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A few places to begin, from the aircraft’s story to the people who fly it.
Meet the aircraft
The Saab 17 began at ASJA before that company became part of Saab. A single radial engine powered the all-metal mid-wing reconnaissance and dive-bombing aircraft. Versions were fitted for land, winter and maritime operation, with different undercarriage arrangements and equipment.
Aircraft background
Wikipedia contributors · Read more ↗A jet test pilot enjoys the old bomber’s demanding routine
Even after five seasons, Sjöstrand still found the starting routine remarkable. It took much more time and effort than starting the jets he normally flew, with priming, the flywheel starter and quick changes of hand keeping him occupied. He nevertheless found charm in that mechanical involvement. Taxiing required particular care because the nose obscured the view ahead and the aircraft needed considerable space to turn.
Pilot of restored B 17A SE-BYH. Flightpath prints his surname as Sjostrandt; Saab’s own anniversary interview identifies him as Johan Sjöstrand. His observations concern this aircraft, not every Saab 17 variant.
Flightpath / Luigino Caliaro · Read more ↗Trim and undercarriage controls
The 2023 B 17A guide labels trim and normal/emergency gear controls. This older MSFS 2020 manual does not establish unchanged MSFS 2024 operation.
17 B · Microsoft Flight Simulator · MSFS 2024
Microsoft / aircraft developers · Read more ↗Into the cockpit
YouTube Saab · 5 min ·
Saab B 17
Saab shares footage of its restored, airworthy 17A.
Related variant · restored Saab 17A; this catalogue entry identifies 17B
Watch on YouTube ↗Preview images are served by AirframeDB. Videos open on YouTube only when you choose to watch.
Meet Saab 17
The Saab 17 began at ASJA before that company became part of Saab. A single radial engine powered the all-metal mid-wing reconnaissance and dive-bombing aircraft. Versions were fitted for land, winter and maritime operation, with different undercarriage arrangements and equipment.
Saab 17
Aircraft type designators
A model-specific ICAO or FAA designator has not been confirmed in the references reviewed for this aircraft.
History & design
A working aircraft becomes a flying museum exhibit
B 17A 17239 served with the Swedish Air Force and later worked as a civilian target tug under registration SE-BYH. After withdrawal it entered museum storage. Saab’s anniversary restoration returned it to flight in June 1997, with Kjell Nordström at the controls, and restored the wartime Blue Johan markings. The aircraft’s long career spans military service, commercial work and preservation.
Flightpath / Luigino Caliaro · Sweden’s Own: Bla Johan ↗Flightpath, printed page 46 · historical status, not a current airworthiness assertion
The letters identify roles and engine variants
Saab’s history distinguishes the B 17 bomber from the S 17 reconnaissance aircraft. Production versions also differed by engine. This page covers the Saab 17 family; the pilot accounts identify the prototype or B 17A where the source does so. The simulator’s original Local Legend release specifically names the B 17A.
Saab · Pionjäråren — Saab 17, 18 och 21 ↗Manufacturer family history; simulator variant identified separately in the linked release
Development milestones
First flight: 18 May 1940
Wikipedia contributors · Saab 17 ↗Saab 17 · family/variant named by the source · Wikipedia revision 1360933848
Pilot accounts
A jet test pilot enjoys the old bomber’s demanding routine
Even after five seasons, Sjöstrand still found the starting routine remarkable. It took much more time and effort than starting the jets he normally flew, with priming, the flywheel starter and quick changes of hand keeping him occupied. He nevertheless found charm in that mechanical involvement. Taxiing required particular care because the nose obscured the view ahead and the aircraft needed considerable space to turn.
In the air, he described large stick movements and heavy roll forces at higher speeds. Power changes brought more adjustments, and an aerobatic display required planning rather than rapid improvisation. Landing returned his attention to directional control, especially as the tailwheel touched. After the work came a small pleasure: opening the side window to enjoy fresh air.
Pilot of restored B 17A SE-BYH. Flightpath prints his surname as Sjostrandt; Saab’s own anniversary interview identifies him as Johan Sjöstrand. His observations concern this aircraft, not every Saab 17 variant.
