EFW N-20 Aiguillon
Although the Japanese Maritime Self defense force is my 2024 main project, I also have a smaller one that I´m currently working on, “Switzerland´s Cold War prototype planes”.
Unknown to many, the Swiss developed a series of very interesting Combat Planes between 1945-91 and I will cover some of them this year.
The EFW N-20 Aiguillon (meaning Stinger in English) was the first jet fighter that was designed on Switzerland and, at least to my knowledge, the only four-engine jet fighter ever built. Development of this aircraft started in 1945 and in 1948 a contract to build a prototype was signed.
Switzerland built during WW2 (under license) propeller planes like the French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 and they were extremely interested in continuing building their own combat planes during the Cold War. The Aiguillon was the first.
Since jet engines were still in their infancy during the late 40s, the Swiss tried developing their own engine, in this case the Swiss Mamba SM-1; this was in fact a Armstrong Siddeley Mamba turboprop in which the propeller reduction gear was replaced by a low pressure compressor. The design of the new fighter was limited to the need of having enough space to house the four engines that would be necessary to achieve a maximum desirable speed of 1095km/h.
To know more about the history of the Aiguillon, click here for the next picture:
www.flickr.com/photos/einon/53847813564
Eínon
EFW N-20 Aiguillon
Although the Japanese Maritime Self defense force is my 2024 main project, I also have a smaller one that I´m currently working on, “Switzerland´s Cold War prototype planes”.
Unknown to many, the Swiss developed a series of very interesting Combat Planes between 1945-91 and I will cover some of them this year.
The EFW N-20 Aiguillon (meaning Stinger in English) was the first jet fighter that was designed on Switzerland and, at least to my knowledge, the only four-engine jet fighter ever built. Development of this aircraft started in 1945 and in 1948 a contract to build a prototype was signed.
Switzerland built during WW2 (under license) propeller planes like the French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 and they were extremely interested in continuing building their own combat planes during the Cold War. The Aiguillon was the first.
Since jet engines were still in their infancy during the late 40s, the Swiss tried developing their own engine, in this case the Swiss Mamba SM-1; this was in fact a Armstrong Siddeley Mamba turboprop in which the propeller reduction gear was replaced by a low pressure compressor. The design of the new fighter was limited to the need of having enough space to house the four engines that would be necessary to achieve a maximum desirable speed of 1095km/h.
To know more about the history of the Aiguillon, click here for the next picture:
www.flickr.com/photos/einon/53847813564
Eínon