saab safari model

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• Saab MFI-15 Safari (oz8844)
• Saab MFI-15 Safari

About this Plan

Saab MFI-15 Safari (or Supporter if you like military colour schemes) - Radio control scale model.

Quote: "The Saab MFI-15 Safari (or Supporter if you like military colour schemes) has developed over the course of nearly twenty years from the Bolkow Junior. Designer Borg Andreasson went for simplicity of manufacture, avoiding complex curves but still producing an aircraft of undeniable character. I have tried to do the same with my model.

The Aircraft. The Safari has rarely attracted much attention outside flying circles. But it can claim one brief moment of glory, in a development form known as the MFI-9 Junior it made the world's headlines during the 1969 Biafran war. Six Swedish pilots led by the late Count Gustav von Rosen carried out a series of daring low level attacks against Nigerian airfields. Skilfully exploiting the element of surprise the tiny 130 mph MFI-9's caused havoc among the jet fighters on the ground and then vanished back into the jungle.

The military lessons learnt from these tactics helped in the development of the Supporter which can carry rockets or bombs or missiles and has gone into service with the Pakistan and the Danish airforces.

My own introduction to the Saab Supporter came during a very wet filming session at the 1974 Farnborough Air Show. Having dashed for shelter under the large delta wing of the all-weather Saab Viggen complete with tripods, cameras and a muttering camera man, we discovered that for some reason the Viggen's wing is full of little holes rhich let the rain drain through. And besides which the height of the wing forced us to bend double so that the rain could run straight down inside one's collar. When the next downpour interrupted filming I headed for a more dignified shelter which happened to be the Supporter. Well, to cut a long story short I stayed dry and got a good chance to study it in close up. From then on I've been hooked on Saab's little milit-ary trainer.

The technical problems of the large cockpit and the high tail seemed (at the time) to make it unsuitable as a radio model, but I came across some pilot notes on flying and performance of the MFI-15 and they were so full ofpraise that I knew that I had to build a model somehow. By the time Farnborough 1976 had come around I'd a basic plan and a lot of good intentions. After another good look at the parked Supporter, now in the colours of the Royal Danish Air Force, and a short chat with the Saab-Scania sales staff my mind was made up. My wife hardly saw me for the next few weeks, but a month after Farnborough my model of the Supporter first flew. And it's been flying ever since.

The Model. The basic outline of the model is to scale except for two changes which hardly show. The wing root leading edge cut out has been omitted on the plan as with my first model. I did in fact put it in on the next one, but as you can see in the photos, it's difficult to judge whether it's there or not, and so not worth the constructional hassle it causes. The other deviation from scale is an increase in tailplane area by about 15 per cent.

Construction. Fuselage. Each side is made from one sheet of 1/8 in x 4 in medium balsa. Butt join the extra piece needed (with Zap or equivalent) before cutting out the shape. Then laminate with 1 mm ply from front to F4. Don't forget that there's a right hand and a left hand side! Try to build in the curve at the front (see fuselage top plan) at this stage as this cuts down internal stresses where the fuselage takes most knocks..."

Safari, RCM&E, January 1978.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

Corrections?

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• (oz8844) Saab MFI-15 Safari by George Milner Smith from RCME January  1978   47in span Scale IC R/C Civil clean :) all formers complete :) got article :)
• Submitted: 11/06/2017 Filesize: 745KB Format: • PDFbitmap Credit*: Circlip, RFJ Downloads: 2599

If we got this right, you now have a couple of direct links (above) to 1. see the Wikipedia page, and 2. search Oz for more plans of this type. If we didn't, then see below.

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• Plan File Filesize: 745KB Filename: Safari_47in_oz8844.pdf
• Supplement Filesize: 1268KB Filename: Safari_47in_oz8844_article.pdf
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* Credit field

This model plan (like all plans on Outerzone) is supposedly scaled correctly and supposedly will print out nicely at the right size. But that doesn't always happen. If you are about to start building a model plane using this free plan, you are strongly advised to check the scaling very, very carefully before cutting any balsa wood.

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SAAB Trainers: Safir, SAAB 105, & Supporter

* The SAAB company of Sweden is well-known for developing a series of distinctive and excellent jet fighters, but SAAB has also produced a series of trainers. This document provides a history and description of SAAB trainers, including the piston-engine "Safir", the jet-powered "SAAB 105 / Sk 60", and the piston-powered "Supporter". A list of illustration credits is included at the end.

[1] SAAB SAFIR

* In 1944, SAAB of Sweden began work on a light three-seat piston aircraft, leading to initial flight of a prototype for the "SAAB 91 Safir (Sapphire)" on 20 November 1945. The Safir was a low-wing monoplane, of metal construction except for part of the wings and the control surfaces, which were fabric over metal framing. It featured retractable tricycle landing gear, and a British de Havilland Gipsy Major 1C inverted inline four-cylinder air-cooled engine with 97 kW (130 HP), driving a two-blade variable-pitch propeller.

Successful test and evaluation of the single prototype led to the first production version, the "SAAB 91A", with a more powerful Gipsy Major 10 engine providing 110 kW (147 HP). Production began in 1946, with 48 built to 1948. Ten were obtained by the Swedish Air Force, the Flygvapnet, for service as liaison aircraft; they were designated "Tp 91" and remained in service to 1960. The Netherlands state air transport school bought eight SAAB 91A Safirs, while the Ethiopian Air Force obtained 16. The rest were bought by private users.

The initial Safir prototype had an interesting career. In 1947, it was fitted with swept wings to model those for the SAAB 29 Tunnan jet fighter, and redesignated "SAAB 201". In 1950, it was similarly fitted with wings to model those of the SAAB 32 Lansen fighter and redesignated "SAAB 202".

Since SAAB's manufacturing capacity was overloaded with production of the Tunnan fighter at the time, in 1952, 1953, and 1954 SAAB 91B production was farmed out to de Scheldewerke in the Netherlands, with 120 machines built there. Safir production reverted to SAAB in 1955.

The Flygvapnet obtained 75 SAAB 91B Safirs for training under the military designation of "Sk 50B", and then bought 14 SAAB 91C Safirs as the "Sk 50C". One of the Sk 50B machines was sold back to SAAB shortly after delivery, to be sold in turn in 1957 to the Japanese Technical Research & Development Institute (TRDI), part of the Japan Defense Agency, where it was modified as a short takeoff or landing (STOL) demonstrator. The Safir's wings were easily swapped out, making it a handy trials platform. This machine was used for a wide range of experiments, to be finally retired in 1987. It is now on display in a museum in Japan.

Other military users included:

The Norse SAAB 91Bs were actually a unique hybrid designated the "SAAB 91B-2", a SAAB 91B with SAAB 91C wings without internal wing tanks. Civil users included:

* The final production version, the "SAAB 91D", was introduced in 1957 and featured a lighter Lycoming O-360-A1A engine with 135 kW (180 HP), disk brakes, and a number of weight-saving refinements. The Austrian Air Force bought 24 as trainers; other users included the Finnish Air Force (16, two of which were fitted with cameras and used as tactical reconnaissance aircraft); the Netherlands (18); and the Tunisian Air Force (15).

A total of 323 Safirs was built up to end of production in 1966. The type was withdrawn from the training role in Sweden in 1971, but remained in use in the liaison and hack roles up to the early 1990s. The Safirs still flying were then sold off cheaply to flying clubs.