Read the full account · Flightpath / Luigino Caliaro ↗The restored aircraft’s first flight keeps its pilot busy
Nordström remembered the engine shaking the aircraft during warm-up and the poor view making taxiing laborious. After takeoff, rising oil temperature prompted a radio call to his escort pilot. Reducing engine speed and increasing airspeed brought the temperature down, allowing the planned handling checks to continue.
He found comfortable control forces in turns, but stopped accelerating when a trim problem demanded considerable effort to hold level. The landing circuit was deliberately wide, giving him time for checks and reflection. He remained alert to yaw during the rollout. Only when the aircraft slowed to taxiing pace could he take a breather.
His own recollection of the first flight with restored B 17A 17239, printed pages 124–126. The neighbouring Nihlstrand passage is a separate voice; both summaries share one source allowance.
Read the full account · Aeroplane / Jan Forsgren with Kjell Nordström ↗An operational pilot weighs the bomber’s strengths and irritations
Nihlstrand considered the B 17 conventional in the air. Coming from the A 21, he found it cumbersome, but accepted that a bomber needed a sturdy structure. Landing was less appealing: attempts to arrive fully stalled could produce repeated bounces and sometimes a ground loop.
He also questioned the undercarriage fairings used as dive brakes. In his experience, they were seldom necessary, while their effect on trim added another demand alongside watching the target and speed. Despite these frustrations, his verdict acknowledged what Saab had achieved under difficult circumstances. Pilots tolerated its peculiarities partly because their alternatives were so limited.
Quoted recollection of B 17A service with F 6 at Karlsborg, printed page 125. His comments on other engines and accident causes are not adopted as independently established findings.
Read the full account · Aeroplane / Jan Forsgren with Kjell Nordström ↗The prototype flight ends with an injured pilot bringing it home
Saab’s account of the first flight describes a problem almost immediately after takeoff. The cockpit canopy opened and began moving violently. Smith caught it with his left hand and continued flying with the other, leaving him to manage the aircraft and the loose canopy together.
Before landing, he decided to release the canopy over a field near Vreta Kloster so that both hands would be available for control. It struck his face as he let it go, cutting an eyebrow. He then brought the aircraft down while able to see through only one eye. The manufacturer records the episode as part of the prototype’s difficult introduction to flight.
Pilot experience reported in Saab’s historical retrospective, rather than a first-person interview. The event concerns the 1940 prototype, before the later production variants.
Read the full account · Saab ↗In your simulator
Systems, equipment and documentation for each developer’s aircraft.
Compare simulator versions →MSFS 202417 B
Microsoft Flight Simulator · Released
17 B
Microsoft Flight Simulator · Released
MSFS 2020Saab B 17A
Microsoft Flight Simulator · Released
Saab B 17A
Microsoft Flight Simulator · Released
Aircraft specifications
Published figures for the named real-aircraft variant. Simulator equipment and performance can differ.
| Specification | Published value |
|---|---|
| Length | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
| Wingspan | 13.7 m (44 ft 11 in) |
| Height | 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) |
| Wing area | 28.5 m² (307 sq ft) |
| Empty weight | 2,680 kg (5,908 lb) |
| Gross weight | 3,870 kg (8,532 lb) |
| Powerplant | 1 × Piaggio P.XIbis R.C.40D 14 cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 790 kW (1,060 hp) |
| Propellers | 3-bladed Piaggio P.1001 variable pitch propeller |
| Maximum speed | 435 km/h (270 mph, 235 kn) |
| Cruise speed | 370 km/h (230 mph, 200 kn) |
| Range | 1,700 km (1,100 mi, 920 nmi) |
| Service ceiling | 9,800 m (32,200 ft) |
| Rate of climb | 10 m/s (2,000 ft/min) |
Manuals & resources
Find your next read
Choose a topic for a short introduction and a link to the original source. Simulator references identify the developer and edition they cover.
