Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA)

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Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA)

Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein AG · Dornier-Werke Altenrhein

On the Swiss shore of Lake Constance, the old Dornier works built a supersonic fighter that Switzerland cancelled after two crashes; its engineers carried its wing to Bill Lear, and the Learjet followed.

1948Opgericht
Defunct 1987Status
5Vliegtuigen geregistreerd
2Luchtmachteenheden die met dit type vliegtuigen vliegen
Foto: Ank Kumar / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
LandZwitserlandOpgericht1948OprichtersClaudio CaroniHoofdkwartierAltenrhein, St. GallenStatusDefunct 1987
Het verhaal

Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA): the company and the aircraft that made its name

Dornier’s Swiss outpost

Altenrhein, on the Swiss bank of Lake Constance, was where Dornier built aircraft beyond the reach of German post-war restrictions, including the giant Do X flying boat of 1929. After the Second World War the works lay idle. In 1948 Claudio Caroni, a lawyer from Locarno, took them over and split them from Dornier as Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein, a name that promised aircraft and vehicles alike.

The P-16 and the Learjet

FFA built Morane-Saulnier-based fighters for the Swiss Air Force and shared in licence production of the Vampire and Venom. From 1947 it designed its own jet, the P-16, a ground-attack fighter that could use short alpine strips. The first prototype flew on 25 April 1955; the second broke the sound barrier in 1956; 100 were ordered in 1958. Then a pre-production aircraft crashed on 25 March 1958, the second loss, and the government withdrew the order in favour of the Hawker Hunter.

Trains, buses and the Bravo

FFA kept flying two more P-16s at its own expense. Nobody bought them, but Bill Lear studied the design, several of its engineers went to work for him, and the Learjet 23 borrowed heavily from it. FFA meanwhile built railway coaches for Swiss Federal Railways, trolleybus bodies, cable-car cabins and Diamant sailplanes, and with SIAI-Marchetti the AS 202 Bravo trainer, of which over 200 were built. In 1987 Dornier bought back the name and the railway side went to Schindler.

On the Swiss shore of Lake Constance, the old Dornier works built a supersonic fighter that Switzerland cancelled after two crashes; its engineers carried its wing to Bill Lear, and the Learjet followed.Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA) · verified 2026-10-03
In één oogopslag

Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA) in numbers

Het bedrijf

Kortom
Opgericht in 1948

  • Former Dornier works at Altenrhein, Lake Constance
  • Taken over and renamed by Claudio Caroni, 1948
  • Aircraft, railway coaches, buses, cable-car cabins
  • Name bought back by Dornier, 1987

Productie

Het meest bekend om
P-16, AS 202 Bravo

  • P-16 fighter prototypes (5 built)
  • AS 202 Bravo trainer with SIAI-Marchetti
  • Diamant sailplanes
  • Licence work on Vampire and Venom

Vandaag

Nu
Defunct since 1987

  • Railway division passed via Schindler to Stadler Rail (1997)
  • One P-16 survives

De cijfers

P-16 order (cancelled)
100 vliegtuigen1958
P-16 built
5 (2 prototypes, 3 pre-production)
AS/SA 202 Bravo built
214 (34 of the 202/15, 180 of the 202/18)
Het vliegtuig

Every notable Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA) aircraft

FFA P-16Ground attack fighter · first flight 1955 · 5 built

Photos: Ank Kumar / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Vliegtuig Rol Eerste vlucht Gebouwd Status Opmerking
Dornier Do X Giant flying boat (built at Altenrhein under Dornier) 1929 3 Gepensioneerd Built at the works before FFA existed
D-3803 Zuigervechter Gepensioneerd Based on Morane-Saulnier designs; replaced by surplus P-51s
FFA P-16 Ground attack fighter 1955 5 Gepensioneerd Supersonic in a dive 1956; order for 100 cancelled 1958
FFA AS 202 Bravo Lichte trainer 1969 214 In dienst Joint with SIAI-Marchetti; mainly military customers
FFA Diamant Sailplane Gepensioneerd
Wie vliegt ermee?

Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA) aircraft in the world’s air forces

2 air forces in the Order of Battle fly or flew Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA) types. Eén ervan heeft er nog één in gebruik.

Luchtmacht In dienst Voorheen gevlogen
Luchtmacht van de Oegandese Volksverdedigingsmacht FFA AS 202 Bravo
Zwitserse luchtmacht FFA P-16 en EFW N-20 Aiguillon
Plaatsen, mensen, archieven

Where Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA) built, who led it, what it achieved

Fabrieken

  • Altenrhein works · Altenrhein, St. Gallen — Former Dornier works on Lake Constance with airfield

Mensen

  • Claudio Caroni · owner from 1948 — Locarno lawyer (1907–1984) who took over the derelict Dornier works
  • Bill Lear · American industrialist — Examined the P-16; its design influenced the Learjet 23

Records en primeurs

  • P-16 second prototype exceeded the speed of sound, 15 August 1956
Tijdlijn

Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA), year by year

1929

Dornier Do X, built at Altenrhein, first flies

1947

P-16 fighter project begins

1948

Claudio Caroni takes over the works; FFA formed

1952

Two P-16 prototypes ordered

1955

P-16 first flight

1955

First P-16 prototype lost

1956

P-16 goes supersonic

1958

Pre-production P-16 crashes; order for 100 withdrawn

1960

Last P-16 flights

1969

AS 202 Bravo first flight

1987

Dornier buys back the name; railway side to Schindler

De stamboom

Before and after Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA)

Kwam eerderDornierAltenrhein works split off in 1948Lees de Dornier-paginaKwam daarnaDornierbought back the FFA name in 1987Lees de Dornier-pagina
Vragen en antwoorden

Everything people ask about Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA)

What was the FFA P-16?
A Swiss ground-attack jet fighter built by FFA at Altenrhein. It first flew in 1955, but the order for 100 was withdrawn in 1958 after two crashes.
Was the Learjet based on the P-16?
Bill Lear studied the P-16 and several of its engineers worked on the Learjet 23, which shares many features; some historians call it a derivative.
What does FFA stand for?
Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein, Aircraft and Vehicle Works Altenrhein.
What else did FFA build?
Railway coaches, trolleybus bodies, cable-car cabins, Diamant sailplanes and, with SIAI-Marchetti, the AS 202 Bravo trainer.

Vervolg de rondleiding

Around Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA)

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Geverifieerd op 3 oktober 2026.