Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia


General information
Type	Ground-attack aircraft
National origin	Switzerland
Manufacturer	EKW
Primary user	Swiss Air Force
Number built	175
History
Introduction date	1942
First flight	15 May 1939
Variants	F+W C-3605

The EKW C-36 is a Swiss multi-purpose combat aircraft of the 1930s and 1940s, built by the Eidgenoessische Konstruktionswerkstaette. It was a single-engined monoplane with a crew of two. It entered service during World War II in 1942, and despite being obsolete, remained in front line use until the early 1950s, and as a target tug until 1987. Development and design In 1935, the Swiss Air Force developed a requirement for a replacement for the Fokker C.V-E biplanes, which were used as reconnaissance aircraft, escort fighters and patrol aircraft. To meet this requirement, the Swiss Federal Constructions Works (EKW) proposed two designs, a modernised C.V, the EKW C-35 and an all new monoplane, the C-36. Orders for 80 C-35s were placed in 1936, but no decision was made about whether to order the C-36, with preference being given to the purchase of foreign twin-engined aircraft for the role, attempts been made to buy Messerschmitt Bf 110s from Germany or Potez 63s from France. These attempts failed, however, and in 1938 approval was given for EKW to complete detailed design of the C-36 and to build a prototype.

Variants

C-3601: First prototype with long-span wings, fixed undercarriage and powered by 641 kW (860 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12YCrs engine.
C-3602: Second prototype powered by 746 kW (1,000 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12 Y-51.

C-3603

Production version with retractable undercarriage, powered by Hispano-Suiza 12 Y-51. Armed by one 20mm Oerlikon moteur-canon cannon firing through propeller hub, two 7.5mm machine guns in the wings and two machine guns in the rear cockpit.

C-3603-0: Service trial aircraft with long-span (15.10 m (48 ft 6½ in)) wings. 10 built, of which 9 were later converted to C-3603-1 standard.
C-3603-1: Main production version, with short span (13.74 m (45 ft 1 in)) wings. 142 built by 1944, plus further 6 assembled from spare parts in 1947–48. 20 converted to target tugs (Schlepp) from 1946 by Farner Werke, and 40 (including surviving original conversions) to improved standard by FFA and Farner from 1953–54.

C-3603-1 Tr

Advanced trainer version. Two built.

C-3604: More powerful and heavier armed derivative of C-3603, powered by 929 kW (1,245 hp) Saurer YS-2 (a more powerful Swiss development of the Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51) and carrying an extra two 20mm cannon in its wings. One prototype and twelve production aircraft built.
C-3605: Turboprop version with Lycoming T53 engine (24 converted from C-3603-1). It was much larger and also more powerful than the C-3601, with a maximum speed of 560km/h or 296mph.

Eidgenössische Konstruktionswerkstätte.

Eidgenössische Konstruktionswerkstätte
F+W C-36, Ground-attack aircraft
First flight 15 May 1939 Variants F+W C-3605.

General Info

Crew: Two
Length: 10.23 m (33 ft 2.33 in)
Wingspan: 13.74 m (45 ft 1 in)
Height: 3.29 m (10 ft 9.5 in)
Wing area: 28.4 m² (305.7 sq ft)

Powerplant

- Empty weight: 2,315 kg (5,103 lb)
- Gross weight: 4,085 kg (9,006 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51 V12, 746 kW (1,000 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 476 km/h (296 mph, 257 kn)
Range: 680 km (425 mi, 369 nmi)
Endurance: 2 hours
Service ceiling: 8,700 m (28,550 ft)
Rate of climb: 10.4 m/s (2,050 ft/min)

Related Development

Related development
- F+W C-3605
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Ilyushin Il-2

Special Links Eidgenössische Konstruktionswerkstätte

Links to Youtube & Others

The plane operated faithfully in the target towing role, exceeding its expected 10 year structural life. However, by the mid 1980s, the aging aircraft had begun to show signs of airframe fatigue. This led to the decision to retire the type from service in 1987 with the surviving aircraft being sold off and replaced by converted Pilatus PC-9s in the target-towing role

F+W C-36, Attack First flight 15 May 1939

Flight testing showed that the prototype C-3605 possessed satisfactory flight characteristics, and the conversion of 23 C-3603 aircraft to C-3605 standard began.

Youtube Link

The aircraft were delivered by F+W between 1971 and January 1973

Eidgenössische Konstruktionswerkstätte
F+W C-36, Ground Attack
First flight 15 May 1939
Variants F+W C-3605