Pilatus P-2

The Pilatus P-2 was a trainer aircraft designed by Swiss manufacturer Pilatus in 1942 and first flown on April 27, 1945. It was used by the Swiss Air Force from 1946 until 1981.The Pilatus P-2 emerged from a unbuild project of the Pilatus P-1 who can be seen as single seat version of the P-2.

The P-2 was a low-wing monoplane of mixed construction (metal, wood and canvas) with a fully retractable tail wheel undercarriage and dual control tandem seating. To save cost several parts came from older Swiss AF machines, for example landing gear parts from their Messerschmitt Bf 109s. There were two series of production machines, one (P-2-05) unarmed and the second (P-2-06) equipped as armament trainers with a machine gun above the engine and wing racks for light bombs and rockets.

After the end of their Swiss AF use, the survivors (about 48) were sold into civilian use. At least 23 appear in 2008 on the national registers of Switzerland, Germany, France, the U.K. and U.S.A. They proved to be a popular civil flyer's aeroplane and have often appeared in Luftwaffe garb in films and airshows as an unidentified "enemy" aircraft.

Variants

 * P-2-01
 * First prototype (HB-GAB/A-101/U-101), Argus powered.


 * P-2-02
 * Non-flying static test frame.


 * P-2-03
 * Hispano-Suiza HS-12Mb upright V water cooled engined prototype. Large ventral radiator.


 * P-2-O4


 * Armed version of P-2-03.


 * P-2-05
 * Production version of unarmed machine, Argus motor. 26 delivered to Swiss AF.


 * P-2-06
 * Production version of armed machine, Argus motor. 26 delivered to Swiss AF.

Operators

 * Swiss Air Force
 * Swiss Air Force

Specifications (P-2-05)
The armed P-2-06 version had similar specifications except for increased weights: empty 1522 kg (3355 lb); loaded 1975 kg (4355 lb).