite the arrival of three planned flyable prototypes. In service, these would be flown under the "J29" designation.

A delayed first-flight, originally scheduled for August of 1948, was finally had on September 1st, 1948 to allow for time to remedy some issues encountered during static tests. In time, four total prototypes were used in the flight testing phase with armament added only in the final two specimens - this becoming 4 x 20mm automatic cannons under the nose. After a period of successful testing and slight revisions to the design, the J29 finally emerged from the prototype stages to serial production in 1948. In May of 1951, deliveries of operational-quality aircraft were being made to the Swedish Air Force beginning with the J29A.

The J29A models were the initial production forms that numbered 224 and were built from the period spanning 1951 until 1954. Earlier models had their dive brakes at the wings while later forms arrived with these fitted under the fuselage. The J29B marked 332 aircraft built from 1953 until 1955. These were given considerably larger internal fuel tanks to help increase the operational ranges of the fuel-thirsty fighters. In addition to this, underwing hardpoints were installed so the aircraft could no carry drop bombs, aerial rockets, or more fuel by way of jettisonable fuel tanks. Swedish attack squadrons knew these aircraft as "A29".©MilitaryFactory.com
The S29C were 76 aircraft built from 1954 until 1956 and modified for the fast-reconnaissance role. They carried five cameras in a redesigned nose section and lacked the cannon armament. New wings (with a leading edge "dog tooth" appearance) eventually led to their redesignation of J29E. The wings were useful in increasing the aircraft's critical Mach number, that is the lowest Mach number at which airflow over the aircraft surfaces reaches the speed of sound without exceeding it. Twenty-nine were produced in 1955 as reconnaissance platforms.

The J29D was a one-off prototype set aside to test the D.H. Ghost RM.2A turbojet engine of 6,175lb. This model was then finalized as the J29F production form and 308 were converted from existing J29B and J29E aircraft to the standard. The work spanned from 1954 until 1956. In 1963, the fleet was then upgraded to support the American AIM-9 Sidewinder short-ranged air-to-air missile to further bolster the firepower of the little aircraft. The missiles were furthermore produced locally, under-license as the Rb 24.

The J29 was fielded by no fewer than thirteen Swedish Air Force squadrons for its time in the air - F.3, F.4, F.6, F.7, F.8, F.9, F.10, F.11, F.12, F.13, F.15, F.16, and F.21. The series was used in anger through F.22 "Congo" as part of the United Nations (UN) ONUC ("Organisation des Nations Unies au Congo") force in post-independence Congo, Africa as part of a peace-keeping endeavor running from 1960 until 1964. The action marked the first, and last, exposure to combat for the J29. It was also the UN's first considerable military operation. In the theater, the J29 was used effectively to strike at enemy ground targets through cannon fire and rockets with no losses recorded. After the commitment, these few aircraft were scrapped where they lay rather than pay to have them relocated back to Sweden.

Austrian Air Force use was made possible by an Austro-Swedish agreement signed in early-1961. Some 15 J29Fs were contracted for in this initial handshake between the two countries and a further 15 (again J29F models) were ordered in 1962. The subsequent batch was slightly modified by way of a nose camera fitting taking the place of two of the automatic cannons. Unlike Swedish J29s, the Austrian Tunnans did not carry the Sidewinder missile family at any point. The service retired the fleet in 1972.

Despite its rather modest production total of 661 aircraft - and some early issues with crashes owing largely to ill-trained pilots when handling swept-back wing aircraft - the J29 was a success for both Saab and Sweden in the early Cold War period and proved influential in future fighter designs that followed. The agile and fast little warplane managed a steady existence from 1951 until retired in full in 1976 and could be compared favorably to contemporaries of the time. Production spanned from 1948 until 1956. Before their end in Swedish Air Force service, J29s operated in the target towing role and were used as countermeasures training platforms. Its last recorded flight was in August of 1976.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



Saab - Sweden
Manufacturer(s)
Austria; Sweden
Operators National flag of Austria National flag of Sweden
1949
Service Year
Sweden
National Origin
Retired
Project Status
1
Crew
661
Units


AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
INTERCEPTION
Ability to intercept inbound aerial threats by way of high-performance, typically speed and rate-of-climb.
CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
INTELLIGENCE-SURVEILLANCE-RECONNAISSANCE
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.


33.2 ft
(10.13 meters)
Length
36.1 ft
(11.00 meters)
Width/Span
12.2 ft
(3.73 meters)
Height
9,480 lb
(4,300 kilograms)
Empty Weight
17,637 lb
(8,000 kilograms)
Maximum Take-Off Weight
+8,157 lb
(+3,700 kg)
Weight Difference


1 x Flygmotor RB2B (de Havilland "Ghost") turbojet with afterburner developing 6,173 lb of thrust.
Propulsion
659 mph
(1,060 kph | 572 knots)
Max Speed
50,853 ft
(15,500 m | 10 miles)
Ceiling
1,678 miles
(2,700 km | 1,458 nm)
Range
11,810 ft/min
(3,600 m/min)
Rate-of-Climb


MACH Regime (Sonic)
Sub
Trans
Super
Hyper
HiHyper
ReEntry
RANGES (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hi-Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: >19030


STANDARD:
4 x 20mm cannons
2 x AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles

OPTIONAL:
Mission-specific ordnance could also include:
Iron Bombs
Rocket Pods


2
Hardpoints


R1001 - Initial Project Designation
201 - Swept-Wing Wind Tunnel Technology Demonstration Model.
J29A - Initial Production Model Designation
J29B - Second Production Model; Fighter Designation.
A29B - Attack Aircraft Model Designation
S29C - Photographic Reconnaissance Model Designation.
J29D - Fitted with afterburning powerplant.
J29E - Introduced "dog tooth" wings; improved powerplant capabilities with afterburn.
J29F - Final Production Version


General Assessment
Firepower  
Performance  
Survivability  
Versatility  
Impact  
Values are derrived from a variety of categories related to the design, overall function, and historical influence of this aircraft in aviation history.
Overall Rating
The overall rating takes into account over 60 individual factors related to this aircraft entry.
62
Rating is out of a possible 100 points.
Relative Maximum Speed
Hi: 750mph
Lo: 375mph
This entry's maximum listed speed (659mph).

Graph average of 563 miles-per-hour.
City-to-City Ranges
NYC
 
  LON
LON
 
  PAR
PAR
 
  BER
BER
 
  MOS
MOS
 
  TOK
TOK
 
  SYD
SYD
 
  LAX
LAX
 
  NYC
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).
Max Altitude Visualization
Small airplane graphic
Design Balance
The three qualities reflected above are altitude, speed, and range.
Aviation Era Span
Pie graph section
Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.
Unit Production (661)
661
36183
44000
Compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian).
>>>>

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force
Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway
Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift
Military lapel ribbon for the Chaco War
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War
Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars
Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War
Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor
Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War
Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War
Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for Special Forces
Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era
Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2
Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War
Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Images



1 / 1
Image of the Saab J29 Tunnan (Barrel)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)