[2] SAAB 105 ORIGINS

* In the late 1950s, SAAB engineers began to dream up designs for a small high-speed business jet, coming up with exotic concepts including one with a delta wing, canard foreplanes, and seating for five. The company also had an eye on the military market: the Flygvapnet was fielding the Mach 2 SAAB 35 Draken fighter and the service's current advanced jet trainer, the de Havilland Vampire, was really not adequate for preparing pilots to fly supersonic aircraft. SAAB soon realized that military applications had greater potential than commercial applications, and in April 1960 the company relaunched the project as the "SAAB 105", a multirole aircraft of more conventional design. The effort was company-funded and conducted by a design team under Ragnar Haerdmark.

Conveniently, at about the same time the Flygvapnet issued a request for an advanced trainer / light strike aircraft, and SAAB engineers tweaked the design to meet the requirement. Although the Flygvapnet evaluated a number of foreign aircraft for the requirement -- including the British Hunting Jet Provost, the French Fouga Magister, the Italian Macchi MB.326, and the Canadair Tutor -- in the end the decision was made to "buy local", even though the SAAB 105 was strictly a paper aircraft at the time. On 16 December 1961, the Swedish government awarded SAAB a contract for a prototype and signed a letter of intent for at least a hundred production machines.

Initial flight of the first SAAB 105 prototype was on 29 June 1963, with test pilot Karl-Erik Fernberg at the controls. A second prototype performed its first flight on 17 June 1964. The first prototype was lost in a crash during inverted spinning trials in 1966, the pilot ejecting safely. The second had a long career, discussed below, and was finally retired to a museum in 1992.

* The SAAB 105 had side-by-side seating; a shoulder-mounted wing with a slight sweep and anhedral droop; airbrakes; a tee tail, and twin engines. It was of all-metal construction, with two fuel tanks in the fuselage and a fuel tank in each wing, for a total of four internal tanks.

Control surfaces were orthodox, with outboard ailerons and inboard flaps on the wing, and elevators and rudder on the tee tail arrangement. The airbrakes were of unconventional configuration: typically airbrakes are hinged panels that are pushed out from the fuselage forward into the airflow, but in the SAAB 105 they looked more like perforated wedges with curved sides and a hinge on one corner, being rotated sideways out of the fuselage behind the main gear. Some sources claim there were spoilers, but it is very difficult to see them in any photographs or models. The prototype had a single fence on each wing; production aircraft had two fences on each wing. There was a small ventral fin under the tail.

The SAAB 105 had tricycle landing gear, all with single wheels, the nose gear retracting forward and the main gear tucking into the fuselage. The landing gear was close to the ground, easing servicing. The engines were originally French Turbomeca Aubisque turbofans, with 7.31 kN (745 kgp / 1,642 lbf) thrust each, with the designation "RM9" in Swedish service. SAAB engineers had also considered the Turbomeca Marbore 6 turbojet, but decided it lacked adequate thrust and fuel economy, and looked over the US General Electric (GE) J85 turbojet, but decided it was too expensive -- though that idea would be revisited. The Aubisque engines were later uprated to the more powerful "RM9B" variant, with 7.31 kN (745 kgp / 1,642 lbf) thrust.

The crew sat on SAAB ejection seats under a clamshell canopy that hinged open to the rear; there was a small window on each side of the fuselage behind the canopy. The ejection seats were not capable of "zero-zero (zero altitude, zero speed)" operation. Avionics were basic. There was provision for three stores pylons under each wing, for a total of six; the first prototype originally had only one pylon under each wing. There were no provisions for centerline stores, since the short landing gear made centerline carriage impractical.

[3] SAAB 105 / SK 60 IN SWEDISH SERVICE

Sk 60 variants are something of a confusing issue. 149 were delivered as unarmed "Sk 60A" advanced trainers. However, as mentioned, the SAAB 105 had been designed with a secondary light attack role in mind, and when fitted with the six stores pylons and a Ferranti F-105 Integrated Strike & Interception System (ISIS) multifunction sight (in front of the left / pilot's seat), the type was referred to as the "Sk 60B". The Sk 60B also had provisions for the control system for the Rb 05 air-to-surface missile (ASM) -- a radio-guided weapon, comparable to the US Bullpup A -- but this capability was never actually used in service.

About 45 Sk 60A machines were fitted out to Sk 60B specification. The Sk 60B could carry:

None of the pylons were "wet", so external tanks couldn't be carried. Total weight of external stores was a maximum of 700 kilograms (1,540 pounds).

* In the mid-1960s, the Flygvapnet decided that it would be nice to have an enhanced light-strike version of the Sk 60 that could also be used for reconnaissance and forward air control (FAC) missions. The result was the "Sk 60C", with the prototype performing its first flight on 18 January 1967.

* SAAB had also designed the SAAB 105 for use as a four-seat liaison transport: the two ejection seats could be yanked, and quickly replaced with four comfy airline-type seats, with no provision for wearing a parachute; or four more austere seats that allowed parachutes. In the mid-1970s, ten Sk 60A machines were permanently configured as four-seat transports and given the designation of "Sk 60D". Some were painted in the relatively flashy light green / dark green / tan "splinter" camouflage associated with the SAAB Viggen fighter.

The "Sk 60E" variant was a similar four-seat Sk 60A conversion, but featured commercial-type instruments, including an instrument landing system. It was used to help train Flygvapnet reserve pilots in flying commercial aircraft. The Sk 60E machines were eventually used as Sk 60D liaison transports.

* Although SAAB worked on a next-generation trainer / light attack machine, the "SAAB B3LA", it was canceled in 1979, leaving the Sk 60 to soldier on. Between 1988 and 1991, the 142 surviving Flygvapnet Sk 60s were given structural reinforcement; new wings; and modifications to the ejection seats for fit of a new parachute.

The re-engined Sk 60 remains in Flygvapnet service -- though the Sk 60C is not used in training, the extended nose complicating stall recovery. The type is not only retained in training and secondary strike roles, but is also used as the mount for the Flygvapnet "Team 60" flight demonstration group. Team 60 uses six aircraft and is staffed by Flygvapnet flight instructors; it is operated on a roughly seasonal basis. However, the Flygnapnet is now casting about for a replacement trainer, and the Sk 60 is expected to be out of service by 2025. No one could say it had too short a life.

[4] EXPORT SAAB 105 VARIANTS

* SAAB had considered selling the SAAB 105 as a business jet, and went so far as to display a model of such a variant at the Hanover Air Show in Germany in 1966. The "SAAB 105C", as it was designated, featured a redesigned pressurized cockpit with four or five seats and a wingspan stretched to 11 meters (35 feet 9 inches) to accommodate more fuel. Although a refined business jet variant, the "SAAB 105D", was considered, the concept was out of date, and there were no takers.

* In the same timeframe, SAAB worked on a military export model of the SAAB 105, flying a demonstrator, the "SAAB 105XT", for the first time on 29 April 1967. It was a modification of the hard-working second SAAB 105 prototype. This variant had more powerful GE J85-GE-17B turbojets, with 12.6 kN (1,290 kgp / 2,845 lbf) thrust each. In conjunction with an improved wing structure, the greater power increased the stores limit to 2 tonnes (4,400 pounds). The SAAB 105XT was wired for carriage of US-designed AIM-9J Sidewinder air-to-air missiles (AAM), built under license in Sweden as the "RB 24".

The target customers were third-world nations, the "XT" standing for "eXport Tropic"; it was promoted for training, light strike, reconnaissance, liaison, and target-tug roles. A dedicated reconnaissance version was considered, featuring the Sk 60C camera nose and twin fairings for side-looking airborne radar (SLAR) on each side of the fuselage, giving its nose something of the appearance of a sled.

