The Saab 29 Tunnan was a single engine fighter aircraft, developed and manufactured by Saab. It was the first
swept winged fighter aircraft in the aftermath of World War II. It was called “Tunnan” (meaning “Flying Barrel”), because of it´s special fuselage design, which let it look like a flying barrel.
Development[]
At the beginning of 1945, a German Messerschmitt engineer was put in prison by the SS, because of carrying secret plans over the border. In autumn 1945, Frid Wanström, a project leader of Saab, flew into the Switzerland and checked the secret plans. He was very interested and began developing the Saab 29, based on the plans. The former Messerschmitt engineer Hermann Behrbohm, who worked in Linköping for Saab, helped him with that. Swepted wings and the Area rule were used while designing the aircraft.
The RM2 engine of the Tunnan, a under license built de Havilland Ghost
The first flight was on 1st September 1948, flown by the British pilot Robert Moore. He described it being "on the ground an ugly duckling – in the air, a swift."
Development was based on the Messerschmitt-project P.1101.