Swiss Air Force 'Clunks'

**Spinners** · January 14, 2021

Avro Canada CF-100 Mk.4 - Fliegerstaffel 16, Swiss Air Force, 1965

The EFW N-20.10 Aiguillon was planned to be Switzerland's first indigenous jet fighter aircraft and was based upon an advanced design for a four-engined swept-wing fighter by the Swiss Federal Aircraft Factory. Taking shape in the early post-war years this ambitious aircraft was to be powered by four turbofan engines buried in the wings with provision that two engines could be shut down in flight to increase range.

As the Swiss aircraft industry had no experience with advanced aerodynamics or jet aircraft it was planned that several wind tunnel models would be produced followed by the EFW N-20.01 a 3/5th scale powered glider planned to allow testing of the novel wing shape. The wooden EFW N-20.01 had fabric covered control surfaces and was equipped with a JATO solid rocket motor. To speed development (and reduce cost) the nose gear came from a de Havilland Vampire whilst the main landing gear came from a Messerschmitt Bf 109. First flown on April 17th, 1948 the N-20.01 was destroyed in a landing accident on July 1st, 1949 at Emmen air force base but had demonstrated generally good handling characteristics allowing EFW to proceed onto the EFW N-20.02 Arbalète powered by four 220lbs thrust Turboméca Piméné turbojets mounted above and below the wings. This aircraft first flew on November 16th, 1951 and demonstrated good manoeuvrability and eventually reached a maximum speed of 466 mph. Almost concurrently, the definitive EFW N-20.10 Aiguillon was taking shape but the planned Mamba SM-1 turbofans were way down on thrust. The prototype was completed in early 1952 and flew briefly in an unplanned 'hop' during a taxi test on April 8th, 1952 but development of the engine and aircraft was abruptly cancelled by the Swiss Federal Government later in the month.

As a replacement, in October 1952 the Swiss Federal Government placed an order with Avro Canada for 50 CF-100 Mark 4 Canuck two-seat all-weather interceptor aircraft. Deliveries commenced during August 1955 and the Swiss CF-100's were initially armed with eight 0.5-inch Browning M3 guns (with 200 rounds per gun) in a forward firing ventral gun pack but were upgraded in the early 1960's to carry the AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missile on new wing pylons. The upgraded CF-100's were introduced into Swiss Air Force service by Fliegerstaffel 16 and remained in service until 1968 when the remaining CF-100's were replaced by BAC Lightning F.Mk.58's.