SAAB 91B Safir

SAAB 91D Safir

PH-RLD SAAB 91D Safir c/n 91.370 at Groningen Airport Eelde in Holland on August 27, 2005

The SAAB 91D four-seat civil and military primary trainer was the fourth basic version of the SAAB 91 Safir that flew for the first time on November 20, 1945. The initial model, the SAAB 91A, was powered by a 145 hp Gipsy Major X engine. The SAAB 91B, which appeared in 1951, differed primarily in having a 190 hp Lycoming O-435-A engine. This model was ordered by the Swedish Air Force and was largely built by "de Schelde" in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, as the SAAB factories were fully committed at that time. Safir production returned to Sweden in 1954 and the company announced the Model 91C which had been modified to include a fourth seat. In 1957, the SAAB 91D with the smaller 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A1A four-cylinder air-cooled engine followed and joined the 91C at the production line. A total of 323 Safirs were built of which 120 under licence by de Schelde in Dordrecht, the Netherlands.

The RLS, based at the airfield Eelde near Groningen in the Netherlands operated 23 Saab 91D aircraft over the years. In 1950 the Rijksluchtvaartdienst purchased eight SAAB 91A Safir for the RLS. The SAAB 91A in service with the Rijksluchtvaartschool was replaced in 1959 by the SAAB 91D with the smaller but more powerful engine and more space. SAAB 91D Safir PH-RLD was registered on October 16th 1959. The registration PH-RLD was cancelled on July 7th 1982, after the aircraft was withdrawn from use. The PH-RLD was stored for several years. On February 23rd 1999 the aircraft was registered again as PH-RLD. The SAAB 91D was photographed at the static display of the Airshow Eelde 2005.