Simulator documentation
Trim and undercarriage controls17 B · Microsoft Flight Simulator · MSFS 2024
The 2023 B 17A guide labels trim and normal/emergency gear controls. This older MSFS 2020 manual does not establish unchanged MSFS 2024 operation.
Legacy guide 1.0.2 · PDF page 27; 2024 roster label is 17 B, original release is B 17A
Microsoft / aircraft developers · Read the source ↗Change the cockpit language and measurement systemSaab B 17A · Microsoft Flight Simulator · MSFS 2020
The EFB Settings page switches Swedish/metric gauges and labels to English/imperial.
B 17A guide 1.0.2, 14 November 2023 · MSFS 2020, PDF pages 11–13
Microsoft / aircraft developers · Read the source ↗Find a checklist item directly in the cockpitSaab B 17A · Microsoft Flight Simulator · MSFS 2020
The checklist’s blue eye moves the view to the relevant control. It also provides an Auto Complete option.
MSFS 2020 guide · PDF page 8
Microsoft / aircraft developers · Read the source ↗Open the canopies or clear the control stick from viewSaab B 17A · Microsoft Flight Simulator · MSFS 2020
Cockpit levers open the canopies and side window. Clicking the bracket below the stick hides or restores it.
MSFS 2020 guide · PDF pages 20–22
Microsoft / aircraft developers · Read the source ↗Use the EFB for the route and airport weatherSaab B 17A · Microsoft Flight Simulator · MSFS 2020
Its map displays a World Map route; the Home page shows departure and arrival METARs.
MSFS 2020 guide · PDF page 11
Microsoft / aircraft developers · Read the source ↗Show or hide the tablet from the instrument panelSaab B 17A · Microsoft Flight Simulator · MSFS 2020
Click the button on the right side of the front panel.
MSFS 2020 guide · PDF page 14
Microsoft / aircraft developers · Read the source ↗Pilot account
A jet test pilot enjoys the old bomber’s demanding routinePilot of restored B 17A SE-BYH. Flightpath prints his surname as Sjostrandt; Saab’s own anniversary interview identifies him as Johan Sjöstrand. His observations concern this aircraft, not every Saab 17 variant.
Even after five seasons, Sjöstrand still found the starting routine remarkable. It took much more time and effort than starting the jets he normally flew, with priming, the flywheel starter and quick changes of hand keeping him occupied. He nevertheless found charm in that mechanical involvement. Taxiing required particular care because the nose obscured the view ahead and the aircraft needed considerable space to turn.
Johan Sjöstrand
Flightpath / Luigino Caliaro · Read the source ↗The restored aircraft’s first flight keeps its pilot busyHis own recollection of the first flight with restored B 17A 17239, printed pages 124–126. The neighbouring Nihlstrand passage is a separate voice; both summaries share one source allowance.
Nordström remembered the engine shaking the aircraft during warm-up and the poor view making taxiing laborious. After takeoff, rising oil temperature prompted a radio call to his escort pilot. Reducing engine speed and increasing airspeed brought the temperature down, allowing the planned handling checks to continue. He found comfortable control forces in turns, but stopped accelerating when a trim problem demanded considerable effort to hold level.
Kjell Nordström
Aeroplane / Jan Forsgren with Kjell Nordström · Read the source ↗Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Manual
Microsoft Flight Simulator aircraft manualsMicrosoft / aircraft developers SAAB17_MSFS_Manual-v2Microsoft / aircraft developersAircraft background
Saab 17Wikipedia contributors · Research background · Wikipedia revision 1360933848 · retrieved 2026-09-12 B 17 — Saabs första flygplan fyller 70 årSaab · May 2010 · manufacturer history and Johan Sjöstrand identificationResource
MSFS 2024 FAQ and edition aircraft inventoryMicrosoftDeveloper documentation
Microsoft Flight Simulator Releases Local Legend 13: The Saab B 17AMicrosoft Flight Simulator Team · 2023-11-07 · release and package scopeBuilt-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261022-v1 · 1 profile choice
Saab 17
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2024 · MSFS 2020
Saab 17: The selected loading accompanies the period military-aircraft controls.
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