For the reconnaissance mission, the SAAB 105OE could carry a Vinten film camera pod, built specifically for Austrian service, with one forward and four downward/oblique cameras, under the left wing, plus a photoflash pod under the right wing. For the strike mission, the SAAB 105OE carried unguided rockets, which were apparently the weapon used for the air defense role as well. Some sources claim they carried Sidewinder AAMs, but other sources indicate that Austria was restricted by treaty from using guided AAMs until after the fall of the Soviet Union. In 2019, the SAAB 105OE machines were grounded because of structural problems; by that time, only a handful of them were still flying. The Austrians wanted to repair them, since they were so economical to operate, compared to Austrian Eurofighters, but finally decided to retire them permanently.

* In 1970, SAAB proposed an improved SAAB 105XT variant designated the "SAAB 105XH", for the Swiss market, the "XH" standing for "Export Helvetia", in reference to the old Latin name for Switzerland. The 105XH featured:

Eventually, the Swiss filled their requirement with refurbished Hawker Hunters and new-build US Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighters.

SAAB flew a demonstrator for another improved SAAB 105XT variant, the "SAAB 105G", updating the SAAB 105 second prototype / SAAB 105XT demonstrator to this standard in 1972. It was essentially the SAAB 105XT with a comprehensive navigation-attack system -- featuring the SAAB BT9R system, a rolling-map display, an inertial navigation system, and an air data computer. There were no takers, but the SAAB 105G demonstrator kept on flying in the test and trials role until it was finally retired in 1992. In the mid-1970s, SAAB proposed yet another SAAB 105XT demonstrator, the "SAAB 105S" for a Finnish trainer requirement, but the Finns decided to buy the BAE Hawk instead.

[5] SAAB SAFARI / SUPPORTER

* Following the introduction of the SAAB 105 / Sk 60, SAAB took something of a step backward and developed another piston trainer -- or maybe "sort of" developed "sort of" a trainer would be more correct to say, the story being complicated.

It started in the late 1950s, when aircraft designer Bjoern Andreasson, then working for Convair in the US, developed as a "garage job" a two-seat lightplane, the "BA-7", which performed its first flight on 10 October 1958. It was a tidy little aircraft, with a slightly forward-swept high-mounted strut-braced wings, fixed tricycle landing gear, and a glass-roofed cockpit that provided a good field of view. The tail arrangement was conventional in appearance, though originally all three tail surfaces had been "all moving"; the all-moving tailfin was later abandoned in favor of a fixed tailfin with rudder. The aircraft was powered by a Continental A75 flat-four air-cooled engine providing 56 kW (75 HP), driving a two-bladed variable-pitch prop.

Andreasson had worked in the Swedish aircraft industry during the war, and in 1960 he returned home to Sweden to work for AB Malmoe FlygIndustri (MFI), a successor organization to that which had employed him earlier, working to help put an improved version of the BA-7 into production as the "MFI-9 Junior". Trials began in May 1961, leading to the flight of the first production aircraft on 9 August 1962, featuring a larger cockpit and a Continental O-200-A flat-four air-cooled piston engine providing 75 kW (100 HP).

The MFI-9 was followed in 1963 by the "MFI-9B Trainer", which had a bigger and rearranged cabin, a larger tail assembly, and electrically-operated flaps; and then "MFI-9B Mil-Trainer", which had reinforced wings and pylons to allow it to carry underwing stores including rockets, rocket pods, gun pods, or camera pods. It was promoted both as a trainer and a (very) light attack aircraft, able to operate off of rough short airstrips near the fighting lines. The Flygvapnet leased ten MFI-9B machines for evaluation as a primary trainer, with all ten being evaluated in 1966 and given the military designation of "FPL-801". The Flygvapnet concluded that the type did not meet the needs of the service and returned the aircraft, adopting the Scottish Aviation Bulldog as the "Sk 61" instead.

* However, the MFI-9B did see combat service as a "flying guerrilla fighter" in an adventure that would make for a pretty good low-budget action movie. In 1967, the province of Biafra seceded from Nigeria, sparking a three-year civil war. Biafra was blockaded and the people there began to starve, leading to an international airlift effort to bring in supplies.

One of the relief pilots was a Swede, Carl Gustaf von Rosen, who decided to take a more active approach to helping the Biafrans. Working with the Biafrans, he obtained five MFI-9Bs, with the aircraft assembled in Gabon in the spring of 1969. They were given a green camouflage paint scheme, a simple gunsight, and pylons to carry a rocket pod under each wing, with each pod containing six French SNEB / Brandt 68-millimeter (2.68-inch) unguided folding-fin rockets with armor-piercing warheads, for a total of 12 rockets per aircraft. That gave them enough firepower to make thorough nuisances of themselves. The aircraft were called "Biafra Babies".

The Babies began attacks in May 1969, hitting targets such as Nigerian MiG fighters and Ilyushin bombers on the ground. There were originally three Swedish and three Biafran pilots for the fleet, and they learned to conduct strikes at dusk and dawn, coming in low over the treetops, maintaining radio silence until the last moment, firing at ranges of a few hundred meters, and then departing as quickly as possible. The exact details of their operations remain a bit unclear, with a few shot down and some North American AT-6 Texans joining the fleet. The Biafran rebellion was finally stamped out in early 1970.

An improved version of the Junior, the "Model 208B", was introduced in 1964; it featured electrically-operated flaps and an optional larger wing. It was followed in turn in 1965 by the "Model 208C", with various refinements. About 250 to 300 MFI-9 and Model 208 machines were built up to end of production in the late 1960s.

* In the mid-1960s MFI began work on a slightly scaled-up version of the MFI-9 for use as a primary trainer or military utility aircraft. MFI was bought out by SAAB in 1968, but the program continued, with a prototype of the "SAAB MFI-15" performing its first flight on 11 July 1969. Its general configuration was very much like that of the MFI-9, with:

The conventional tail assembly with the low-mounted tailplane proved too prone to damage from rocks and the like kicked up by rough-field operation. The prototype was rebuilt with a high tailplane, and was also refitted with a more powerful IO-360-A1B6 engine with 150 kW (200 HP). It returned to flight test in its new configuration on 26 February 1971, and successful flight evaluation led to production as the "MFI-15 Safari". Tailwheel landing gear, better suited to rough-field operations, was available as an option, though it is unclear if any tailwheel Safaris were ever sold.

Most Safaris were sold for private use, but two were sold to the air force of Sierra Leone as pilot trainers, though they were sold off again in a few years. Norway bought 16 Safaris in 1981 as primary trainers to replace the SAAB Safir, with three attrition replacements obtained in 1982:1983 and four more replacements obtained in 1987 -- for a total of 23 Norwegian Safaris.

* In 1972, SAAB modified a Safari for use as a light attack aircraft capable of being fitted with up to six pylons with a total warload of 300 kilograms (660 pounds). Qualified weapons included unguided rockets; two machine-gun pods, each with two guns, for a total of four guns; or six Bantam wire-guided antitank missiles. The type performed its first flight in this configuration on 6 July 1972, and was offered for sale as the "MFI-17 Supporter".

The Zambian Air Force was the third customer for the Supporter, obtaining 20 for counter-insurgency and training roles. SAAB finally terminated production of the Safari / Supporter in the late 1970s, with about 250 built. Most of the production was sold to private fliers; the type does continue in lingering military service.

Pakistan obtained 28 Supporters from SAAB, and then assembled 92 more in a Pakistani factory from knockdown kits provided by SAAB. The type was known as the "Mushshak", an Urdu word meaning "Proficient", in Pakistani service, and was used in training and liaison roles by both the army and air force.

