Silhouette challenge
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Minehead Somerset UK
Age: 77
Posts: 1,502
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You've got it Graeme, just as I feared in my post #12863
J 19 - Saab L-12 A Swedish "Zero"
This fighter was meant to replace our Gloster Gladiators. The project was worked on by Saab, in collaboration with US engineers here to aid with licence production of our Northrop 8-A 1:s and NA-16-4 M:s. It was presented to the Ministry on Sep 4:th 1939, and work must have been started at least a year earlier.
What stopped this project was in fact the outbreak of the war, as the intended engine was to be a Bristol Taurus II, giving 1400 hp with 100-octane fuel. The British had to concentrate on known engines (and the Taurus would have been overweight and underpowered anyway), and as a replacement P&W Twin Wasp was considered (and well, the US didn't want to sell us any engines at that time). Also, Saab had to concentrate on B 17 and B 18, so there was never even a wind tunnel model built.
It looked very much like a Zero, and was an all-metal construction with fabric covered control surfaces. Span 10.5 m; Empty weight 2015 kg; Operational weight 2690 kg; Max speed 605 km/h; Engine 1065 hp Bristol Taurus; Armament four wing-mounted 13.2 mm guns and possibly two 8 mm MG:s on top of the engine. (Written by a Swedish commentator)
You have control mate
J 19 - Saab L-12 A Swedish "Zero"
This fighter was meant to replace our Gloster Gladiators. The project was worked on by Saab, in collaboration with US engineers here to aid with licence production of our Northrop 8-A 1:s and NA-16-4 M:s. It was presented to the Ministry on Sep 4:th 1939, and work must have been started at least a year earlier.
What stopped this project was in fact the outbreak of the war, as the intended engine was to be a Bristol Taurus II, giving 1400 hp with 100-octane fuel. The British had to concentrate on known engines (and the Taurus would have been overweight and underpowered anyway), and as a replacement P&W Twin Wasp was considered (and well, the US didn't want to sell us any engines at that time). Also, Saab had to concentrate on B 17 and B 18, so there was never even a wind tunnel model built.
It looked very much like a Zero, and was an all-metal construction with fabric covered control surfaces. Span 10.5 m; Empty weight 2015 kg; Operational weight 2690 kg; Max speed 605 km/h; Engine 1065 hp Bristol Taurus; Armament four wing-mounted 13.2 mm guns and possibly two 8 mm MG:s on top of the engine. (Written by a Swedish commentator)
You have control mate
