Swiss fighter aircraft. In 1938 the Swiss government purchased two Morane Saulnier M.S.405 fighters from France and, after careful evaluation, purchased a licence for the production version, the M.S.406C. Manufacture of a Swiss version of the 406 was assigned to Dornier Flugzeug at Altenrhein, with the Swiss designation D 3800. This differed from the French aircraft in having a Saurer/SLM licence built Hispano Suiza 12Y 31 of 860 hp, cooled by a fixed ventral radiator.
In 1939 40 Dornier delivered 82, followed in 1940 44 by 207 D 3801 fighters with many refinements and in having the 860 hp Hispano 12Y-31 engine replaced by a 1000 hp Hispano 12Y-51 built by A.G.Adolph Saurer.. Both types had one 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano cannon and two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) wing guns, with provision for two 50 kg (110 lb) bombs.
The D 3802 single-seat fighter prototype was built in 1943 by Dornier Werke to designs provided by Morane-Saulnier (designated M.S.450). A second prototype modified up to production standards was produced as the D-3802A, and orders were placed by the Swiss Air Force for 100. With the end of the war in Europe, the order was reduced to ten, built in 1944.
The 1500 hp (12Y 53) D 3803 of 1947 remained a one off, by which time the company had become Flug & Fahrtzeug¬werke (F&FW).
D 3801
Engine: 1000 hp Hispano 12Y-51
Span: 10.61 m (34 ft 9.75 in)
Length: 8.16 m (26 ft 9.25 in)
Empty weight: 4694 lb
Gross weight: 2725 kg (6007 lb).
Maximum speed: 523 km/h (325 mph) at 13,950 ft
Econ cruise: 190 mph
Time to 16,400 ft: 5.4 min
Service ceiling: 35,400 ft
D-3802A
Engine: Hispano-Suiza 1250 hp 12Y-52
Wingspan: 35 ft 2.75 in
Length: 30 ft 7 in
Height: 10 ft 11 in
Empty weight: 6327 lb
Loaded weight: 7716 lb
Max loaded weight: 8014 lb
Max speed: 391 mph at 21,325 ft
Time to 19,865 ft: 7.1 min
Ceiling: 33,500 ft
Armament: three 20mm (0.79 in) cannon
All Aero 