The Mushshak was then put into local production at the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF), with more than 120 built. 25 of these machines were sold to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in the early 1990s. Two examples of an improved variant, the "Shahbaz", with an uprated Teledyne Continental turbocharged TIO-360-MB engine with 160 kW (210 HP), the first flying in July 1987.

The Pakistani machines are apparently not included in the SAAB production total of about 250. It is unclear what the virtues and faults of this family of aircraft were, but its popularity seems to suggest in itself that it had plenty going for it.

[6] COMMENTS, SOURCES, & REVISION HISTORY

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​ 4D model template of SAAB Safari.

Primary Trainer aircraft First flight: Feb. 26, 1971 Introduction: 1972 In service, Production: 462

(Skill index 4)

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SAAB Safari: paper airplane design of forward wing trainer aircraft.

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Saab MFI-15 in Filskov

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Saab Safari

Saab MFI-15 Safari , also known as the Saab MFI-17 Supporter , is a propeller-powered basic trainer aircraft used by several air forces.

Development and design

Mfi-17 supporter, specifications (safari), external links.

On 11 July 1969 Saab flew the prototype (SE-301) of a two/three-seat civil/military trainer or general utility aircraft allocated the designation Saab-MFI 15. Developed at Malmö Flygindustri , it was powered by a 119   kW Avco Lycoming IO-320-B2 flat-four engine and with a conventional low-set tailplane. The latter was later modified to a T-tail configuration to minimise damage when operating from rough airfields.

On 26 February 1971 the prototype was flown with the more powerful Avco Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 air-cooled flat-4 piston engine, which became the standard powerplant for the production version, now designated as the Saab Safari. A braced shoulder-wing monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear, available optionally with tail-wheel landing gear, it provides side-by-side enclosed accommodation for two and has dual controls as standard. It has forward-swept wings to maintain correct centre of gravity. This design constraint applies also to the ARV Super2 and the Bölkow Bo 208 Junior, the latter a license-built version of the Malmö MFI-9 Junior.

A military version designated originally Saab-MFI 17 was flown on 6 July 1972 and differed from the Safari by being equipped more specifically for use as a military trainer, or for artillery observation or forward air control and liaison.; this version was later named Saab Supporter. In August 1978 Saab flew a prototype version of the Safari with a 157   kW Continental flat-six turbocharged engine; designated Safari TS, it did not enter production. A trainer based on the Safari's design was built in kit form for assembly in Pakistan as the Mushshak, with 92 aircraft delivered to the Pakistani Air Force . A later batch of 120 aircraft was built entirely in Pakistan. [1]

Of the 250 fully assembled aircraft built by Saab, the majority were bought by private fliers. Including the 212 Pakistani CKD or locally built aircraft, a total of 462 versions of the Safari were produced. The Royal Norwegian Air Force purchased their Safaris in 1981. Today 16 of the aircraft are stationed at Bardufoss Air Station .

A variant with a stretched wing made of composite materials, the MFI-18, was tested during the 1980s in Sweden. Also fitted with provision for skis , this version never went into production. The supporter was also used as a highly efficient COIN aircraft, Experience with the earlier MFI 9B Minicom during the Biafran Civil War encouraged Saab to develop the Supporter as a close support aircraft carrying an assortment of underwing stores including rockets and gun pods.

The number of Saab Safari in use as of 2022, together with its Pakistani successors (the MFI-17 Mushshak and MFI-395 Super Mushshak ), is 477, making it one of the most commonly used aircraft for military training in the world. [2]

• MFI-15 Safari – original civilian variant.
• MFI-17 Supporter – Saab's designation for the military variant, Danish designation T-17 .
• Saab Safari TS – a prototype fitted with a 157   kW (210   hp) turbocharged piston engine.
• MFI-17 Mushshak – improved version of MFI-17 Supporter manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex under license.
• PAC Super Mushshak – upgraded Pakistan-manufactured variant of the MFI-17 Mushshak .

• Royal Danish Air Force – 32 [3]
• Royal Norwegian Air Force – 16
• Pakistan Air Force – 28 delivered by Saab, 92 assembled from knock down kits

Former operators

• Sierra Leone Armed Forces – 2
• Zambia Air Force – 20

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77 [4]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot and student)
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Length: 7.00   m (23   ft 0   in)
• Wingspan: 8.85   m (29   ft 0   in)
• Height: 2.60   m (8   ft 6   in)
• Wing area: 11.90   m 2 (128.1   sq   ft)
• Empty weight: 646   kg (1,424   lb)
• Gross weight: 1,200   kg (2,646   lb)
• Fuel capacity: 190   L (42   imp   gal; 50   US   gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 air-cooled flat-four piston engine, 150   kW (200   hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell HC-C2YK-4F/FC7666A-2 constant speed propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 236   km/h (147   mph, 127   kn) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 208   km/h (129   mph, 112   kn)
• Stall speed: 107   km/h (66   mph, 58   kn) flaps down, power off
• Never exceed speed : 365   km/h (227   mph, 197   kn)
• Endurance: 5 hr 10 min
• Service ceiling: 4,100   m (13,500   ft)
• Rate of climb: 4.10   m/s (807   ft/min)
• Take-off run to 15 m (50 ft): 385   m (1,263   ft)
• Landing run from 15 m (50 ft): 390   m (1,280   ft)

Related development

• Malmö MFI-9
• PAC MFI-17 Mushshak
• PAC Super Mushshak

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Saab 91 Safir
• Scottish Aviation Bulldog
• Valmet L-70 Vinka

Related Research Articles

The Saab 91 Safir is a three or four seater, single engine trainer aircraft. The Safir was built by Saab AB in Linköping, Sweden and by De Schelde in Dordrecht, Netherlands.

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The Piper PA-18 Super Cub is a two-seat, single-engine monoplane. Introduced in 1949 by Piper Aircraft, it was developed from the PA-11 Cub Special, and traces its lineage back through the J-3 Cub to the Taylor E-2 Cub of the 1930s. In close to 40 years of production, over 10,000 were built. Super Cubs are commonly found in roles such as bush flying, banner towing and glider towing.

The Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser was a larger, more powerful version of the basic Piper J-3 Cub. It was designed just two years after the J-3 Cub, and differed by having a wider fuselage with the pilot sitting in the front seat and two passengers sitting in the rear seat. Equipped with a 75-hp Continental engine the plane's cruising speed was 75 mph. Though officially a three-seater, it would be more accurately described as a "two-and-a-half-seater", as two adults would find themselves quite cramped in the wider rear seat. The Cruiser sold for $1,798 when it was first designed.

The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex , or PAC ) is a major defense contractor and an aerospace manufacturer that is headquartered in Kamra, Punjab, Pakistan.

The PAC MFI-17 Mushshak is a license-built fixed-gear basic trainer aircraft manufactured by PAC. An improved version of the Saab Safari (MFI-15), the MFI-17 is manufactured in Kamra, Pakistan, by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Built to Mil-Spec and fully aerobatic, it is used for training, towing and other ground support roles. An upgraded version, the PAC Super Mushshak , has also been produced by PAC. As of 2022, there were 477 MFI-15/17/395 in use, making it one of the most commonly used training aircraft in the world.

The Diamond DA40 Diamond Star is an Austrian four-seat, single-engine, light aircraft constructed from composite materials. Built in both Austria and Canada, it was developed as a four-seat version of the earlier DA20 by Diamond Aircraft Industries.

The EM-11 Orka ( orca ) is a touring and executive aircraft manufactured in Poland.

