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Daniel-Wales-Images In reply to GDupons [2016-04-15 02:47:00 +0000 UTC]

Yes, I was well aware of the aircraft's Swiss origins, It is why I did not say that they were both French, but had French heritage. Plus if she were French she'd be an MS-406.

To me she is all the more interesting for her Swiss origin. Very few Swiss wartime aircraft exist today in flying condition, in fact I can only really think of this D-3801 and the beautiful EKW C-3603 that was restored to flight recently by Meier Motors in Germany. www.warbirdsnews.com/wp-conten…

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GDupons In reply to Daniel-Wales-Images [2016-04-15 11:20:32 +0000 UTC]

I think there's a private owned Hunter in Switzerland, but I am not sure.

There are two museums which every aircraft enthuasist should visit if he stays in Switzerland. One is the national traffic museum (Verkehrshaus) in Lucerne. Quite expensive entry fee, but it has a huge collection of cars, trains, aircrafts, ships and even ropeways! The other one is the national air force museum in Dübendorf near Zürich.

Dübendorf was one of the first airports in Switzerland, Swissair operated at its beginning from there! It was used long time as a military airport, today it's only an helicopter base for the air force. However, the infrastructure is still there, some of the old hangars are the home of the museum now. Some other Hangars are in use by Ju-Air. This airline offers scenic flights with three Junkers Ju-52 and one CASA 352. The Junkers are the only flying Ju-52 with the original BMW engines! All work is done by volunteers, but that doesn't means that a flight is unsafe! The pilots have all an airline licence, many of them comes from well known airlines as Swiss or Emirates and flies the Ju-52 in their spare time. Because that's real flying and not operating a computer like a modern jetliner! The mechanics are mostly professionals from the nearby Zurich airport or retired aircraft mechanics who worked for Swissair or the Swiss air force. They are important because of their experience with the old birds. A proof for the good work there is the fact that Ju-Air has a kind of a permant permission to fly over the city of Zurich below 1000 feets. Normally that's not allowed, you need a permission by the air control of Zurich airport, and its given very restrictively. But if Ju-Air wants to do it, they just make a radio call to the tower, announces their coming and shortly after the answer is normally: "OK, go!" (so I heard). The traffic guides just know that those pilots knows what they do and the safety of the Junkers Ju-52 ist anyway not to discuss. There are not many aircrafts which are so reliable and stable as the good old Aunt Ju as it is called by many. Even with an age of 80(!) years. Tickets could be booked at the museums welcome desk. Again, not cheap, but an unforgetable experience for every aviatic fan!

links:
Verkehrshaus, Lucerne: www.verkehrshaus.ch/
Air Force museum & Ju-Air: www.airforcecenter.ch/

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Daniel-Wales-Images In reply to GDupons [2016-04-15 15:13:43 +0000 UTC]

There are several Hunters in Switzerland but I was referring to wartime aircraft and the Hunter is not a wartime aircraft. 

Thanks for the links, If I'm ever in Switzerland I will be sure to check them out.

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