HA-22 SUPER SAETA TO FLY AGAIN
Fundación Infante de Orleans announced that they have begun returning the very rare Hispano HA -220 Super Saeta Ground attack aircraft to an airworthy condition.
The Fundación Infante de Orleans is a museum of historic aircraft in airworthy condition whose origin dates back to 1984 when a group of aviation professionals created the Historic Aircraft Section of the José Luis Aresti Aeroclub. To consolidate this initiative, the Foundation was established in 1989, with the aim of collecting the widest possible collection of aircraft that have played a prominent role in the development of Spanish aeronautics. The foundation's aircraft collection currently has 41 airworthy aircraft which represent a very important period in Spanish aeronautical history.
Photo by: Spotter LEVT
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The Ha-220 is the single-seat ground-attack version of the Ha-200 Saeta, which was the first Spanish jet, the first Spanish aircraft with a pressurized cabin, and also the first Spanish aircraft exported. This variant, with greater engine power and better performance than the original, became the first military jet ground-attack aircraft manufactured in Spain.
The Air Force contracted the acquisition of 25 units in 1967, with self-sealing tanks instead of the rear seat, more powerful engines than those of the HA-200, MATRA 38 containers for rockets and underwing mounts for drop charges. The first flight was made on April 25, 1970 and they entered service in 1973 in the 406 Squadron of Villanubla (Valladolid) and finally in the 214 of Morón de la Frontera (Seville).
The Super Saeta from the Fundación Infante de Orleans collection is serial number 22/107. She received military registration A.10C-102 and fuselage number 214-102. Discharged from the Air Force in 1981 at the Morón base, it passed to the Fundación Aérea de la Comunidad Valenciana before being acquired by the Fundación Infante de Orleans.
