Over 200 of the French-originated MS.412 fighter were built by Switzerland for the Swiss Air Force in World War 2 - the aircraft known locally as the D-3801.
The Swiss Air Force was one of the interested parties of the pre-World War 2 French Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighter design. The line began with the MS.405 and graduated to become the production-quality MS.406 and, to this, the family evolved to include several one-off forms and other production standards - including the MS.406H serving the Swiss Air Force during the war as the "D-3800" (detailed elsewhere on this site).
Another entry into the Swiss MS.406 story became the "MS.412" - known locally as the "D-3801". This was a further modification of the MS.406 line that switched to the Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51 inline engine of 1,050 horsepower (take-off). Armament followed the standard set by the D-3800: 4 x 7.5mm machine guns (belt-fed) and a hub-mounted 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 autocannon. Additionally, a simpler, fixed radiator unit was used instead of the original retractable type. However, the German advance on France during May-June 1940 meant that the project was to be completed in Switzerland - who also remained under the very real threat of invasion.
As in the D-3800, production was handled locally (under license) by Eidgenpssisches Flugzeugwerke (EFK) but this time aided by the likes of Doflug (Dornier-Werke AG) and SWS.
A prototype D-3801 was flown for the first-time in October of 1940 and first-deliveries of production-quality, combat-capable forms followed in 1941 with the last unit delivered in 1945. In all, production ceased after 207 fighters were built for the Swiss Air Force, making the D-3801 a vital contributor to the defense of Switzerland from an invasion that was never to materialized from Germany. As in the D-3800, which saw two examples built up from existing spare parts, a further seventeen D-3801 were only later added to the existing stock - again built from available spares. These arrived in 1947-1948 at which point the Second World War (1939-1945) was all but over.
The D-3801, like the D-3800 before it, served out its days as advanced trainers for the Swiss Air Force and some of the lot were expended as target tugs as late as 1959 (the related D-3800 was given up for good back in 1954).
As finalized, the D-3801 fighters had a maximum speed of 332 miles-per-hour, a climb rate (initial) of 3,290 feet-per-minute, and ranged out to 745 miles. Empty weight was 4,700lb against an MTOW of 6,000lb.
Specifications
Year: 1941
Status Retired, Out-of-Service
Crew 1
[ 207 Units ] : Eidgenossisches Flugzeugwerke; Dornier-Werke AG (DOFLUG); SWS - Switzerland / Morane-Saulnier - France
Switzerland (retired)
- Fighter
- Interception
- Training
Length:
26.74 ft (8.15 m)
Width:
34.94 ft (10.65 m)
Height:
10.89 ft (3.32 m)
(Showcased structural dimension values pertain to the EKW D-3801 production model)
Empty Weight:
4,685 lb (2,125 kg)
MTOW:
5,997 lb (2,720 kg)
(Diff: +1,312lb)
(Showcased weight values pertain to the EKW D-3801 production model)
1 x Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 inline piston engine developing 1,050 horsepower and driving a three-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
(Showcased powerplant information pertains to the EKW D-3801 production model)
Max Speed:
332 mph (535 kph; 289 kts)
Service Ceiling:
31,168 feet (9,500 m; 5.9 miles)
Max Range:
746 miles (1,200 km; 648 nm)
Rate-of-Climb:
3,300 ft/min (1,006 m/min)
(Showcased performance values pertain to the EKW D-3801 production model; Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database)
1 x 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 autocannon firing through the propeller hub.
4 x 7.5mm machine guns (belt-fed) in wings.
(Showcased armament details pertain to the EKW D-3801 production model)
D-3801 - Base Series Designation based in the French Morane-Saulnier MS.412 prototype.
General Assessment
Firepower
Performance
Survivability
Versatility
Impact
Values are derrived from a variety of categories related to the design, overall function, and historical influence of this aircraft in aviation history.
Overall Rating
The overall rating takes into account over 60 individual factors related to this aircraft entry. The rating is out of a possible 100.
58
Relative Maximum Speed
Hi: 400mph
Lo: 200mph
This entry's maximum listed speed (332mph).
Graph average of 300 miles-per-hour.
City-to-City Ranges
NYC
LDN
LDN
PAR
PAR
BER
BER
MSK
MSK
TKY
TKY
SYD
SYD
LAX
LAX
NYC
EKW D-3801 operational range when compared to distances between major cities.
Aviation Era Span
Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.
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Switzerland (retired)
