Thulin K

Thulin K
Role	Single- or two-seat fighter
National origin	Sweden
Manufacturer	AB Thulinverken
Designer	Enoch Thulin
First flight	1917
Introduction	1917
Retired	1920
Primary user	Royal Netherlands Navy
Number built	17

The Thulin K was a Swedish naval fighter aircraft in the 1910s. It was operated by both the Swedish and Dutch armed forces.

Development

Dr. Enoch Thulin, of AB Thulinverken, designed the Thulin K in December 1916. It was a shoulder-wing monoplane of wooden construction employing wing warping for lateral control. Powered by a 90 hp Thulin A Gnôme derived rotary engine, it could be configured as a single seat or tandem seat aircraft.^[1]

Operational history

After initial flights in early 1917, the Swedish Army purchased two of the single seat K versions. However, it was more successful as an export plane; the Royal Netherlands Navy bought twelve Ks between 1917 and 1918 and three Thulin KAs. Both types were delivered without armament but the Dutch Navy fitted theirs with machine guns firing through the propeller arc and also experimented with 20 mm Madson cannons.^[1]

The aircraft's performance was good - Thulin himself broke the Swedish altitude record in it in 1919. However, on 14 May 1919^[2] Thulin's own Thulin K lost an aileron in a steep dive, crashing and killing him. The rest of the Thulin Ks were written off in 1920 and the Thulin KAs were withdrawn in 1922.

Variants

Thulin K

Single-seat production variant, two built for Flygcompaniet and twelve for the Dutch Navy.^[1]

Thulin KA

Two-seat version for the Royal Netherlands Navy, three built.^[1]

Operators

 Sweden

• Swedish Air Force

 Netherlands

Specifications (Thulin K)

Data from Green 1994^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 6.50 m (21 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 9.10 m (29 ft 10¼ in)
• Height: 2.55 m (8 ft 4 in)
• Wing area: 14.00 m² (150.7 ft²)
• Gross weight: 520 kg (1,146 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Thulin A rotary engine, 67 kW (90 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 150 km/h (93 at sea level mph)
• Service ceiling: 5,485 m (18,000 ft)

Armament

• 1 x synchronised machine gun
• 1 x 20 mm Madsen cannon

References

1. Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters. Godalming, UK: Salamander Books. p. 570. ISBN 1-85833-777-1.
2. Taylor, Michael (2001). Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War I. London: Jane's Publishing Company. p. 223. ISBN 1-85170-347-0.

External links

• Thulin type K Swedish fighter from 1917