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The F+W C-3605, nicknamed Schlepp ("Tug") or "Alpine Anteater", was a target towing aircraft operated by the Swiss Air Force from 1971–1987. The aircraft was developed during the latter half of the 1960s by the Swiss Federal Construction Works (Eidgenoessische Konstruktionswerkstaette) (EKW), renamed Farner Werke (F+W) in 1972, as a conversion of the existing C-3603 ground attack/target towing aircraft. Following a successful prototype conversion in 1968, 23 aircraft were converted between 1971–1973 with 2 still flying in private hands.

C-3605
Schlepp in flight at the AirExpo 2015
Role Target tug
Manufacturer Farner Werke
First flight 19 August 1968
Introduction 1971
Retired 1987
Primary user Swiss Air Force
Produced 1971–1973
Number built 24
Developed from EKW C-3603

Development


C-3605 at the Aviation Museum in Dübendorf, Switzerland.
C-3605 at the Aviation Museum in Dübendorf, Switzerland.
C-3605 HB-RDH airborne over the Swiss alps
C-3605 HB-RDH airborne over the Swiss alps

In 1967 the Swiss Air Force determined that their C-3603-1 target-towing aircraft still had approximately 10 years of structural life remaining, but that the plane's Hispano-Suiza piston type engines were on the verge of wearing out, with replacements becoming scarce.[1] The C-3603-1 was based on a World War II era ground attack design which had been inspired by the design of the Messerschmitt Bf 109.[2]

Evaluations of various types of foreign aircraft were conducted to find a replacement; however, it was determined in 1965 that the most economical solution would be to re-engineer the existing aircraft with a modern turboprop engine.[3] Accordingly, work began under the direction of Jean-Pierre Weibel to convert the 102nd C-3603 into the prototype C-3605.[1]

The selected replacement engine was a Lycoming T53 turboprop. This was much lighter than the piston engine of the C-3603 and so the conversion included an extension of the nose of the aircraft by 1.82 metres (6.0 ft) to maintain the center of gravity.[4] The remainder of the aircraft was left essentially unmodified. Early flight testing of the prototype began on 19 August 1968.[1] During testing it was found that a third vertical stabiliser was also required.[1]


Operational history


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.[1] The aircraft were delivered by F+W between 1971 and January 1973.[4] Whilst in the service of the Swiss Air Force the C-3605s were usually painted in conspicuous yellow-and-black striped, high-visibility colour schemes.[4]

The plane operated faithfully in the target towing role, exceeding its expected 10 year structural life.[5] However, by the mid 1980s, the aging aircraft had begun to show signs of airframe fatigue.[5] 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.[2][5]


Radioactive engines


In 2021 it was found that the engines are slightly radioactive, due to thorium being used.[6]


Survivors


C-3605s are displayed in several museums, including the Flieger Flab Museum (Aviation Museum) in Dübendorf, Switzerland and the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California.[5] The C-3605 is also popular as a "warbird" with civilian owners.[2]


Operators


  Switzerland

Specifications (C-3605)


A warbird C-3605 parked on the tarmac.
A "warbird" C-3605 parked on the tarmac.

Data from [1]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

Avionics


See also


Related development


References


Notes
  1. Jane's 1971-1972, p. 174.
  2. Laming 1996, p. 7.
  3. Fitzsimons 1969, p. 493.
  4. Donald 1997, p. 382.
  5. "The C-3605 Schlepp (Tug)" Archived 2011-07-24 at the Wayback Machine The Air Museum - Chino, California - May 2002. plane-crazy.net. Accessed 2010-05-14.
  6. "Radioactivité découverte dans les moteurs d'anciens avions de l'armée" [Radioactivity discovered in the engines of old army aircraft]. RTS (in French). 5 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
Bibliography


Wikimedia Commons has media related to EKW C-3605.

На других языках

[de] Eidgenössisches Flugzeugwerk C-3605

Die C-3605 des Herstellers Eidgenössisches Flugzeugwerk (F+W) ist ein 1969 in Dienst gestelltes Schleppflugzeug der Schweizer Luftwaffe. Da das Ausgangsmodell, die C-36, noch bei der Eidgenössischen Konstruktionswerkstätte in Thun entwickelt und produziert wurde, wird auch noch jene Einheit der Produktionsbetriebe der Schweizer Armee als Hersteller genannt.
- [en] F+W C-3605

[fr] EFW C-3605

L’EFW C-3605, surnommé Schlepp, est un avion tracteur de cibles des Forces aériennes suisses fabriqué par l'entreprise EKW à partir de la fin des années 1960[1]. Les avions produits sont des EKW C-3603 modifiés. Ils ont été utilisés par les Forces aériennes suisses de 1971 à 1987, date à laquelle ils ont été remplacés par des Pilatus PC-9B.

[it] F+W C-3605

L'F+W C-3605, soprannominato Schlepp (rimorchiatore) o Formichiere Alpino, fu un aereo da traino bersaglio utilizzato dalle Forze aeree svizzere negli anni tra il 1971 e il 1987. L'aereo fu sviluppato durante la seconda metà degli anni sessanta del XX secolo dall'azienda svizzera Eidgenössischen Konstruktionswerkstätten (EKW) e rinominato Farner Werke (F+W) nel 1972, convertendo l'EKW C-36. Il prototipo volò la prima volta con successo nel 1968 e successivamente furono realizzati 23 altri esemplari tra il 1971–1973, alcuni dei quali oggi sono in mano a privati e ancora volano.


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