While reading the Saab J-29 Article in Volume 13 of "International Air Power Review," I came across a cryprtic reference to the "Tyrol Incident." Apparently this had something to do with Austria deciding to buy J-29s vice G.91s. Does anyone have any info on this? Was this a strictly political thing (Austria vs. Italy), or was their some military issue involved? TIA
Don McIntyre Clarksville, TN
The Southern Tyrol is a region of north-eastern Italy, whose people are mainly native speakers of German. In the past ('50s, '60s) there have been cool relationships between these people and the Italian government, including demonstrative terroristic actions (i.e. bombs to pylons of power-lines and the like). Briefly, some of them aspired to join the northern Tyrol, belonging to Austria, in order to form a free Tyrol nation, otherwise to annex to Austria. From time to time this led to temporary political frictions between Italy and Austria, btw no military issue was ever involved. Just enforcement actions by the Italian police against armed separatists. I'd bet that Austria, a neutral cushion-county neighbouring the Warsaw Pact, in the choice was far more conditioned from being the G.91 an US/NATO-financed project, unlike the J29 that was made in the neutral Sweden.
-- Luca Beato -
I've searched exhaustively and the only incidents that show up affecting the Tyrol seem to be avalanches! I've never heard a J29 or a G91, but maybe one is much noisier than the other and prone to starting.... nah that's sounding ridiculous. But then I don't live in snowy conditions either!
Chek Change' boos' to 'bos' in address to email directly
The SAAB J-29 was an early jet fighter. A contemporary of the F-86 and MiG-15. It was nicknamed "The Flying Barrel," (if you saw a picture you'd know why) and used by Sweden and Austria. The Fiat (later Aeritalia?) G.91 looked like something akin to a smaller F-86D. It was used by Italy, Germany, Greece and Portugal. Don McIntyre Clarksville, TN
Thanks Don, I certainly have seen them - and had a kit or two of them in my time. I was just wondering if the noisiness of them might have been the issue in that area, what with it being prone to avalanches. Chek Change' boos' to 'bos' in address to email directly
Maybe they thought that at the time, but it has been proved since that jet noise is very unlikely to cause avalanches or rockfalls. IIRC, the worst they could do was a very small snowfall with an F-15/F-16 pulling a Mach 1 dive and pullout.
Nick
Quite a large one though if the pullout were not, um, completed.
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