The J35 Draken is a Swedish supersonic double delta wing jet fighter of the early Cold War era, renown for its excellent flight characteristics and unique visual appearance. Soon, pilots will have the chance to take control over one of the most iconic jet fighters of the early Cold War in War Thunder update 1.97 ‘Viking Fury’!

Saab J35D Draken, jet fighter, Sweden, VI rank.

Pros:

• Unmatched maneuverability
• Powerful engine with afterburner
• Deadly weapons

Cons:

• Limited ammo count
• Easily reaches dangerous over G maneuvers

In War Thunder, the J35 Draken will come to the game as part of update 1.97 ‘Viking Fury’, and will immediately become the new top jet fighter available to Swedish pilots with the release of the next update. The Draken is arriving to the game in one of its later variants - the J35D.

The J35D is powered by the Svenska Flygmotor RM6C turbojet engine - a licence-built version of the Rolls-Royce Mk.300 Avon - which generates 5,840 kgf under normal use and up to 7830 kgf with active use of the afterburner. Translated into less scientific numbers, the powerful engine allows the J35D to reach a top speed in excess of 2,150 km/h at an altitude of 11,000m.

While no doubt very impressive numbers, this doesn’t quite put the J35D on an even playing field with some of the other top performers of other nations, capable of reaching Mach 2 speeds. However, the J35D does hold a significant advantage over its potential opponents, far more impactful than being able to fly at twice the speed sound - namely, unmatched maneuverability.

Thanks to a combination of its double delta wing design and highly powerful turbojet engine, the J35 Draken is a highly unstable aircraft. What sounds like a negative trait at first, is actually a highly desirable quality for jet fighters as it makes them more maneuverable and responsive. As a result, the Draken will become the most agile jet fighter in the game compared to its immediate adversaries upon its arrival to the game.

Furthermore, the Draken was the first aircraft to pioneer the so called ‘Cobra Maneuver’ - a skillful maneuver initially trained by Swedish pilots as a counter to super stalls, which can however be used defensively in dogfights too in order to lose pursuers and gain an upper hand on your opponent. This maneuver can be replicated by skilled pilots in War Thunder too and we’re already looking forward to seeing what some members of the community will be able to achieve with it!

As far as firepower is concerned, the J35D is a fighter through and through. Armed with a pair of 30mm cannons, with 90 rounds of ammo per gun as its primary weapons, pilots will need to ensure utmost trigger discipline and accuracy in order to make the most out of their guns. Fortunately, the Draken can be further equipped with up to four Rb24 air-to-air missiles in order to expand its abilities during combat. Although not dedicated to it, the Draken can also be used to a limited degree in the ground attack role, thanks to the ability of mounting two types of unguided rockets.

The highly anticipated J35D Draken is arriving to the aerial battlefields of War Thunder very soon™ and will become available to all pilots as the new top Swedish jet fighter with the release of the upcoming update 1.97 ‘Viking Fury’! We’ll see you there pilots!

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