{"id":3216383,"date":"2026-06-30T17:08:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T15:08:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T09:47:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T07:47:33","slug":"saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/","title":{"rendered":"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style><p>Most fighters carry the engine in the nose and the propeller out front. The Swedish Saab 21 did the opposite: it put the engine behind the pilot and the propeller at the very back, spinning between two slender tail booms. It was an elegant answer to an old problem &mdash; a clear nose for a heavy battery of guns and a superb forward view &mdash; but it created a lethal new one. How does a pilot bail out without being cut to pieces by the propeller turning directly behind him?<\/p><p>Saab&rsquo;s solution was an ejection seat, making the J21 one of the first operational aircraft in the world to carry one. And then, in a feat almost no other design ever managed, the entire aircraft was rebuilt as a jet.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border:1px solid #d6e0ff;border-radius:8px;padding:16px 20px;margin:22px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#1a1a1a\">Quick Facts<\/p><table style=\"border-collapse:collapse;font-size:15px\"><tr><td style=\"padding:6px 14px 6px 0;color:#555;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap\"><strong>Type<\/strong><\/td><td style=\"padding:6px 0;color:#222\">Swedish single-seat fighter (twin-boom)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td style=\"padding:6px 14px 6px 0;color:#555;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap\"><strong>Piston version (J21A)<\/strong><\/td><td style=\"padding:6px 0;color:#222\">Daimler-Benz DB 605B driving a pusher propeller; first flight 30 July 1943; in service December 1945<\/td><\/tr><tr><td style=\"padding:6px 14px 6px 0;color:#555;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap\"><strong>Safety first<\/strong><\/td><td style=\"padding:6px 0;color:#222\">A Bofors ejection seat &mdash; one of the first on any operational aircraft, needed because of the rear propeller<\/td><\/tr><tr><td style=\"padding:6px 14px 6px 0;color:#555;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap\"><strong>Jet version (Saab 21R)<\/strong><\/td><td style=\"padding:6px 0;color:#222\">de Havilland Goblin turbojet; first flew 10 March 1947; Saab&rsquo;s first jet<\/td><\/tr><tr><td style=\"padding:6px 14px 6px 0;color:#555;vertical-align:top;white-space:nowrap\"><strong>Rare distinction<\/strong><\/td><td style=\"padding:6px 0;color:#222\">With the Soviet Yak-15, one of only two fighters successfully converted from piston to jet power<\/td><\/tr><\/table><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Engine at the back, guns at the front<\/h2><p>The pusher layout was deliberate. With a licence-built Daimler-Benz DB 605B and its propeller mounted at the rear of the fuselage nacelle, the nose was free to carry a dense concentration of cannon and machine guns, and the pilot enjoyed an unobstructed view forward. The Saab 21 first flew on 30 July 1943 and entered service in December 1945. The catch was obvious to everyone who looked at it: the propeller arc sat exactly where a pilot would tumble if he tried to jump.<\/p><h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">One of the first ejection seats in the world<\/h2><p>Saab&rsquo;s engineers studied several escape methods, including blowing off the propeller or the whole engine with explosive charges before the pilot bailed out. In the end they adopted an ejection seat developed by the defence firm Bofors, fired by a cartridge to throw the pilot up and clear of the blades. It made the J21 one of the first operational aircraft anywhere to be fitted with an ejection seat &mdash; a technology that would go on to save thousands of lives.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px\"><img data-opt-id=68249313  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/saab-j21r-jet.jpg\" alt=\"The jet-powered Saab J21R\" style=\"display:block;width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:6px\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">The jet-powered Saab J21R, preserved at the Swedish Air Force Museum. The de Havilland Goblin replaced the piston engine and propeller. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">From propeller to jet<\/h2><p>In 1947 Saab did something almost no one else achieved: it turned its piston fighter into a jet. The DB 605 and its propeller were removed and a British de Havilland Goblin turbojet installed in their place, breathing through an intake beneath the nose and exhausting between the booms. More than half of the airframe had to be changed. The first 21R flew on 10 March 1947 in the hands of test pilot &Aring;ke Sund&eacute;n, and it became Saab&rsquo;s first jet aircraft.<\/p><p>Only one other fighter in history made the same leap successfully &mdash; the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-15. The Saab 21 is, almost uniquely, an aircraft that carried its country into the jet age using the body it had already flown as a propeller fighter. Put the propeller where nobody else would, solve the resulting danger with one of the world&rsquo;s first ejection seats, then keep the airframe and change the engine for a jet: pragmatic, contrarian, and unmistakably Swedish engineering.<\/p><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;font-style:italic;margin-top:18px\">Sources: Wikipedia; Plane-Encyclopedia.<\/p><!