Scottish Aviation SA-3 Bulldog
The Scottish Aviation Bulldog was a British two-seat, side-by-side basic trainer developed from the Beagle B.121 Pup after Beagle Aircraft collapsed, with the prototype flying on 19 May 1969 at Shoreham. Sweden was its largest early customer, taking 78 aircraft under the military designation Sk 61 from 1971, split between air force Sk 61A/B trainers and Sk 61C aircraft first operated by the Swedish Army for liaison and light weapons training. Scottish Aviation, later part of British Aerospace, built 328 Bulldogs in total between 1969 and 1982 for air forces and flying clubs worldwide. Sweden withdrew its last Sk 61s from service by 2001, after three decades as a trainer.
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Did you know?
Unlike most basic trainers, the Bulldog seats its crew side-by-side — a layout inherited from its Beagle Pup parent.
Specifications
| Length | 7 m (23 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 10 m (33 ft) |
| Height | 2.7 m (9 ft) |
| Persons on board | 3 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 1 t |
| Range | 540 NM (1,000 km) |
| Service ceiling | 17,000 ft (5,182 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 15,000 ft (4,572 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 450 m (1,476 ft) |
| Landing distance | 500 m (1,640 ft) |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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