Warbird Information Exchange

Greg Frobes Draken was just listed here
http://www.courtesyaircraft.com/

Looks like fun!

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Being a swede, I had to go check it out. Tried to find information on its service history (swedish, danish, finnish or austrian) but did not find any for serial 35350. It is probably not swedish since the Swedish Airforce adopted a restrictive policy on exporting fighters. It may be finnish but that is pure speculation.

I found a Mustang project on that site, N51JY, s/n 44-72028 which claims swedish history. That is not correct, Scott has it right in Warbirds Registry.

Christer

It's an ex-Swedish AF J35D

It is an ex. F 4 Wing machine,Froson AFB i the middle region of Sweden.

Thanks Mike!

I may have mixed up the "rumours" which have been circulating in Sweden. There should be one J35 which was sold or traded to the US to be put in a museum. At the time, it was not in airworthy condition but it was later made airworthy, possibly by a finnish mechanic. When the Swedish Airforce became aware of this, they tried to buy the J35 back.

I have also read about a finnish J35 being sold or traded to the US but that may have been a confusion of the former.

This was before the Danish Airforce let their NATO partner have a few.

Christer

Hi Per!

Maybe you can shed some light on the "rumours" that I have heard or read?

Christer

HI!
I will check it out...
I have never heard of any other ex Swedish AF Draken though..only A 32 Lansen.
I will get back in this issue later when I have checked my records.

Hello Per and Christer,

The J 35D for sale by Courtesy Aircraft, Fv 35350, was traded/sold to the British company Aces High Ltd about 15 years ago, in exchange for a Grumman Goose, and registered as G-BOAR. She was later sold to the USA, and registered as N35350. Some recent photos of her can be found here: http://www.controller.com/listings/fors ... id=1097347
Apparently, the price is going down (Courtesy $ 400.000 and Controller 399.000)!

As far as I am aware of, only one more former Swedish AF Draken has found its way to the USA. This is Fv 35543, which was traded to Jim Merizan, in exchange for Mosquito FB VI PZ474. This Draken became N543J, and appeared in the movie 'Flight of the Apache'.

Apparently, no Finnish or Austrian Drakens have been sold to the USA.


Regards,

Jan

Hello Jan!

I assumed the trade(s) had a connection to Flygvapenmuseum (Swedish Airforce Museum) and the aircraft being traded as museum exhibits.

I forgot about the one exchanged for the Mosquito. As I have heard, that deal is not yet "totally done".

Christer

Hello Christer,

Yes, both of the Drakens are part of the trading circus as practised by the Swedish AF Museum. Re Fv 35350, I do believe that the FMV made some overtures to buy her back and return her to Sweden.

Incidentally, the Mosquito project is still moving along, albeit slowly. It is my understanding that they are still short of funds to bring the remaining parts to Sweden. Apparently, the Swedish AF Museum will put some parts on display (including the empennage) to whip up more interest in the project.

Regards,

Jan

Yes that is correct.
35543 is of the later F-version.
It seems these two Draken's are the only ones sold/shipped to USA from Sweden.

Per,
thanks for checking ... ... !

Christer

Where did the three other Draakens at Chino that Jim Merzian has come from?

There are a total of 14 Drakens on the USCAR. Only one registered to Jim Merzian (N543J), a J35F 35543, which would make it ex-Swedish AF. However there are another 5 registered to Flight Test Dynamics LLC with the same address as Jim Merizan, also 4 registered to the National Test Pilot School at Mojave.

I believe that all apart from 35543 and the previously-mentioned Sacramento-based 35350 (both ex-Swedish AF) came from Denmark when they retired their examples.