-- mf-faq -->\n\n<div class=\"mf-faq-block\"><style>.mf-faq-block{margin:34px 0}.mf-faq-item:not([open]) .mf-faq-answer{display:none !important}.mf-faq-block h2.mf-faq-h{padding-top:22px;margin-bottom:14px}.mf-faq-item{border:1px solid #e2e8f5;border-radius:8px;margin:0 0 10px;background:#fff}.mf-faq-item summary{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;padding:15px 50px 15px 18px;font-weight:600;color:#1a1a1a;position:relative;line-height:1.45}.mf-faq-item summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mf-faq-item summary::after{content:\"+\";position:absolute;right:18px;top:50%;transform:translateY(-50%);font-size:1.5em;color:#5C91FF}.mf-faq-item[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mf-faq-answer{padding:14px 18px;color:#333;line-height:1.6}.mf-faq-answer p{margin:0}<\/style><h2 class=\"mf-faq-h\">Related Questions<\/h2><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>What was the Saab 21?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The Saab 21 was a Swedish single-seat fighter of the 1940s with an unusual twin-boom layout and a pusher propeller mounted behind the pilot. It first flew in 1943 and was later rebuilt as a jet, the Saab 21R.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>Why did the Saab 21 have a pusher propeller?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>Mounting the engine and propeller at the rear left the nose free for a heavy concentration of guns and gave the pilot excellent forward visibility. The trade-off was the danger the rear propeller posed to a pilot trying to bail out.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>Did the Saab 21 have an ejection seat?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>Yes. Because the propeller sat directly behind the pilot, Saab fitted a Bofors-developed ejection seat so the pilot could escape without striking the blades. It was one of the first operational aircraft in the world with an ejection seat.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>What was the Saab 21R?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The Saab 21R was the jet-powered version of the piston-engined Saab 21. A de Havilland Goblin turbojet replaced the engine and propeller, and it became the first jet aircraft built by Saab, first flying on 10 March 1947.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>Is the Saab 21 the only aircraft that was both prop and jet?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>It is one of only two fighters successfully converted from piston power to jet power. The other was the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-15. This makes the Saab 21 a very rare example of an airframe that served in both forms.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>When did the Saab 21 first fly?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The piston-engined Saab 21 first flew on 30 July 1943 and entered service in December 1945. The jet-powered 21R first flew on 10 March 1947.<\/p><\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What was the Saab 21?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Saab 21 was a Swedish single-seat fighter of the 1940s with an unusual twin-boom layout and a pusher propeller mounted behind the pilot. It first flew in 1943 and was later rebuilt as a jet, the Saab 21R.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why did the Saab 21 have a pusher propeller?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Mounting the engine and propeller at the rear left the nose free for a heavy concentration of guns and gave the pilot excellent forward visibility. The trade-off was the danger the rear propeller posed to a pilot trying to bail out.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Did the Saab 21 have an ejection seat?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Because the propeller sat directly behind the pilot, Saab fitted a Bofors-developed ejection seat so the pilot could escape without striking the blades. It was one of the first operational aircraft in the world with an ejection seat.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What was the Saab 21R?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Saab 21R was the jet-powered version of the piston-engined Saab 21. A de Havilland Goblin turbojet replaced the engine and propeller, and it became the first jet aircraft built by Saab, first flying on 10 March 1947.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is the Saab 21 the only aircraft that was both prop and jet?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It is one of only two fighters successfully converted from piston power to jet power. The other was the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-15. This makes the Saab 21 a very rare example of an airframe that served in both forms.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When did the Saab 21 first fly?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The piston-engined Saab 21 first flew on 30 July 1943 and entered service in December 1945. The jet-powered 21R first flew on 10 March 1947.\"}}]}<\/script><!-- \/mf-faq -->\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/how-the-ejection-seat-was-invented\/\">How the Ejection Seat Was Invented<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most fighters carry the engine in the nose and the propeller out front. The Swedish Saab 21 did the opposite: it put the engine behind the pilot and the propeller at the very back, spinning between two slender tail booms. It was an elegant answer to an old problem &mdash; a clear nose for a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":3216303,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3216383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet | MiGFlug.com Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Most fighters carry the engine in the nose and the propeller out front. The Swedish Saab 21 did the opposite: it put the engine behind the pilot and\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet | MiGFlug.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Most fighters carry the engine in the nose and the propeller out front. The Swedish Saab 21 did the opposite: it put the engine behind the pilot and\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MiGFlug.