DOFLUG D-3803

Monoplane Fighter Prototype

Switzerland | 1947

"The DOFLUG D-3803 certainly had potential as a fast, powerful fighter design of the World War 2 era - the end of the war and glut of available P-51 Mustangs made its development moot."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 09/18/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The DOFLUG D-3803 was an offshoot of the Swiss-originated D-3802 single-seat, single-engine monoplane fighter program started in 1942. The existence of both was made possible by both a pre-World War 2 relationship with the nation of France and its Fall at the hands of the Germans in May of 1940, when several French designs made their way to Switzerland. Original Morane-Saulnier designs formed the basis for much of the Swiss work thereafter.

Switzerland received a local production license to manufacture the MS.406, a capable monoplane appearing in 1935, introduced in 1938, and built across 1,176 total examples. These were known locally as "D-3800" and carried Hispano-Suiza 12Y-31 engines while relying on the wings of the MS.405 design. After the Fall of France, Switzerland continued work on the line to produce the EFW "D-3801" based in the "MS.412" fighter while the D-3802 was the enhanced, localized version of the French "MS.540" monoplane (both related to the original MS.406). The D-3802, and its sister design the "D-3803", were both a product of DOFLUG - Dornier-Werke AG - the Swiss-based subsidiary of the German Luftwaffe's own Dornier aero-concern (makers of the famous wartime Do 17 "Flying Pencil" medium bomber).

Developed alongside the D-3802, the D-3803 was a slight evolution of this same Swiss fighting aeroplane; it retained the forward-engine mounting, single-seat (enclosed) cockpit, and retractable "tail-dragger" type undercarriage while also utilizing the original's wing mainplanes, tail surfaces, and undercarriage mechanics. In the revision, the fighter was given much-improved all-round vision from the cockpit due to the cut down nature of the rear dorsal fuselage and more pronounced position of the canopy. The engine switched to the Saurer YS-3 liquid-cooled inline piston engine developing 1,430 horsepower, this powerplant an original Hispano-Suiza product and locally licensed and built.

Like the later D-3802A pre-series fighters (of which eleven were ultimately built after the single prototype), the D-3803 enjoyed the firepower of 3 x 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS-404 automatic cannons, one set to each wing mainplane and the remaining example buried within the engine block - firing through the propeller hub. In addition to this, the fighter could be adapted to conduct fighter-bomber sorties by mounting up to 441lb of bombs or rockets under the wings and fuselage centerline.

Well-streamlined with an all-modern look, coupled to a formidable armament suite, the D-3803 certainly looked the part of wartime fighter. However, by the time the D-3803 specimen flew in its prototype form, the World War that once raged across Europe was over. A first-flight was not recorded until May of 1947 exposing engine issues during the later testing stages which did not help the lagging project. Like the concurrent D-3802 fighter program, the D-3803 was also given up by the Swiss Air Force in favor of acquiring wartime surplus North American P-51D "Mustang" fighters from America.

During testing, the D-3803 was able to make speeds of 423 miles-per-hour and reach altitudes beyond 22,000 feet - showcasing considerable potential. However, there was no escaping its design roots which, essentially, dated back to the original French pre-war approach to the MS.406 of 1935.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the DOFLUG D-3803 Monoplane Fighter Prototype.

1 x Saurer (Hispano-Suiza) YS-3 liquid-cooled inline-piston engine developing 1,430 horsepower driving a three-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
Propulsion

423 mph
680 kph | 367 kts
Max Speed

30,003 ft
9,145 m | 6 miles
Service Ceiling

404 miles
650 km | 351 nm
Operational Range

3,012 ft/min
918 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the DOFLUG D-3803 Monoplane Fighter Prototype.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

30.6 ft
9.33 m
O/A Length

32.9 ft
(10.02 m)
O/A Width

12.3 ft
(3.76 m)
O/A Height

6,493 lb
(2,945 kg)
Empty Weight

8,598 lb
(3,900 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the DOFLUG D-3803 Monoplane Fighter Prototype provided across 3 hardpoints.

STANDARD, FIXED:
1 x 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS-404 automatic cannon firing through the propeller hub.
1 x 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS-404 automatic cannon in port side wing.
1 x 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS-404 automatic cannon in starboard side wing.

OPTIONAL:
Up to 441lb of conventional drop bombs or ground-attack rockets.

X

Hardpoints Key:

Centerline

Wingroot(L)

Wingroot(R)

Wing

Wingtip

Internal

Not Used

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the DOFLUG D-3803 family line.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the DOFLUG D-3803. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 1 Units
Contractor(s): Dornier-Werke AG - Switzerland

[ Switzerland (cancelled) ]

1 / 1

Image from the Public Domain.

Going Further...
The DOFLUG D-3803 Monoplane Fighter Prototype appears in the following collections:

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