Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss AF Venom FB.50 J-1640 taxies at Dubendorf back in 1982. This one survived to be preserved at Wildegg, Switzerland.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A light crosswind for this Swiss AF PC-6 Turbo Porter as it alights on the grass runway at Dubendorf. V-612 continues its long service today- it was built as a Piston Porter in 1967.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Bermuda registered Boeing 747SP VP-BAT gets going at Zurich. It's pseudo-mil, flying for the Qatar Emiri or Qatar Government. C/n 21648 is now in store as N7477S.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The pilot of this Swiss AF chopper pulls in the power as he picks up speed taking off at Dubendorf, near Zurich. T-334 is a Eurocopter AS.332M-1 Super Puma.
Alfred Fartknocker:
These PC-6 Turbo Porters look set to fly on indefinitely, as there really isn't a better replacement. V-634 here has been with the Swiss since the sixties. It's seen taking off at Dubendorf.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Swiss AF D.H Venom FB.54, J-1758 is seen at Emmen AB in 1982. It went on to be reg'd G-BLSD in 1985, and ended up on a pole at at Grove, Oxfordshire.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss Mirage IIIS, their version of the IIIC, about to touch down at Payerne AB in 1982. J-2324 survives here as of 2021.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss F-5E Tiger II taxies in after landing at Dubendorf. J-3064 was sold off to the US Navy by 2004. It flies on using a corruption of its MAP serial; 76-1589. Active in 2021 as an F-5N with VMFAT-401 as Bu.Aer 761589.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss Mirage IIIRS, R-2111 does a go around at Dubendorf in 1982. It survived its service with the Schweizer Luftwaffe and is preserved at Wolfenschiessen, but nice to see it flying!
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss Hunter F.58A flies at Dubendorf, near Zurich. J-4111 ended up scrapped at Meiringen in 1990. Final withdrawal of the type was 1994.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss Hunter F.58A taxies at Dubendorf, near Zurich. J-4111 was scrapped at Meiringen in 1990.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss Mirage IIIS lines up at Payerne 40 years ago. J-2303 survives today at Studen.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss F-5E Tiger II about to touch down at Dubendorf. These were quite new back then and were replacing the Venoms & Vampires. J-3021 joined the Marines in 2005 and flies on with VMFAT-401 as an F-5N Bu.Aer 76-1546.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Venom FB.54 has clearly begun the process of leaving service. J-1734 has had its serial overpainted and the Swiss crosses look dull. It was never reported again after this sighting of it at Payerne AB.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Pretty looking Swiss Vampire FB.6, J-1184 at Emmen a few years ago. It was sold as SE-DXY then LN-VMP. Now derelict at Halmstad, Sweden.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss F-5E Tiger II taxies in after landing at Dubendorf in 1982. The Swiss sold it to the US Navy, where it flies on as Bu.Aer 761562.
Alfred Fartknocker:
These Vampire FB.6 were in semi-storage here at Emmen, when I visited in 1982. I logged about 40, some active, some under wraps like J-1170 here. It might be preserved at Rivolta, Italy?
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Swiss Vampire FB.6 is outside the Ververkershaus Museum in Lucerne, in 1982. J-1068 seems to have moved on to Schwenningen in Germany, and l/n there in 2012.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss Mirage IIIS between flights at Payerne in 1982. Forty years later J-2324 is still here.
Alfred Fartknocker:
J-2201 is the only Mirage IIICS- the one the Swiss used to evaluate the type prior to purchasing the IIIS. This pic at the Dubendorf museum in '82, but it moved to Baretswill years ago. It's c/n 96/ 133F
Alfred Fartknocker:
Impressive line up of Swiss AF Vampire FB.6 at Emmen back in 1982. J-1164 got preserved at Mellingen, but not seen since 1992. 38 Twin boom fighters were logged here this day- happy times!
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss AF D.H. Venom FB.54 about to land at Dubendorf some years ago... It is J-1778, sold off here and last seen as a pod only, at Sion.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Swiss Hunter F.58A, J-4111 touches down at Dubendorf in 1982. This one went for scrap in 1990. Scan of a print of a slide...
Alfred Fartknocker:
I first saw this Swiss P-51D at the Ververkhershause, Luzern in 1982. Nowadays it's at Dubendorf. J-2113 is ex 44-73349. Preserved on some PSP- that's pierced steel planking.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Messerschmitt have provided the Swiss AF, or Schweizer Luftwaffe, with a few aeroplanes over the years. A-209 is an Me-108B-2, below it Bf-109E-3 'Emil' J-355. Both preserved at Dubendorf.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Swiss AF Mirage IIIS shows off the inner workings of one of its two nose cameras. This camera looks downwards, the other shoots forward and down through the window in the extreme nose. R-2118 is at Dubendorf.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Swiss AF Hunter Mk.58 shows off its good looks at Dubendorf. J-4001 was the first of many, but a load got the chop when they were retired.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is a pair of Swiss made Contraves RSE 'Kriens' Surface to Air missiles. These were succesfully developed by c. 1966, but never entered service.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Swiss AF preserved their first Hunter, J-4001 at Dubendorf. It's a Mk.58 and is preserved in a typical fit from when these entered service as day fighters in 1958, although the Sidewinders were added in 1963.
Alfred Fartknocker:
J-4152 is the last Swiss Hunter Mk.58. It's preserved toting the latest air-to-ground weapons applied to it by the ingenious Swiss by the time these retired in late 1994..