The Bellanca Viking and Super Viking are a series of single-engine, four-seat, high performance, retractable gear aircraft manufactured in the USA during the 1960s and 1970s. The aircraft developed through modifications of classic designs by the aviation pioneer Giuseppe Bellanca. A total of 1,356 Vikings have been produced with most production between 1968 and 1975.

The Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave is a 1970s American single-engined, low-wing, propeller-driven agricultural plane built by Piper Aircraft.

The Mudry CAP 20 is a French family of aerobatic competition single seater monoplanes.

The Piper Aerostar is an American twin-engined propeller-driven executive or light transport aircraft, designed by Ted R. Smith. It was originally built by Ted Smith Aircraft Company, which after 1978 became part of the Piper Aircraft Corporation.

The Robin HR100 is a French four-seat light monoplane, designed by Chris Heintz and built by Avions Pierre Robin as metal-winged version of the Robin DR253 Regent.

The Wassmer WA-51 Pacific is a French four-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by Société Wassmer. Different-powered variants include the Wassmer WA-52 Europa and the Wassmer WA-54 Atlantic . It was the world's first composite material-built aircraft.

The Malmö MFI-10 Vipan was a four-seat light utility monoplane designed and built in Sweden by Malmö Flygindustri. Only three aircraft were built and the type did not enter quantity production.

The Wassmer WA-40 Super 4 Sancy is a French single-engined light aircraft of the 1960s and 70s. A single-engined low-winged monoplane with retractable nosewheel undercarriage, variants include the more powerful WA 4/21 Prestige and the WA-41 Baladou with a fixed undercarriage.

The Ruschmeyer R 90 is a four-seat light aircraft designed and produced in Germany in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The Kestrel KL-1 is an American single-engined four-seat utility aircraft designed and built in the 1990s by the Kestrel Aircraft Company of Norman, Oklahoma.

• ↑ "2022 World Air forces" . p.   11. Flight International ranked it as the 6th most commonly used after the T-6, F-16, Hawk, T-38 and L-39.
• ↑ Schrøder, Hans (1991). "Royal Danish Airforce". Ed. Kay S. Nielsen. Tøjhusmuseet, 1991, p. 1–64. ISBN   87-89022-24-6 .
• ↑ Taylor 1976 , pp.   163–164
• Taylor, John W. R. (1976). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77 . London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN   0-354-00538-3 .

MFI-17 Super Mushshak 3D model

Mfi-17 super mushshak.

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Originally created with 3ds Max 2016

High resolution, realistic, fully detailed and textured MFI-17 Super Mushshak Detailed enough for close-up renders. Model comes with detailed textures. All parts are separate and pivoted for animation.

Originally modeled in 3ds Max 2016.

• High quality polygonal model - correctly scaled accurate representation of the original objects.
• Model resolutions are optimized for polygon efficiency (in 3ds Max the MeshSmooth function can be used to increase mesh resolution if necessary).
• All colors can be easily modified.
• Model is fully textured with all materials applied.
• All textures and materials are included and mapped in every format.
• Max models are grouped for easy selection & objects are logically named for ease of scene management.
• No part-name confusion when importing several models into a scene.
• No cleaning up necessary, just drop your models into the scene and start rendering.

File formats:-

• 3ds Max 2014 (Contains also V-Ray and standard materials scenes!)
• OBJ (Multi Format)
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Additional Notes:-

• Max file is the original version; the use of this is recommended.
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3D Model formats

Format limitations.

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• Autodesk 3ds Max 2016 (.max) 4.57 MB Version: 2016 Renderer: V-Ray 3.0.03
• OBJ (.obj, .mtl) 121 KB
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3D Model details

• Publish date 2020-02-21
• Model ID #2283862
• VR / AR / Low-poly
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An Estate Car Version of The 900

Maybe Surprising, but SAAB never made a proper wagon out of the 99/900. Sixten Sason apparently sketched a 99 (two-door!) wagon early on, but they went with the Combi Coupe instead. However, sometime in 1986, Saab was close to deciding to make a Wagon version of the popular 900 models.

Prototype 900 Estate

If the production capacities at the time had made it possible, Saab would probably have introduced the Wagon version of the 900 to the market. Before that, The company’s last estate was the Ford V4-engined 95, which was produced in February 1978.

In 1981, a single prototype 900 estate was built at the Trollhattan factory, but the idea was never developed beyond that. The Swedish company Nilsson Special Vehicles AB then modified two Saab 900s and converted them into Estate versions, also known as the station wagon in other parts of the world. This one is called the 900 ‘ Safari ’ wagon.

It’s suggested that the rear window comes from a sedan, and the rear lamps come from the hatch. Despite the wagon-back’s side windows not quite matching up, the bizarre unresolved vent fittings, and the roof-racks that look out of position, the car looks as though it could have been OEM, in a Saab kind of way.

Very little is known about its existence, but another attempt has been made to create a Wagon version in 1986.

Dutch 900 Wagon conversion

Then Saab’s Dutch importer, BV Auto Import Maatschappij (AIM), has produced its own estate car version of a 900 five-door Turbo . The main purpose of “the exercise” is to sound out a local opinion and to let Saab’s engineers have a look at what can be done. AIM has no intention of producing any further versions unless an order for at least 10 is received . Even then, the price for the conversion alone would be in the region of £4900. Most of the conversion from hatchback to the estate is confined to the area behind the C-pillar.

As you can see in the photos, The roof panel is extended horizontally, and slightly higher than the existing line. Saab’s own engineers who have seen the car have said that they would prefer a smoother, more flowing line.

The rear deck and lamp clusters remain unaltered, but the side panels above the ventilator extractors are altered to accommodate the larger rear side windows. The tailgate is made up of the lower part of the 900’s hatchback, with a new upper frame section. The conversion, which includes a permanent tubular section roof rack, adds around 130 lb to the total weight.

A less than successful estate version of the Saab 900 has also been produced in France by tacking the rear of a Ford Sierra on to the back of a hatchback 900. Saab could well have an eye on the high volume of estate cars that Volvo produces. One-third of all 200 and 700 series production is built in estate form, while 37 percent of all 200 models sold in this country are estates.

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March 19, 2020

Flight test: SAAB 91D Safir

This jewel of an aircraft effortlessly fulfils its triple design role of trainer, tourer and aerobatic machine – and its easy handling will enchant any pilot | Words: Dave Unwin – Photos: Keith Wilson

As the Safir turns downwind it is starkly silhouetted against the September sky, and for a second the tapered wings, square-cut wingtips and slightly rounded tailplane are reminiscent of the Messerschmitt Bf 109E.

Five minutes later it’s taxying towards me and now more strongly resembles a late model Bf 108, although the heavily-glazed multi-pane canopy also puts me in mind of the Bü 181 Bestmann. This isn’t a coincidence, for the Safir was designed by Anders J Andersson, who had also devised the Bestmann while working for Bücker.

I meet G-XCID and its owner John Hunter on a beautiful September morning at Fenland Aeroclub in Lincolnshire, and it quickly becomes apparent that this is a ‘Mil Spec’ machine that has been built to a specification and not a price.

For example, the typical GA aircraft tail bumper is simply a spring steel strip, but the Safir’s is flexible skid with its own coil spring!

The rather blunt nose carries a four-cylinder air-cooled Lycoming O-360-A1A, which turns a McCauley two-blade metal, constant-speed prop. Access to the engine is exceptional because the cowling is of the petal type, so the top halves hinge open on both sides and the bottom is hinged at the back.

Replacing the early model’s heavy Gipsy Major with an O-360 meant extending the engine mount to retain the centre of gravity, consequently access to the back of the motor and its accessories is excellent. Also impressive are the deflector plates under the cowling that direct cooling air to the rear cylinders.

