SAAB 35 Draken DK-203, Kittilä Airport, Finland
Posted by: Team Sieni
N 67° 41.667 E 024° 51.842
35W E 409544 N 7510358
Former Finnish Air Force SAAB 35S Draken DK-203, Kittilä airport, Finland
Waymark Code: WM4QZK
Location: Finland
Date Posted: 09/22/2008
Views: 94
This aircraft is the former Finnish Air Force SAAB 35S Draken[2,3] DK-203, of the Lapland Air Command [1] displayed outside Kittilä airport, in Finnish Lapland.
Drakens were in service with the Finnish Air Force from 1972-2000, when they were replaced by F18 Hornets[1].
The SAAB 35 Draken is important to the history of the airport: Kittilä aerodrome was founded 1979 as a alternate airport for Drakens of Lapland Squadron based at Rovaniemi. The airport was transferred to the civilian authorities in 1982.
This aircraft was one twelve 35S (35XS?) Drakens manufactured by Valmet in Finland[3,4]. The aircraft flew 2300 flight hours. Before being displayed here, it was used for teaching at Rovaniemi technical college [3].
Links
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Finnish Air ForceLapland Air Command [English]
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Wikipedia entry for Saab 35 Draken [English]
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Wikipedia entry for Saab 35 Draken [Finnish]
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Levi Nyt! Local newspaper article (19 Aug 2008) about the erection of the aircraft display. [Finnish]