Saab RF-35 Draken AR-101, Eskadrille 729, Kongelige Danske Flyvevåbnet, Karup
Denmark ordered 20 Saab S 35XD Drakens equipped for the tactical reconnaissance role on 18 June 1968, which were designated
RF-35s by the service on 19 September that year. In addition, 20 A 35XDs (F-35s) and an eventual 12 Sk 35XD (TF-35) two-seaters were
delivered to the Royal Danish Air Force. Unlike the Swedish reconnaissance variant, the S 35E, the RF-35 had its cameras mounted in
the nose (rather than the wing bay) and so retained its cannon armament. The Danish aircraft were originally confined to day-time
reconnaissance, although from 1975 the pod-mounted ‘Red Baron’ infrared imagery system was added to give them a night time
capability. The RF-35s were used to replace the Republic RF-84F Thunderflashes flown by Eskadrille 729. Draken AR-101 (c/n 35.1101)
first flew on 14 April 1971 and was delivered to Denmark on 26 June. On 24 May 1977 the aircraft crashed into the sea near Lohals in
Denmark and was destroyed, although the pilot, Lieutenant Mogens Skyggelund, managed to eject safely. The accident was caused
by the failure of a disc in the twelfth stage of the compressor of the Svenska Flygmotor RM6C turbojet, which was later attributed to a
defect in the manufacturing process. Only two RF-35s were lost in Danish service, the first (AR-103) on 3 August 1971. The last RF-35s
were retired in December 1993, several months after the final F-35s had departed from service.