FMA IAe 33 Pulqui II
Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FMA) · Argentina · first flew 1950 · fighter
The FMA IAe 33 Pulqui II was an Argentine swept-wing jet fighter prototype designed by former Focke-Wulf engineer Kurt Tank, representing one of the most advanced aircraft to emerge from South America in the early jet age. It demonstrated performance comparable to contemporary European designs.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Nose intake and fuselage-mounted turbojet |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Argentine swept-wing jet fighter designed by Kurt Tank
- First supersonic-capable South American jet prototype
- Nose intake and fuselage-mounted turbojet
Swept mid-wing jet with a circular nose intake, single turbojet, conventional tail, and retractable undercarriage — strongly influenced by Kurt Tank's German wartime research.
Specifications
- The FMA IAe 33 Pulqui II has a length of 11.68 m (38 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.6 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1080 km/h (671 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Kurt Tank, designer of the Fw 190, emigrated to Argentina after World War II and led the Pulqui II programme. Drawing on his experience with German swept-wing research and the Focke-Wulf Ta 183 studies, Tank produced a sleek transonic fighter that first flew in 1950. Five prototypes were built, but political and economic changes led Argentina to abandon the programme in favour of purchasing foreign aircraft.
Variants
Five prototypes were built with progressive refinements; no production series was initiated.
Where you'll see it
Never entered operational service; the prototypes were used solely for flight testing until the programme was cancelled.
Related aircraft
- FMA AeMB.2
- FMA IA 53 Mamboretá
- Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.11
- Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck
- de Havilland Vampire T.11
- Gloster Meteor FR.9
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