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).
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(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Air-to-Air Combat, Fighter
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
✓Interception
Ability to intercept inbound aerial threats by way of high-performance, typically speed and rate-of-climb.
✓Training (General)
Developed ability to be used as a dedicated trainer for student pilots (typically under the supervision of an instructor).
Length
26.7 ft (8.15 m)
Width/Span
34.9 ft (10.65 m)
Height
10.9 ft (3.32 m)
Empty Wgt
4,685 lb (2,125 kg)
MTOW
5,997 lb (2,720 kg)
Wgt Diff
+1,312 lb (+595 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the EKW D-3801 production variant)
Installed:
1 x Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 inline piston engine developing 1,050 horsepower and driving a three-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the EKW D-3801 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
1 x 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 autocannon firing through the propeller hub.
4 x 7.5mm machine guns (belt-fed) in wings.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
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.
58
Rating is out of a possible 100 points.
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
LON
LON
PAR
PAR
BER
BER
MOS
MOS
TOK
TOK
SYD
SYD
LAX
LAX
NYC
EKW D-3801 operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).
Max Altitude Visualization
Design Balance
The three qualities reflected above are altitude, speed, and range.
Aviation Era Span
Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.
Unit Production (207)
207
36183
44000
Compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian).
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Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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Switzerland (retired)