A lot of thought went into the engine installation, which makes the curious cowl flaps even more surprising. They can be adjusted, but only on the ground, and as they’re quite big I reckon you’d pick up five knots if you could close them in the cruise.

Other big drag-producers are the large circular landing lights set into the leading edge of each wing (what was Andersson thinking?) and the considerable amount of wash-out.

The wings are skinned with Alclad forward of the main spar and fabric aft, while the fuselage is a monococque structure with Alclad skinning. Similar Alcad skins cover the cantilever tailplane, fin, ailerons and split flaps.

The latter are quite large, mechanically actuated and have three settings: 0, 17° and 43°. The rudder and elevators are covered with fabric and both feature pilot-controlled trim tabs, plus there’s a ground-adjustable trim tab in both ailerons.

The rugged-looking undercarriage is, unusually, manually operated, with the castoring nosewheel retracting backwards and the mainwheels inwards and into the fuselage, giving a relatively short wheelbase with quite a narrow track.

The nosewheel still partly protrudes when retracted and incorporates a neat little mudguard. Shock absorption is provided by oleo-damped springs on the main undercarriage legs and the mainwheels are fitted with Goodyear hydraulic disc brakes.

The reason for the undercarriage’s narrow track is because the main undercarriage legs are attached, Messerschmitt-style, to the fuselage not the wings, allowing the wings to be quickly and easily removed.

Each wing is joined to the fuselage by two bolts, one vertical and one horizontal. The electrical wiring and fuel lines are easily disconnected (the fuel lines feature self-sealing couplings) while the wing joint couplings for the flap and aileron control rods are automatic, allowing the wings to be quickly derigged. Ball bearings are used in all the control circuits except in the rudder.

Access to the cockpit is excellent. The wingwalks are wide and there are three upward-opening glazed hatches, one on the port side and two on the starboard. The rear starboard hatch is very large as the starboard seats and control column can be quickly removed to allow the carriage of a stretcher (the rear port seat is retained for a medical attendant).

Alternatively, if all three seats are removed the Safir can carry 250kg of cargo, and even if all the seats are in place there’s a big baggage bay behind the rear seats which can carry almost 20kg and is accessible in flight.

At almost 1.3m wide the cabin is quite big, and feels bigger due to the copious glazing, and I very much like the large DV panels. Each of the three hatches can be jettisoned by pulling on the appropriate red handle set into the roof.

This (and the fact that the front seats are designed for seat-type parachutes) is because, when flown in the ‘Utility’ category and with a MAUW below 1,050kg, it is aerobatic with load limits of +6/-3g.

The rudder pedals and seats adjust (the seats only vertically), and once strapped in with the very beefy four-point harness I study the cockpit with considerable interest. The slightly curved control columns feel very natural, and as there are two throttles I can fly with either hand.

Between the seats is a big quadrant that carries (from port to starboard) the elevator trim, handbrake-type flap selector and undercarriage lever, with a star wheel for rudder trim at the back. Again, it’s all beautifully engineered. The elevator trimmer can be used for fine adjustment by just moving the lever slightly, while for coarse trim changes the lever is pressed down first.

To retract the mechanical undercarriage, rotate the oblong top to release the up or down locks, then move the lever ‘forward to fly and back to land’. A red warning light illuminates if the undercarriage is locked up below a certain manifold pressure and there’s a single green for ‘down & locked’.

Although the pattern of the primary flying instruments only loosely follows the Basic Six arrangement, the general cockpit layout is much better than most 1960s light aircraft, the instruments being grouped in three separate sub-panels.

The left one has an ASI, AI, T&S, VSI and altimeter, plus a modern EHSI, while the one on the right side has essentially the same, with a g-meter instead of the EHSI. The central panel has a selection of round dials in two rows.

Designed for the military

Anders Andersson began work on the basic Safir design in 1944, with the prototype making its maiden flight in November 1945. This aircraft was powered by a 130hp Gipsy Major IC, but production versions (now known as the SAAB 91A) were all fitted with 145hp Gipsy Major 10s.

It was rapidly appreciated that 145hp still wasn’t enough, and the ‘B’ model used a 190hp Lycoming O-435A. Changing from an inverted inline four to a flat-six required a major redesign from the firewall forward, while for the ‘C’ version SAAB added a fourth seat and changed the fuel system from a single fuselage tank to one in each wing with a combined capacity of 175 litres.

The ultimate variant was the ‘D’. This replaced the O-435 with a four-cylinder 180hp O-360, which, although slightly less powerful than the O-435 was considerably lighter and less thirsty. It also used a McCauley constant-speed propeller with a spinner (earlier iterations used less efficient variable-pitch Hartzell props without spinners) and the net result was a 45kg reduction in the empty weight.

SAAB eventually built 99 ‘D’s, including the subject of this month’s flight test. Total production of all versions was 323, of which almost a third were built by the Dutch company De Schelde at its Dordrecht factory.

Most were built for the military; the air forces of Austria, Finland, Ethiopia, Norway, Sweden and Tunisia all operated Safirs and the Austrians only phased theirs out in 1992.

The top row consists of a large tachometer, fuel quantity in each tank and a combined oil temperature/pressure gauge. On the second row are manifold pressure (in Bar), plus carburettor and cylinder head temperatures, with the ammeter and fuel pressure gauge below P2’s flight instruments. The full width panel below carries the parking brake, a row of rugged-looking tumbler switches, starter and magnetos, and?in front of P1?alternate air, the circuit breakers being placed in front of P2.

In the centre are throttle and propeller levers, and there’s another throttle in a sill below the port hatch. The mixture plunger has an unusual spring catch that automatically enrichens the mixture when the throttle is pulled back to commence a descent, while yet another fascinating facet (the Safir is full of them) is that, as there’s no electric fuel pump, you pull vigorously on a T-handle a couple of times to raise the fuel pressure before starting. The rotary fuel selector is right in front of the P1 and works anti-clockwise from ‘off’ through ‘starboard’ to ‘port’.

Taxying out reveals that the disc brakes are powerful but not ‘grabby’ and the field of view good. As the nosewheel castors, it’s easier if you don’t taxi too slowly?especially when turning.

Pre-takeoff checks complete, I line up with the centreline of Fenland’s 600 metre Runway 36. Ambient conditions are 18°C and 1013hPa, wind from the north-west at between 5-8kt and short, dry grass. With only two POB, not that much baggage and only half fuel, we are about 180kg below MAUW (maximum all-up weight).

Initial acceleration is good but not exceptional and at fifty knots I raise the nose and we lift off at 65, having used about two-thirds of the runway. I’ve chosen to fly right-handed so dab the brakes, swap hands, retract undercarriage and flaps, then go back to flying right-handed.

That undercarriage is very cleverly designed, well-made and perfectly maintained. Although the weight of all three wheels plus the air load is not inconsiderable, it retracts quite easily, helped by a system of springs and bobweights.

With the undercarriage and flaps stowed the VSI shows a solid 1,000fpm at 75kt and I soon level off, change hands again, adjust power, rpm, mixture, elevator and rudder trim, then put my right hand back on the stick and my left on the throttle. And I’m already really enjoying myself.

Some aircraft take time to ‘dial in’ but as we close on the Fenland Aero Club’s Cessna 172 cameraship carrying Paul and Keith, I swear it feels as if I’ve got at least ten hours on type, not ten minutes. As we coast out near Holbeach I’m feeling very comfortable.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m flying right-handed (which always feels more natural in formation) or that the air above the sea is as smooth as glass, but as Keith’s window pops open and the Safir slides effortlessly into echelon port I just know this is going to be a good shoot.

