J.Forsgren Swedish Military Aircraft 1911-1926 (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 68)

Sodertelge Verkstader SW 16

  In connection with the competition for a two-seat reconnaissance airplane that would be able to operate on wheels, skis or floats, five 150-165 h.p. Benz III engines were imported from Germany. The specification was submitted to three manufacturers; AETA, which offered a land-based variant with a wing area of 42 m2 of the Thulin G, NAB with the NAB 13 (landplane) and NAB 14 (floatplane), essentially scaled-up variants of the NAB 9, and SW, which offered the SW 16. On July 15, 1917, the Kriegsamt allowed the export of the five Benz engines to Sweden.
  Already on April 11, 1917, one SW 16 had been ordered for comparative evaluation. However, after reviewing the different offers from AETA, NAB and SW on July 10, the recently-appointed Commander of the AFK, Ernst Fogman, suggested the purchase of four SW 16s. Three weeks later, the Minister of War suggested that the comparative evaluation would take place with the various operational units in northern and southwestern Sweden. In the event, none of the competing designs were built. It has been suggested that Fogman thought the matter getting the airplanes - any airplanes - into active service was paramount, with a comparative evaluation only being a waste of precious time.
  The SW 16 design appear to have been highly influenced through information provided to Carl Cederstrom by Swedish-German designer Villehad Forsmann, who at the time was employed by Siemens-Schuckert. The fuselage consisted of a veneer (front fuselage and upper fuselage decking) and fabric-covered welded steel tube frame. The area around the engine was covered by sheet metal. The wings consisted of a fabric-covered steel tube frame, with ailerons being fitted to the upper wing, otherwise being identical to those of the SW 12. Interestingly, no fin was fitted to the SW 16 prototype. The SW 16 was the first Swedish-designed airplane fitted with armament, which was to consist of a single machine gun mounted on a scarff ring and operated by the rear seat gunner/observer. From available evidence, it would appear that no gun was ever fitted though. On September 12, a second SW 16 fuselage was ordered, and delivered to Malmen. On September 26, 1917, the SW 16 prototype caught fire during the seventh and final test flight at Malmen. Both the pilot, Lieutenant Hans von Blixen-Finecke and the passenger, Lieutenant H.G. Pfeiff, were killed. It was subsequently established that the fire and resulting crash had been caused by fuel leakage. It had been intended that Pfeiff was to continue with the SW 16 field trials during the forthcoming fall exercises, due to start in late September.
  The fatal crash doomed the SW 16, with no further airplanes being ordered. However, the second SW 16 was assembled by FVM in October 1918, with the serial number 878 being issued. Apparently, it became known as ’Horungen (Bastard Child). The airplane was destroyed in a crash on April 19, 1919.

Sodertelge Verkstader SW 16 Technical Data and Performance Characteristics
   Engine: 1 x 160 h.p. Benz III inline engine
   Length: 8,76 m
   Wingspan: 13,40 m
   Height: 3,28 m
   Maximum weight: 1,350 kg
   Maximum speed: 125 km/h