BILL EWING COLLECTION
No. 10973. Saab B 18B (18172 c/n 18-172) Swedish Air Force
Photographed at the Flygvapenmuseum, Linköping, Sweden, by B. Thouanel

Saab B 18B

11/30/2011. This aircraft was one of ten aircraft of the 1st (Red) Squadron of Wing F 14 at Halmstad in southern Sweden that were en route to Wing F 21 at Luleå in the North for winter exercises on February 10, 1946. In the Piteå area the squadron flew into adverse weather, visual ground contact was lost and with critical fuel situation the aircraft were ordered to land wherever possible. One aircraft disappeared and was never found, three crash-landed on ice near Härnösand and were damaged beyond repair, while the remaining aircraft landed on ice intact.

The pictured aircraft, coded 'Red David' and flown by Carl Axel Lindh, landed safely, the pilot sustained minor injuries. While being salvaged the aircraft sank trough the ice to the bottom of the Baltic Sea, being retrieved 33 years later. Since it is under ongoing restoration at the Flygvapenmuseum.

Created November 30, 2011