The Safir has that rarely encountered combination of crisp controls and solid stability. Usually a designer will compromise one aspect for the other, but the Safir was intended for training, touring and aerobatics, and although these quite disparate requirements would tax many a designer, Andersson clearly met the specifications. After all, he’d worked under the great Carl Clemens Bücker, who knew a thing or three about designing light aircraft.

Manoeuvring less than a wingspan away from another aircraft will always show up any design deficiencies and the Safir just feels ‘right’. The ailerons have authority, the elevator is powerful and the rudder well weighted.

Control harmony is perfect, and the lasting impression is of a well-balanced, nicely harmonised machine with pleasantly light controls which provide powerful, precise handling along with negligible ‘stiction’ and low breakout forces. All those ball-bearings in the control circuits really do make a difference.

The field of view is excellent, as the multi-pane windscreen is large. You’d think the heavy framing might be intrusive in close formation but it’s really not; I barely notice it at all. Indeed, this is one of the easiest shoots I’ve done in a while. Keith soon calls “it’s a wrap!” and I break down and away from the 172 in a long graceful arc and head back towards the coast.

___________

Sweden’s own

SAAB is an acronym of Svenska Aeroplan AB, which is Swedish for the imaginatively titled ‘Swedish Aeroplane Company Limited’.

It was founded in 1937 in Trollhättan and was initially intended to supply Sweden with modern indigenous combat aircraft, such as the -17 bomber and -21 twin-boom fighter.

After the war SAAB continued to produce mostly military aircraft, such as the Tunnan, Lansen, Draken, Viggen and Gripen jet fighters, although the 340 short-haul turboprop was a significant success, with over 450 built.

The company also began producing cars in the late 1940s, with its first production model, the 92, being notable for its aerodynamic shape.

Although it handles like a sports plane the Safir was designed as a tourer, so the first thing to examine is the cruise performance. The POH recommends a power setting of 0.8bar/2,400 rpm and the needle of the ASI soon settles on 120kt, for a TAS of 128 at 4,000ft and a fuel flow of around 36 lph.

Adjusting throttle and prop to a more economical 0.7/2,100 still gives 125kt TAS for 28 lph, while pulling the power right back to a thrifty 0.6/2,000 drops the fuel flow to 24 lph while the TAS is still 110kt.

This is clearly not the fastest 180hp four-seat retractable, probably because the blunt nose, wash-out, idiosyncratically-installed wing lights and fixed cowl flaps all combine to produce quite a lot of drag.

On the other hand it is aerobatic which none of its direct competitors are. I confirm the taut handling with some sharp turns and swift reversals, and it certainly is crisp.

Maybe it’s the military look or simply that I’m flying right-handed, but it really does have that ‘mini-fighter’ feel and I’m tempted to fly a few basic aeros, but as it’s nearly sixty years old, there’s some unsecured baggage in the back, and we don’t have parachutes I decide against it and move onto an examination of the stick-free stability.

This turns out to be positive longitudinally and strongly positive directionally, with neutral spiral stability. For an aerobatic aircraft, it’d be quite straightforward to fly in IMC.

An analysis of the slow speed handling and stall characteristics shows this facet of the envelope to be as satisfactory as every other aspect, with the caveat that the limiting speeds for both the undercarriage and full flap are quite low at only 80kt.

Flaps and undercarriage ‘up’ it stalls at around 52kt, and this drops to 48 with full flap. There is plenty of pre-stall buffet and the stall is very benign. Flaps up, there’s no tendency to drop a wing; flaps down, it consistently dropped the starboard wing, but in a reluctant “I tried to tell you we were getting slow” manner. This really is a very friendly flying machine.

With the airframe cleaned up I increase power and start back towards Fenland but can’t resist a few more steep turns and sharp reversals. For a four-seater, you can really chuck it about, and the handling is absolutely delightful.

It really is a very impressive machine, and it continues to impress back in the circuit at Fenland. Having slowed to just below eighty, I lower the undercarriage and then extend the first stage of flap.

There’s a noticeable pitch down when extending the split flaps but it’s effortlessly countered with the excellent trimmer. Extending the undercarriage is obviously easier than raising it as gravity pulls the wheels out of the wells.

All is going splendidly until a call from a PA-28 for “long final for 36” (I suspect as far south as Norfolk) puts us so far downwind that I almost lose sight of the airfield. Once the PA-28 appears, we promptly turn base and then final, motoring back at 75, before extending full flap and slowing to 70, with an ‘over the hedge’ speed of 65.

The air is calm, the breeze not far off the nose, and the Safir simply feels as if it’s on rails. It’s very speed-stable, and if the strip were short I’d have no hesitation in dialling the speed back to 60, although 65 does give me a nice little float to a very gentle touchdown, which I convert to a touch ‘n’ go.

All the subsequent landings are equally easy, and it is with more than a pang of regret that I taxi in and shut down.

A capable aircraft

If you haven’t already guessed, I was very taken by the Safir. It would meet my needs admirably, having the speed, range and performance to carry wife, children and dog comfortably – or I could also fly a few gentle aeros if I were in the mood.

And just like another of Andersson’s aircraft that I’ve flown, the Bü 181 Bestmann, I couldn’t help but wonder just what a capable aircraft it would make if put back into production.

Lose a bit of weight (and those silly leading-edge lights) add a 200hp IO-360 turning a modern three-blade ‘Scimitar’ prop, make the cowl flaps in-flight adjustable and you’d have one hell of an aeroplane!

Incidentally, John is planning to take 91 Delta on a solo circumnavigation of the globe

To follow his progress, go to www.flyingvisit.org . (Any offers of sponsorship would be greatly appreciated.)

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By pilot magazine.

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

Featured city guides.

The Comprehensive Guide to Moscow Nightlife

• Posted on April 14, 2018 July 26, 2018
• by Kings of Russia
• 8 minute read

Moscow’s nightlife scene is thriving, and arguably one of the best the world has to offer – top-notch Russian women, coupled with a never-ending list of venues, Moscow has a little bit of something for everyone’s taste. Moscow nightlife is not for the faint of heart – and if you’re coming, you better be ready to go Friday and Saturday night into the early morning.

This comprehensive guide to Moscow nightlife will run you through the nuts and bolts of all you need to know about Moscow’s nightclubs and give you a solid blueprint to operate with during your time in Moscow.

What you need to know before hitting Moscow nightclubs

Prices in moscow nightlife.

Before you head out and start gaming all the sexy Moscow girls , we have to talk money first. Bring plenty because in Moscow you can never bring a big enough bankroll. Remember, you’re the man so making a fuzz of not paying a drink here or there will not go down well.

Luckily most Moscow clubs don’t do cover fees. Some electro clubs will charge 15-20$, depending on their lineup. There’s the odd club with a minimum spend of 20-30$, which you’ll drop on drinks easily. By and large, you can scope out the venues for free, which is a big plus.

Bottle service is a great deal in Moscow. At top-tier clubs, it starts at 1,000$. That’ll go a long way with premium vodka at 250$, especially if you have three or four guys chipping in. Not to mention that it’s a massive status boost for getting girls, especially at high-end clubs.

Without bottle service, you should estimate a budget of 100-150$ per night. That is if you drink a lot and hit the top clubs with the hottest girls. Scale down for less alcohol and more basic places.

Dress code & Face control

Door policy in Moscow is called “face control” and it’s always the guy behind the two gorillas that gives the green light if you’re in or out.

In Moscow nightlife there’s only one rule when it comes to dress codes:

You can never be underdressed.

