Militär-Apparat MA-7

The Militär-Apparat MA‑7, produced by the Eidgenoessische Konstruktionswerkstaette (EKW) in the early 1940s, was a pivotal step in Swiss military aviation. Designed as a single‑engine, low‑wing monoplane, the MA‑7 entered service in 1943 during Switzerland’s defensive buildup amid the turbulence of World II. Its airframe combined a semi‑monocoque aluminum fuselage with a distinctive tapered wing, providing both strength and agility. Powered by a super‑charged Hispano‑Suiza 12Y‑51 V‑12 engine delivering 1,200 hp, the aircraft could reach a top speed of 620 km/h and a service ceiling of 11,500 m, rivaling contemporary fighters of larger nations.

Key features included retractable undercarriage, a fully enclosed cockpit with heated canopy, and an integrated radio navigation suite that allowed all‑weather operation. Armament consisted of two 20 mm Mauser MG 151 cannons mounted in the forward fuselage and provision for upward‑firing rockets for ground‑attack missions.

Although only 78 MA‑7s were built before production shifted to jet‑powered designs, the type proved essential for training Swiss pilots on high‑performance aircraft and demonstrated the nation’s capacity for indigenous aeronautical engineering. Its legacy endures as a benchmark of pre‑jet Swiss ingenuity and as a collector’s item in aviation museums worldwide.