FAF EFW N-20 Aiguillon (Sting / Stinger)

History of FAF EFW N-20 Aiguillon (Sting / Stinger)

Like other global aviation services at the end of World War II (1939-1945), the Swiss Air Force attempted to replenish its inventory with a fleet of modern jet fighters. This task is not easy given that the country has chosen to address its own needs through local design and development. The initiative is spearheaded by the "N-20", which features a swept-wing main wing, a single tail unit, a seat and four turbojets hidden in the main wing element.

Despite the work being done, the effort resulted in only one complete prototype, but still brought a wealth of experience to Swiss engineers at Eifgenossische Flugzeugwerke (EFW) - the Swiss Federal Aircraft Factory.

From the outset, the N-20 was designed to provide the basis for a finished service-class aircraft, but developing such a complex product required extensive research. Design work began as early as 1945, and a prototype contract was signed in May 1948.

The plane was named "Aiguillon", which means "Sting" or "Stinger".

Engineers developed a modern, advanced fighter at the timeone without a true horizontal stabilizer, and with not one or two but four engines buried in the main wing itself. These should be drawn in through openings in the leading edge of the wing and discharged through openings in the trailing edge of the wing.

Therefore, the wings themselves are thick, but are still considered effective against fighter jets. The forward and elevated position of the cockpit gives the pilot an impressive view over the nose section and around.

The front profile of the fuselage is elongated, tapering perfectly with the fins where the single vertical fin sits. The landing gear is a tricycle arrangement with twin tires on each leg for use in rough terrain.

Sulzer Swiss "Mamba" SM-1 turbofans with 1,400 lbs of thrust (each) were selected for propulsion - these engines were developed from the Armstrong West Deli Mamba turboprops in the UK.

Before any actual work on the flying prototype, the product's wooden glider has been constructed to mimic the final 3/5 scale design. The entry was called "N-20.01" and recorded its maiden flight on April 17, 1948 when it was received by "tugboat" aircraft. Since the body is mostly made of wood, the skin is made of cloth. To speed it up, the landing gear is made from a German WWII-era Messerschmitt Bf 109 propeller-driven fighter (forming the main legs) and a British de Havilland jet fighter "Vampire" (nose bone) - all retractable of.

The glider was badly damaged in a forced landing on July 1, 1949, and was not rebuilt.

The second test item became the N-20. The 02 "Arbalete" ("crossbow") and four low-thrust Turbomeca "Pimene" engines are now housed in four separate pods, arranged in an "up and down" configuration on the trailing edge of each wing. Its overall dimensions are similar to the N-20. 01 Glider shape. The aircraft made its maiden flight on November 16, 1951, and was the first domestically produced jet in Switzerland.

The Arbalete demonstrated remarkable maneuverability in the air and proved valuable in advancing the entire N-20 program.

N-20. The 10 became the full product of the N-20 program, but its initial engine gear proved underpowered, so they were redesigned to complete the prototype for the 8th launch. A branch of the N-20. The No. 10, which was supposed to solve the underpowered problem, became the "N-20.

20" designed to fit a Rolls-Royce "Avon" or Armstrong Siddeley "Sapphire" turbine at the root of each wing Jet engine. As a result, the main aircraft can be made thinner and the landing gear track narrower. However, the product never appeared.

The N-20 program was terminated by the Swiss government shortly after the implementation of the experimental N-20 in April 1952. 10. The arbalete continued to be used for research until 1954, when approximately 91 flights were recorded.

The FFA "P-16" - detailed elsewhere on this page - continued its journey to Switzerland, delivering a homemade fighter jet, the country's second attempt of its kind. But even such a product would not provide the country with a viable combat platform -- the result would be the procurement of foreign fighter types for the foreseeable future.

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