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-30T15:08:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-01T07:47:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"604\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"418\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/da89e4a5834c9a932ee20751ed75569c\"},\"headline\":\"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-30T15:08:01+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-01T07:47:33+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":855,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Military Aviation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet | MiGFlug.com Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-30T15:08:01+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-01T07:47:33+00:00\",\"description\":\"Most fighters carry the engine in the nose and the propeller out front. The Swedish Saab 21 did the opposite: it put the engine behind the pilot and\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg\",\"width\":604,\"height\":418,\"caption\":\"The Saab J21, with its rear-mounted pusher propeller\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug.com Blog\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\/\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\/w:897\\/h:278\\/q:mauto\\/ig:avif\\/https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\/w:897\\/h:278\\/q:mauto\\/ig:avif\\/https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/jetflights\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"width\":897,\"height\":278,\"caption\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/MiGFlug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/migflug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/migflug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MiGFlug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/migflug.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ch\\\/migflug\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/da89e4a5834c9a932ee20751ed75569c\",\"name\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\"},\"description\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald writes MiGFlug\u2019s technical deep-dives \u2014 engines, avionics and weapons systems, with every number checked twice.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/author\\\/maxgruenwald\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet | MiGFlug.com Blog","description":"Most fighters carry the engine in the nose and the propeller out front. The Swedish Saab 21 did the opposite: it put the engine behind the pilot and","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet | MiGFlug.com Blog","og_description":"Most fighters carry the engine in the nose and the propeller out front. The Swedish Saab 21 did the opposite: it put the engine behind the pilot and","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/","og_site_name":"MiGFlug.com Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","article_published_time":"2026-06-30T15:08:01+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-07-01T07:47:33+00:00","og_image":[{"width":604,"height":418,"url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@migflug","twitter_site":"@migflug","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/"},"author":{"name":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/da89e4a5834c9a932ee20751ed75569c"},"headline":"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet","datePublished":"2026-06-30T15:08:01+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-01T07:47:33+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/"},"wordCount":855,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg","articleSection":["Military Aviation"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/","name":"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet | MiGFlug.com Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg","datePublished":"2026-06-30T15:08:01+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-01T07:47:33+00:00","description":"Most fighters carry the engine in the nose and the propeller out front. The Swedish Saab 21 did the opposite: it put the engine behind the pilot and","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/saab-j21-pusher-fighter.jpg","width":604,"height":418,"caption":"The Saab J21, with its rear-mounted pusher propeller"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/saab-21-pusher-prop-and-jet-fighter\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Fighter That Flew as Both Prop and Jet"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/","name":"MiGFlug.com Blog","description":"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#organization","name":"MiGFlug GmbH","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","width":897,"height":278,"caption":"MiGFlug GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","https:\/\/x.com\/migflug","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/migflug\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MiGFlug","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/migflug.com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ch\/migflug\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/da89e4a5834c9a932ee20751ed75569c","name":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald"},"description":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald writes MiGFlug\u2019s technical deep-dives \u2014 engines, avionics and weapons systems, with every number checked twice.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/author\/maxgruenwald\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3216383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3216383"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3216383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3216394,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3216383\/revisions\/3216394"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3216303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3216383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3216383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3216383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}