Switzerland's venture in to jet aviation: The F+W N.20.1

[zanenobbs]

Here's a little gem just completed! Switzerland lost no time at the conclusion of WWII in pursuing the new jet technology for an indigenous jet fighter. The first project was a scaled down version of the final design designated as the F+W N.20.1, a glider with a second seat in the fuselage for an observer and a Jet Assist Takeoff (JATO) engine. In 1948 the N.20.1 was also able to takeoff independently with the JATO bringing Switzerland into the jet age. Later this aircraft crashed and could not be salvaged. This was followed by the F+W N.20.2 Arbalete (Crossbow) with 4x Turbomeca Piméné axial-flow turbojets jets placed above and below the wings. Finally, the full-size F+W N.20.10 was completed by 1953 with 4x Swiss Mamba SM-01 axial-flow turbojets, placed vertically inside the wings, but then abandon. The last endeavor was the Flug-und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein FFA P-16 of 1955 powered by an Armstrong Siddeley ASSa.6 Sapphire axial-flow turbojet, also abandon, but leading to the Learjet 23 business jet! Kits are all 1/72 with 1, 2, and 3 by Dujin, and 4 by IRMA. This kit is long out-of-production, as our dear Jean-Pierre Dujin passed on in 2010.