AH Challenge: Swiss Air-to-Air Kill

MacCaulay

Banned
(I know how adolescent this sounds, but I feel like being childish once in a while)



Okay...here's your challenge. Post-1945, (seeing that the Swiss Air Force actually did shoot down several Luftwaffe fighters during the Second World War) posit a scenario where the Swiss Air Force will make an air-to-air kill.

It doesn't matter how they do it, or what with. A Mirage III-S is preferred, as I'm kind of on a Mirage kick right now. They've had F/A-18C Hornets for the last few years.

So...the race is on!
 
After several incursions during the Chzech thingy in 1968 and repeated private and public warnings by the Swiss they drill a Soviet plane straying into Swiss airspace.
 

MacCaulay

Banned
After several incursions during the Chzech thingy in 1968 and repeated private and public warnings by the Swiss they drill a Soviet plane straying into Swiss airspace.

Nice one! '68...I wonder what the Swiss were using in the late '60s...



I know that probably when people issue challenges they have answers in mind, but I honestly had no clue what people would say. I was expecting something WAY more ASB than that.
 
Since the Israelis stole the Mirage drawings from the Swiss in the late 60s I assume the Mirage was in or entering into Swiss service.
 

Susano

Banned
After several incursions during the Chzech thingy in 1968 and repeated private and public warnings by the Swiss they drill a Soviet plane straying into Swiss airspace.

Switzerland didnt even border the Warsaw Pact. Hows that supposed to happen, then?
 
POD: the Soviets do even better earlier than OTL and take Austria and Bavaria at the end of WW2 (alt-Yalta?).

"After repeated incursions into Swiss airspace by East German and Austrian fighters, a Swiss Air Force Mirage III today engaged and shot down an Austrian MiG 21 'Fishbed'. Warsaw Pact nations lined up to condemn the engagement as an 'act of wanton aggression', claiming the incident occurred over Austrian airspace. The Swiss government claims to the contrary, stating that the incident was 'in defense of our sovereign airspace against repeated Austrian incursions' and directly stating that the event occurred over Swiss airspace. NATO spokesmen defended the Swiss actions as 'self defense'."

- AP Wire Service, April 23, 1965
 
This is a fairly unlikely situation since, as has been mentioned, Switzerland does not border the Warsaw Pact, but here are some Cold War possibilities

1948 - Berlin Crisis turns hot. During emergency western airlifts to bolster the "Berlin Relief Incursion (A limited military thrust into E Germany by US, Brit, and French forces), several US Transports from Italy cut thru Swiss airspace. One, a C-54, is shot down by Swiss P-51's

1956 - NATO intervenes in Hungarian Uprising. Responding to requests for assistance from the revolutionary Hungarian Government, NATO supports the Hungarians with airstrikes against Soviet forces invading the country. Following several repeated overflights over Switzerland by USAF F-84's based in Bavaria, Swiss Vampires intercept a damaged F-84 returning off-course from a mission in Hungary. Following several ignored demands to the F-84 pilot that he land, he is shot down.

1968 - USAF/CIA U-2 performing high-level recon in Czechslovakia during Soviet Invasion develops multiple mechanical problems. Attempting to return to its base in northern Italy, and flying at only 30,000 feet due to the mechanical problems, the plane crosses Swiss air space. Swiss Mirages scramble and intercept. The CIA pilot refuses to land and is shot down. It later turns out that the Swiss pilots shot him down after he had crossed into Italian airspace, resulting in a major diplomatic incident between Switzerland and NATO
 
I don't know enough about Swiss politics to know whether they might renounce neutrality for UN actions like Korea or the Congo, or join NATO in the ex-Yugolsav republics, but I doubt they even take part as UN peacekeepers.

But I think it's within the realm of possibility for them to act unilaterally in a 'raid on Entebbe' scenario. Perhaps a Serbian or Croatian warlord has a Swiss Air jet hijacked and flown to his realm, and the Swiss send a C-130 transport full of commandos (Swiss Tactical Units, the magic of google tells me they're called) protected by a couple of Hornets. They shoot down whatever old Mig the locals put up in the air to prevent enemy recon/protect the Hercules.
 
Change the Austrian Independence Treaty in the 50s

1. Austria is permanently neutral (as OTL)

2. Austria is not allowed an airforce (like Germany post WW1)

3. The allied powers (US, UK, France, USSR) may make reconnaissance overflights of Austria territory to monitor compliance with the treaty, and to further international peace and security.

This gives the Soviets an excuse to over fly Austria. Even if the other powers don't bother with the overflights, the Soviets can fly a recon aircraft along the inside of the Austrian borders to spy on Germany, Italy or Yugoslavia. Then one day, a Soviet plane strays into Swiss territory...
 
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