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FVM J23

1923 GOLDEN AGE X-PLANE

History of the FVM J23

The FVM J23 is a single-seat, single-engine fighter jet, originating from the Swedish Flygcompaniets Verkstader at Maimen (FVM). Its design is credited to engineers Henry Kjellson and Ivar Malmar.

Work on the fighter began in 1922, but structural deficiencies largely ended the program in the long run, with only a handful of examples completed before the end.

The J23 is primarily a post-World War I legacy fighter design, except for its elevated "parasol" wing main aircraft. As usual, it mounted the engine in the nose and housed individual pilots in an open-air cockpit above the midship. The high-mounted nature of the main aircraft allows the pilot to see above and below the crew, improving basic out-of-cockpit visibility. This was further improved by cutting away part of the trailing edge of the element to better serve the pilot. Additionally, the aircraft relies on a sleek tapered fuselage, fixed tail-tow landing gear, and a single-tail fin.

The entire building is constructed of wood.

Dimensions include a length of 22.7 feet, a wingspan of 36.10 feet, and a height of 8.3 feet. Curb weight reaches 1,700 lbs and maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 2,175 lbs.

Power comes from a BMW IIIa 185 hp 6-cylinder in-line engine that drives the twin-blade front-mounted propeller unit in conventional tractor fashion. Ultimately, performance specs include a top speed of 122 mph, a service ceiling of 26,000 feet and a rate of climb of nearly 1,063 feet per minute.

Standard armament consists of 2 x 8mm m/22 series machine guns, synchronised to fire through rotating propeller blades. While seemingly unremarkable, the twin-gun arrangement was the long-standing standard for postwar fighters.

The project culminated in the production of five airworthy prototypes. In 1923 they were exhibited at the International Air Show in Gothenburg and were extensively flight tested until March of the following year.

At this point in the program, a test pilot (Axel Norberg) died in an accident due to a malfunction of the main aircraft. The event permanently derailed the program, and interest in the dangerous aircraft soon dwindled to zero, although structural changes were made to address weaknesses.

With the completion of the program, the J23 was completely scrapped and all associated airframes were subsequently destroyed. The successor, the FVM J24/J24B, became a promising offshoot of the J23, although it was now equipped with a more traditional biplane wing layout deemed safer by the Swedish military authorities, as well as more powerful engines.

The only prototype was beaten in the competition by the French Newport 29C biplane due to poor performance.