The 2 seat light tourer was designed in the United States by Bjorn Andreasson, and the prototype BA-7 first flew on Oct 10, 1958. Development and production was taken over by Swedish company A.B. Malmo Flygindustri who designated the aircraft as the MFI-9 Junior. The first flight of their occured on May 17, 1961. Production rights were subsequently licenced to Bolkow Apparatebau of Germany in 1962. The licence built aircraft was designated the BO208 Junior. Further development in 1964 saw the BO208B with electric flaps, an improved undercarriage, and an optional longer wing. The BO208C featured the longer wing as standard.
MFI also continued development with the MFI-9A with a larger cabin also appearing in 1964. The MFI-9B was aimed at the military trainer market and included underwing hardpoints. Subsequent development of the enlarged 2-3 seat MFI-15 which first flew on July 11, 1969, lead to the MFI-17 military trainer produced by Saab and used by Denmark.
The side by side 2 seater with the distinctive shoulder wing has been popular in New Zealand, with 10 appearing on the civil register. All currently survive (September 1, 1999). They are ZK-CJA (c/n 542), CJB (c/n 543), CJE (c/n 562), CJF (c/n 564), CJG (c/n 601), CJH (c/n 607), CJI (c/n 603), CJK (c/n 618), CJL (c/n 643), EDH (c/n 649),
Last Update:- 3 November, 2000
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