The Mitsubishi MU-2, built in postwar Japan, continues to fly in active service overseas, with a total of 762 aircraft exported to 26 countries worldwide. Saab owns 5 MU-2Bs, 4 of which remain in active operation.
The Mitsubishi MU-2, an aircraft built in postwar Japan, made its first flight in 1963, and production ended in 1986. Total production reached 762 aircraft, more than 90% of which were exported to 26 countries worldwide. No aircraft remain in Japan today, but some continue to fly overseas.
Sweden’s Saab, considered the largest MU-2 operator in Europe, owns 5 MU-2Bs, 4 of which remain in active service. They are used to support radar training for the Swedish Air Force.
The MU-2’s high performance is attributable in part to its high cruising speed and its ability to take off and land on short runways. These capabilities were made possible by an airframe design that used spoilers instead of ailerons and incorporated powerful flaps extending across almost the entire width of the wing’s trailing edge.
The spoiler configuration made speed control difficult, however, and there was a period when accidents occurred. As its handling characteristics and training methods were established, accidents declined, leading to a renewed appreciation of the MU-2’s high performance.