FFVS 22
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The FFVS J 22 was a Swedish single-engine
fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft (early on also ''pursuit aircraft'') are military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air supremacy, air superiority of the battlespace. Domina ...
developed for the
Swedish Air Force The Swedish Air Force ( or just ) is the air force Military branch, branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. History The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalatin ...
during World War II.


Development

At the onset of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the
Swedish Air Force The Swedish Air Force ( or just ) is the air force Military branch, branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. History The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalatin ...
(''Flygvapnet'') was equipped with largely obsolete
Gloster Gladiator The Gloster Gladiator is a British biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. Developed privat ...
(J 8) biplane fighters. To augment this, Sweden ordered 120
Seversky P-35 The Seversky P-35 is an American fighter aircraft built by the Republic Aviation, Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in United ...
(J 9) and 144 Vultee P-66 Vanguard (J 10) aircraft from the United States. In October 1940, the United States declared an embargo against delivering the remainder of the orders to Sweden (60 P-35s had been delivered). ''Flygvapnet'' suddenly faced a shortage of modern fighters. Several other foreign alternatives were considered: the Soviet
Polikarpov Polikarpov Design Bureau was a Soviet Union, Soviet OKB (design bureau) for aircraft, led by Nikolai Polikarpov, Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov. Dux Factory was acquired by the USSR and became part of Polikarpov. After the death of Polikarpo ...
I-16 and I153 were considered obsolete, the Finnish
VL Myrsky The VL Myrsky ("Storm") is a Finnish World War II fighter aircraft originally developed by Valtion lentokonetehdas for the Finnish Air Force. The models of the aircraft were Myrsky I, Myrsky II, and Myrsky III. It was designed by Edward Wegeliu ...
was rejected due to its all-wooden construction and while Japan offered the
Mitsubishi A6M The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-capable fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 1940 to 1945. The ...
, delivery from Japan was impractical. A batch of
Fiat CR.42 The Fiat CR.42 ''Falco'' (Falcon, plural: ''Falchi'') is a single-seat sesquiplane fighter developed and produced by Italian aircraft manufacturer Fiat Aviazione. It served primarily in the Italian in the 1930s and during the Second World War. ...
Falco (J 11) biplanes and
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Re.2000 ''Falco'' (J 20) were eventually purchased but this was clearly an interim solution. It was decided to design a new fighter to meet ''Flygvapnet''s needs. As
Saab Saab or SAAB may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Saab AB, a Swedish aircraft, aerospace and defence company, still known as SAAB, and together with subsidiaries as Saab Group ** Datasaab, a former computer company, started as spin off from Saab ...
was running at full capacity building its single-engine
Saab 17 The Saab 17 is a Sweden, Swedish single-engine monoplane reconnaissance dive-bomber aircraft of the 1940s originally developed by AB Svenska Järnvägsverkstädernas Aeroplanavdelning, ASJA prior to its merger into Saab AB , Saab. It was the fir ...
and twin-engined
Saab 18 The Saab 18 was a twin-engine bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, designed and built by Svenska Aeroplan AB (SAAB) for use by the Swedish Air Force in response to a 1938 design competition. Due to delays, it did not enter service until 1944, but ...
bombers, a new organisation was set up to design and build the new aircraft, the ''Kungliga Flygförvaltningens Flygverkstad i Stockholm'' ("Royal Air Administration Aircraft Factory in Stockholm", ''FFVS''). The design team would be led by
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. The new aircraft, designated J 22, was a mid-wing
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monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
with a retractable undercarriage and an enclosed cockpit. The narrow-track main landing gear retracted rearward entirely within the fuselage. To minimise the use of strategic materials, the aircraft was of mixed steel and wood construction, with a plywood-covered molybdenum steel tube
fuselage The fuselage (; from the French language, French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds Aircrew, crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an Aircraft engine, engine as wel ...
covered by moulded
plywood Plywood is a composite material manufactured from thin layers, or "plies", of wood veneer that have been stacked and glued together. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured boards, which include plywood, medium-density fibreboa ...
panels, and wings with welded steel spars and ribs covered by plywood. Power came from a Swedish copy of the
Pratt & Whitney R-1830 The Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp is an American air-cooled radial aircraft engine. It has 14 cylinders, arranged in two rings of seven. It displaces and its bore and stroke are both . The design traces its history to 1929 experiments a ...
Twin Wasp, manufactured by ''
Svenska Flygmotor Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
'' without a license at the time, although some sources state that after the end of the war, Svenska Flygmotor volunteered to pay a licence fee, with a symbolic US$1 eventually being agreed. While the two prototypes would be built at the ''
Flygtekniska försöksanstalten The National Aeronautical Research Institute (, FFA), was a former Swedish state governmental authority under the Ministry of Defence with the aim to conduct research, development and experimentation in the aeronautical field. The FFA was located ...
'' (National Aeronautical Research Institute), production aircraft would be assembled by a factory at
Stockholm Bromma Airport Stockholm Bromma Airport , officially known as Bromma Stockholm Airport, is a regional airport located in the Bromma district of Stockholm, Sweden that primarily serves private aviation. Situated approximately 7 km (4.3 mi) northwest ...
which would be built by, and leased from the Swedish airline
AB Aerotransport AB Aerotransport (ABA) was a Swedish government-owned airline which operated during the first half of the 20th century and was merged into what would become the SAS Group. ABA was established on 27 March 1924 under the name Aktiebolaget Aerotran ...
. Extensive use was made of sub-contractors, many of which (such as
AGA Aga or AGA may refer to: Business * Architectural Glass and Aluminum (AGA), a glazing contractor, established in 1970 * AGA (automobile), , 1920s German car company * AGA AB, , a Swedish company, the originator of the AGA cooker * AGA Rangemaster ...
, and
Hägglund & Söner Hägglund & Söner (''Hägglund & Sons''), commonly known as Hägglunds, was a diversified engineering company based in the town of Örnsköldsvik, in Västernorrland, Sweden. Originally a furniture manufacturing company, it diversified into t ...
) were outside the aviation industry, to build sub assemblies of the J-22. The first prototype J 22 made its maiden flight on 20 September 1942 from
Bromma Bromma () is a Boroughs of Stockholm, borough (''stadsdelsområde'') in the western part of Stockholm, Sweden, forming part of the Stockholm Municipality. Bromma is primarily made up of Bromma Parish and Västerled Parish. The fourth largest airpo ...
airport, with the second prototype flying on 11 June 1943. While both prototypes were destroyed in crashes, on 19 June and 20 August 1943 respectively, production had already been started prior to the prototypes flying. Deliveries of production J 22s, to the F9 air wing at
Gothenburg Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...
, began in October 1943. While delivery of the 198 production aircraft was planned to be completed by 1 July 1946,
strike action Strike action, also called labor strike, labour strike in British English, or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to Working class, work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Str ...
by factory workers disrupted these plans, and the final 18 J 22s were assembled by the ''Flygvapnet'' workshops at
Arboga Arboga () is a urban areas of Sweden, locality and the seat of Arboga Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden with 10,989 inhabitants in 2020. Overview The city of Arboga is known to have existed as a town since the 13th century but the are ...
. The last J 22 was delivered on 6 April 1946.


