FVM (Flygkompaniets Tygverkstäder på Malmen; the workshop of the Army Aviation Company at Malmen) built ten reconnaissance aircraft of own design (Henry Kjellson) in 1919. The S 18 type was powered by a 260 hp Mercedes engine. S 18 was regarded as the best Swedish design built so far.

The engines have their own history. Aircraft engines had so far been an article in short supply in Sweden.  AETA (Thulin) was the only domestic maker of aircraft engines. In order to solve the engine problem for the S 18, six surplus twin-engine bombers (AEG GV) were bought from Germany. One aircraft was lost while flying over the sea to Sweden, but were replaced with another AEG. Twelve valuable aircraft engines could be used for new-built FVM aircraft

In 1920, further five S 18s were built at Malmen..

One S 18 (code 0112, c/n 50) was transferred to the civil register in 1923 as S-ALAA. See photo below (Malmen, July 1923). Piloted by Lieutenant Hugo Montgomery, the aircraft was to participate in the arrival contest in connection to the International Aviation Fair in Gothenburg, ILUG 23. The heavily loaded aircraft crashed at the arrival to Rotterdam, which was the starting point of the contest, on the 1st of August. Montgomery, the observer Captain Liljewalch and the mechanic Oscar Axelsson died from their wounds.

Length: 14,0 m. Span: 8,7 m.  Maximum take-off weight:1,850 kg. Max. speed:156 km/h.

Updated 2010-07-12