People dress A LOT sharper than, say, in the US and that goes for both sexes. For high-end clubs, you definitely want to roll with a sharp blazer and a pocket square, not to mention dress shoes in tip-top condition. Those are the minimum requirements to level the playing field vis a vis with other sharply dressed guys that have a lot more money than you do. Unless you plan to hit explicit electro or underground clubs, which have their own dress code, you are always on the money with that style.

Getting in a Moscow club isn’t as hard as it seems: dress sharp, speak English at the door and look like you’re in the mood to spend all that money that you supposedly have (even if you don’t). That will open almost any door in Moscow’s nightlife for you.

Types of Moscow Nightclubs

In Moscow there are four types of clubs with the accompanying female clientele:

High-end clubs:

These are often crossovers between restaurants and clubs with lots of tables and very little space to dance. Heavy accent on bottle service most of the time but you can work the room from the bar as well. The hottest and most expensive girls in Moscow go there. Bring deep pockets and lots of self-confidence and you have a shot at swooping them.

Regular Mid-level clubs:

They probably resemble more what you’re used to in a nightclub: big dancefloors, stages and more space to roam around. Bottle service will make you stand out more but you can also do well without. You can find all types of girls but most will be in the 6-8 range. Your targets should always be the girls drinking and ideally in pairs. It’s impossible not to swoop if your game is at least half-decent.

Basic clubs/dive bars:

Usually spots with very cheap booze and lax face control. If you’re dressed too sharp and speak no Russian, you might attract the wrong type of attention so be vigilant. If you know the local scene you can swoop 6s and 7s almost at will. Usually students and girls from the suburbs.

Electro/underground clubs:

Home of the hipsters and creatives. Parties there don’t mean meeting girls and getting drunk but doing pills and spacing out to the music. Lots of attractive hipster girls if that is your niche. That is its own scene with a different dress code as well.

What time to go out in Moscow

Moscow nightlife starts late. Don’t show up at bars and preparty spots before 11pm because you’ll feel fairly alone. Peak time is between 1am and 3am. That is also the time of Moscow nightlife’s biggest nuisance: concerts by artists you won’t know and who only distract your girls from drinking and being gamed. From 4am to 6am the regular clubs are emptying out but plenty of people, women included, still hit up one of the many afterparty clubs. Those last till well past 10am.

As far as days go: Fridays and Saturdays are peak days. Thursday is an OK day, all other days are fairly weak and you have to know the right venues.

The Ultimate Moscow Nightclub List

Short disclaimer: I didn’t add basic and electro clubs since you’re coming for the girls, not for the music. This list will give you more options than you’ll be able to handle on a weekend.

Preparty – start here at 11PM

Classic restaurant club with lots of tables and a smallish bar and dancefloor. Come here between 11pm and 12am when the concert is over and they start with the actual party. Even early in the night tons of sexy women here, who lean slightly older (25 and up).

The second floor of the Ugolek restaurant is an extra bar with dim lights and house music tunes. Very small and cozy with a slight hipster vibe but generally draws plenty of attractive women too. A bit slower vibe than Valenok.

Very cool, spread-out venue that has a modern library theme. Not always full with people but when it is, it’s brimming with top-tier women. Slow vibe here and better for grabbing contacts and moving on.

High-end: err on the side of being too early rather than too late because of face control.

Secret Room

Probably the top venue at the moment in Moscow . Very small but wildly popular club, which is crammed with tables but always packed. They do parties on Thursdays and Sundays as well. This club has a hip-hop/high-end theme, meaning most girls are gold diggers, IG models, and tattooed hip hop chicks. Very unfavorable logistics because there is almost no room no move inside the club but the party vibe makes it worth it. Strict face control.

Close to Secret Room and with a much more favorable and spacious three-part layout. This place attracts very hot women but also lots of ball busters and fakes that will leave you blue-balled. Come early because after 4am it starts getting empty fast. Electronic music.

A slightly kitsch restaurant club that plays Russian pop and is full of gold diggers, semi-pros, and men from the Caucasus republics. Thursday is the strongest night but that dynamic might be changing since Secret Room opened its doors. You can swoop here but it will be a struggle.

Mid-level: your sweet spot in terms of ease and attractiveness of girls for an average budget.

Started going downwards in 2018 due to lax face control and this might get even worse with the World Cup. In terms of layout one of the best Moscow nightclubs because it’s very big and bottle service gives you a good edge here. Still attracts lots of cute girls with loose morals but plenty of provincial girls (and guys) as well. Swooping is fairly easy here.

I haven’t been at this place in over a year, ever since it started becoming ground zero for drunken teenagers. Similar clientele to Icon but less chic, younger and drunker. Decent mainstream music that attracts plenty of tourists. Girls are easy here as well.

Sort of a Coyote Ugly (the real one in Moscow sucks) with party music and lots of drunken people licking each others’ faces. Very entertaining with the right amount of alcohol and very easy to pull in there. Don’t think about staying sober in here, you’ll hate it.

Artel Bessonitsa/Shakti Terrace

Electronic music club that is sort of a high-end place with an underground clientele and located between the teenager clubs Icon and Gipsy. Very good music but a bit all over the place with their vibe and their branding. You can swoop almost any type of girl here from high-heeled beauty to coked-up hipsters, provided they’re not too sober.

Afterparty: if by 5AM  you haven’t pulled, it’s time to move here.

Best afterparty spot in terms of trying to get girls. Pretty much no one is sober in there and savage gorilla game goes a long way. Lots of very hot and slutty-looking girls but it can be hard to tell apart who is looking for dick and who is just on drugs but not interested. If by 9-10am you haven’t pulled, it is probably better to surrender.

The hipster alternative for afterparties, where even more drugs are in play. Plenty of attractive girls there but you have to know how to work this type of club. A nicer atmosphere and better music but if you’re desperate to pull, you’ll probably go to Miks.

Weekday jokers: if you’re on the hunt for some sexy Russian girls during the week, here are two tips to make your life easier.

Chesterfield

Ladies night on Wednesdays means this place gets pretty packed with smashed teenagers and 6s and 7s. Don’t pull out the three-piece suit in here because it’s a “simpler” crowd. Definitely your best shot on Wednesdays.

If you haven’t pulled at Chesterfield, you can throw a Hail Mary and hit up Garage’s Black Music Wednesdays. Fills up really late but there are some cute Black Music groupies in here. Very small club. Thursday through Saturday they do afterparties and you have an excellent shot and swooping girls that are probably high.

Shishas Sferum

This is pretty much your only shot on Mondays and Tuesdays because they offer free or almost free drinks for women. A fairly low-class club where you should watch your drinks. As always the case in Moscow, there will be cute girls here on any day of the week but it’s nowhere near as good as on the weekend.

In a nutshell, that is all you need to know about where to meet Moscow girls in nightlife. There are tons of options, and it all depends on what best fits your style, based on the type of girls that you’re looking for.

Related Topics

• moscow girls
• moscow nightlife

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Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

• Patriarch’s Pond
• Old Arbat Street
• Maroseyka Street
• Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography. 

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita. 

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

• Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
• Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
• Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
• Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
• After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
• To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

• Novoslobodskaya
• Mayakovskaya
• Elektrozavodskaya
• Komsomolskaya
• Ploschad Revolyutsii
• Dostoyevskaya
• Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem. 

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions. 

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev  and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 193 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview , the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Ventura and macOS Sonoma , the latest version of macOS that Apple released in September 2023.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser . Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website .

Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.

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I'm always curious about these Safari Tech Preview posts. Are they just a quick way to add another headline? I suspect so, as I don't see many people trusting these builds as their daily driver. I've tried that in the past, but it never stuck.

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