Operational history

The J 22 was well-liked by its pilots and possessed good manoeuvrability and responsive controls. Forward visibility on the ground left something to be desired and if the tailwheel was left unlocked and able to swivel during take-off there was the potential to ground-loop. With 575 km/h (360 mph) from a 795 kW (1,065 hp) engine, the Swedish press called the diminutive fighter the "world's fastest in relation to the engine power". (While this was not absolutely accurate, the J 22 was in the same class as the early marks of
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...
and
Mitsubishi A6M The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-capable fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 1940 to 1945. The ...
ero) J 22 pilots tongue-in-cheek modified this to "the world's fastest in relation to track width", because of the very narrow spacing of the undercarriage. In mock dogfights with
P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed ...
s (called J 26 in Swedish service) it was able to "hold its own" up to although, above , without a good high altitude
supercharger In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement (engine), displacement. It is a form of forced induction that is mechanically ...
, it became sluggish. Because of its simple systems the J 22 was also very easy to maintain and service. The J 22 was retired from service in
1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, ...
.


Surviving aircraft

Five examples of the J 22 have been preserved. Three examples are owned by the
Swedish Air Force Museum The Swedish Air Force Museum () is located at Malmen Airbase in Malmslätt, just outside Linköping, Sweden. Malmen is where Baron Carl Cederström, nicknamed the "Flyer Baron" founded his flying school in 1912. Malmen Airbase is home to the Roy ...
, at
Malmslätt Malmslätt () is a locality situated in Linköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 5,214 inhabitants in 2010. Malmen Airbase and the Swedish Air Force Museum The Swedish Air Force Museum () is located at Malmen Airbase in Malm ...
,
Östergötland Östergötland (; English exonym: East Gothland) is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap'' in Swedish) in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland and the Baltic Sea. In older English li ...
, site of the former F 3 air wing. 22280 F 3 Red L is on static display at the museum itself. 22185 F 10 Red K is located at the Ängelholms Flygmuseum at the former F 10 air force wing outside
Ängelholm Ängelholm is a urban areas of Sweden, locality and the seat of Ängelholm Municipality in Skåne, Scania, Sweden with 42,131 inhabitants in 2017. History The city was founded in 1516 as Engelholm by King Christian II of Denmark, who moved the se ...
,
Skåne Scania ( ), also known by its native name of Skåne (), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces () of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous w ...
. This example is able to taxi under its own power. 22149 is owned by Svedinos Bil- Och Flygmuseum (Svedinos Automobile and Aviation Museum), in Ugglarp,
Halland Halland () is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap''), on the western coast of Götaland, southern Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Skåne, Scania and the sea of Kattegat. Until 1645 and the Second Treaty of Br ...
. This aircraft is currently undergoing restoration to flying condition in Sweden. Two more J 22 incomplete airframes survive. 22216 is owned by the Swedish Air Force Museum with 22236 one being owned privately. They are planned to be combined with each other and restored to flying condition.


Variants

J 22-1 or J 22A : Originally called ''J 22 UBv "Ursprunglig Beväpning"'' (original armament). First production version, 2x 8 mm and 2x 13.2 mm machine guns, 141 built. J 22-2 or J 22B : Originally called ''J 22 FBv "Förbättrad Beväpning"'' (improved armament). Armed with 4x 13.2 mm machine guns, 57 built. S 22-3 or S 22 : Nine J 22-1 equipped for reconnaissance in 1946, restored to fighters in 1947. Used a spaningskamera Ska4 (recce camera Ska4) in the tail.


Operators

;
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
*
Swedish Air Force The Swedish Air Force ( or just ) is the air force Military branch, branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. History The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalatin ...


Specifications (J 22A)


See also


References


Notes


Bibliography

* * Angelucci, Enzo. ''The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914–1980.'' San Diego, California: The Military Press, 1983. . * * Donald, D, Lake J. (eds.) (1996) ''Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft.'' AIRtime Publishing. *


External links

*
IPMS Stockholm's J22 "walkaround" photo series


Retrieved: 23 June 2008 {{Authority control 1940s Swedish fighter aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1942 Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear Low-wing aircraft Single-engined piston aircraft