The company hired strong engineers

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and began producing the Junkers Ju 86k twin-engine bomber. Meanwhile, Bofors' competitor ASJ, which had specialized in railway infrastructure since the early 20th century, founded the ASJA aircraft manufacturing division in 1930 and also began producing aircraft. The parties were summoned to Stockholm for negotiations. As a result, a joint company, AB Förenade Flygverkstäder (AFF), was created, which was supposed to divide production between the two competing factories. But the cooperation did not work out: ASJA did not want to share experience and secretly developed its own aircraft, the L10, which would later be used as a reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber sa data under the name Saab 17. To save the collaboration, difficult negotiations had to be undertaken.

As a result of numerous business transformations (closures, mergers, name changes and relocations), Saab acquired ASJA. And just in time, because there were still a couple of years left before the Second World War. Work in the Saab workshops continued more intensively than ever. A new bomber, the Saab 18, was developed, and its first flight took place in 1942. And in 1941, the company introduced the Saab 21 fighter, which had an unusual design: the engine and propeller were located behind the pilot, in order to accommodate large-caliber machine guns in the nose. The Saab 21 was also one of the first serial aircraft in the world to be equipped with an ejection seat for the pilot.

A total of 300 of these aircraft were produced. They were in active service with the Swedish Air Force until 1953. From airplanes to cars After the war, when the need for military equipment declined, Saab began looking for ways to diversify its business. Among other things, civil aviation and completely opposite projects, from casting fishing rods and reels to prefabricated metal buildings, were discussed. Finally, the choice was made in favor of cars. Even before the war, Germany began developing the Volkswagen Beetle, which would become very popular in the late 1940s. The German company DKW also had success with similar cars. After the war, the need for small, inexpensive cars for family use grew throughout Europe.