"Aiguillon" N-20.10: Swiss Fighter Jet

Markus Nussbaumer

Peter is now well over 80 years old. As an electrical engineer, he acquired a vast amount of expertise, which has taken him far in life. The fact that he undertook a project like “Aiguillon N-20” is a testament to his extraordinary perseverance and his appreciation for the pioneering spirit of the engineers of that era.

Peter’s photographic documentation of the entire construction process is exemplary. Before building the large Aiguillon, Peter Meier constructs a test model on a 1:15 scale. Peter then incorporates the lessons learned from this model into the construction of the N-20 on a 1:7.5 scale. All with the goal of ensuring that the finished model would still fit in a car. To that end, Peter devised a system that allows him to disassemble the model into “manageable” pieces, which should make transporting it to the airfield much easier. But let’s take it one step at a time.

Thanks to good connections with the Aviation Museum in Dübendorf, Peter has access to the original aircraft, where he can study countless details by taking countless photos.

A three-view drawing on a scale of 1:300 serves as the starting point for this project. These plan sketches are enlarged using a photocopier. Peter then draws the entire plan on the drafting board. Even now, a few tough challenges are emerging that will need to be tackled. Since there is no information available regarding any center of gravity, this becomes a major problem that cries out for a solution. Then, as with the original, the engines must be integrated into the wings, which results in the jet’s characteristic four bulges in the wings.

Particularly noteworthy is the landing gear, which is modeled as closely as possible after the original. The main landing gear is equipped with hydraulic disc brakes—all of which, of course, are “homemade.”

Nello Nero, the founder of the “Jets over Dübendorf” event, established a lasting relationship with Peter Meier in 2005; Peter is also a member of the IG E-Jets. As it happened, Peter asked Nello if he would be willing to make the maiden flight in the Aiguillon N-20. For Nello, this was a great honor, but also a huge responsibility.

While the original Aiguillon N-20 unfortunately never flew—it only made a few random “hops” during taxiing tests—Peter’s model is set to take off for the first time on October 6, 2007.

When you consider that the builder has invested over 2,000 hours and a great deal of passion into this project, it’s hard to imagine how “test pilot” Nello Nero managed to keep his cool while his heart must have been pounding in his throat. After a few taxiing tests, a picture-perfect takeoff follows; the model takes a little time to lift off, then the Aiguillon shows its temperamental side. No sooner had the landing gear retracted than the center of gravity shifted! Since the landing gear retracts toward the rear, the model inevitably became tail-heavy. Depending on the throttle setting, the plane began to stall or overshoot; moreover, it responded very sluggishly to the ailerons. Extending the landing gear didn’t really alleviate the precarious situation either. With over 2,000 hours of construction time weighing on his mind, Nello decided to initiate the landing approach. The landing can be described as successful. In any case, everyone present was glad that the Aiguillon had survived its maiden flight unscathed. An analysis of the first flight revealed that the center of gravity must be shifted significantly forward.

What the original failed to achieve about 55 years ago, the 2007 model proved: the Aiguillon N-20 flies!

The model’s future: Nello Nero is now the proud owner of the Aiguillon; Peter Meier has “entrusted” it to him. Nello is known in the model aviation community as a dedicated collector of unique model airplanes; he owns numerous models, primarily replicas of Swiss Air Force aircraft. So it’s no surprise at all that Peter offered his Aiguillon to him in particular; moreover, “Nelly” is the only person who has ever flown the model. In the near future, Nello plans to retrofit the model with the latest technology; among other things, a gyro system will be installed to make its flight behavior more predictable. In addition, the radio control system will be upgraded; while a Graupner MX22 transmitter operating at 40 MHz was used back then, it will soon be “upgraded” to a 2.4 GHz system. The “Stachel” is in excellent hands with Nello, and the chances are very good that the model will take to the skies again in the foreseeable future.

The Development History of the Legendary Swiss Fighter Aircraft

At the meeting of the relevant commission on June 29, 1948, the decision was made between the twin-engine Dornier P-25.20 and the N-20 in favor of the design by Eidgenössische Flugzeugwerke. At the same time, a prototype, complete with the accompanying Swiss Mamba turbofan engines, was commissioned. The prototype was a single-seat mid-wing aircraft with an all-metal construction, featuring a swept-wing layout combined with an elevator-type aileron.

Editor’s note: The prototype was completed in 1952, and taxiing tests and takeoff hops began in January 1953. Since the Swiss Parliament canceled the development of the jet engines in March 1952, the project was halted. It seems that procuring aircraft for our Air Force was already quite complicated back then...

GZ