Federal Aircraft Factory C-3605
| C-3605 «Tow» | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Tow plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
1968 |
| Commissioning: |
1969 |
| Production time: |
since 1969 |
| Number of pieces: |
23 conversions from C-3603 ( matriculation between C-464 and C-558 ) |
The C-3605 from the manufacturer Eidgenössisches Flugzeugwerk (F + W) is a tow plane that was commissioned by the Swiss Air Force in 1969 . Since the original model, the C-36, was still developed and produced at the Swiss Federal Design Workshop in Thun, that unit of the Swiss Armed Forces production is often named as the manufacturer.
history
Since 1940, 40 C-3603 aircraft have been used for the drag target service of the Swiss Air Force. Due to the aging of the Hispano-Suiza -HS-51 aircraft engines, a new development was necessary for this task in the early 1960s. One weakness of the engines was that they were overstressed in towing operations, which led to difficulties with the cylinder blocks and caused leaks in the cooling system.
Therefore, in 1963, a specification was drawn up for the proposed replacement aircraft and the following aircraft types were tested:
- Fairey Gannet Mk4
- North American T-28D Trojan
- SFERMA Marquis
- North American Rockwell OV-10 A Bronco
- Pilatus Turbo Porter PC-6 / B1-HS
- Short Skyvan
- Dornier Do 28 Skyservant
- Mitsubishi MU-2
However, these aircraft failed either because of the requirements of the specification, too expensive conversion work or disproportionately high acquisition costs.
As a result, the Federal Aircraft Factory (F + W) in Emmen, under the direction of chief engineer Jürg Branger, was commissioned to provide a replacement. The plant was able to fulfill these obligations within a very short period of time, and in 1969 work began on converting 23 C-3603 tow planes.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| span | 13.74 m |
| length | 12.93 m |
| height | 4.10 m |
| Max. Takeoff weight | 3716 kg |
| Top speed | 410 km / h |
| Optimal cruising speed | |
| Service ceiling | 5000 m |
| Range | 1000 km |
| crew | Max. 2 |
| Engines | 1 × Turboprop Lycoming T53 -L-7 A |
literature
- Jakob Urech, Emil Hunziker: The airplanes of the Swiss Air Force since 1914. Ed. By the Dept. of the military airfields Dübendorf, Verlag Th. Gut & Co, 1st edition. Stäfa 1974.
