Maxi and Mini Cougars in Payerne

It is André Baeriswyl’s masterpiece: a faithful 1:8.5-scale replica of the Cougar with the registration number T-334. With a length of 2 meters—including the mounted rotors—and a takeoff weight of no less than 10.8 kg, this mini-helicopter is no featherweight. To complete it, the passionate retiree from Murten (FR) invested about 600 hours of pure labor time—not counting the time spent on preliminary planning or the thorough inspection of the original helicopter in Payerne. But why the Cougar? “In Murten, we see a lot of Super Puma/Cougars flying by.” And since he didn’t want to build just any helicopter, it quickly became clear to him that it had to be one from the Swiss Army. “Originally, I wanted to build a replica of the T-333. But since that one has a special paint scheme, I ended up going with the T-334, which has a standard paint scheme,” explains André Baeriswyl.

From the antennas to the reflectors, all the buttons and illuminated screens in the cockpit, the shock-absorbing wheels, and even the built-in fire extinguishers: every detail is there. Even small external load containers for firefighting water have already been ordered so that the model helicopter can later be used for small “firefighting missions.” But just finding a suitable adhesive for applying the 16,000 small three-dimensional rivet points on the Cougar was a challenge in itself. “It wasn’t until the model-making trade show in Friedrichshafen, after a month-long search, that I finally found what I was looking for,” Baeriswyl says with a smile.

But this model was not only time-consuming and technically demanding. The fuselage is made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic, and the entire mechanical system had to be installed. All in all, the material costs amounted to approximately 9,700 francs. The model’s high-quality craftsmanship and materials are evident at first glance. It’s also evident that this isn’t the first model André Baeriswyl has built: The T-334 joins the Bell 429 helicopter model from Air Zermatt, the EC 145 from Rega, and an F-5 Tiger from the Patrouille Suisse.

Once he had finished his model, Baeriswyl found himself wanting to compare it with the real Cougar T-334: “I’d like to see David and Goliath side by side.” The Air Force granted this request and invited Baeriswyl to the Payerne military airfield. To the amazement of everyone present, the Murtner native transported the helicopter model not in a trailer, but in the expanded trunk of his car. “The available space in the car determined the helicopter’s size, so it couldn’t be more than two meters long,” Baeriswyl explained to those present.

After a thorough inspection and presentation of the model, the pilots and loadmasters of the real Cougar invited the model builder—following safety briefings—to take a training flight in the helicopter. André Baeriswyl commented: “I never would have dreamed that I’d ever be able to fly in a Cougar!”

Saskia Graber

Cross-Media Editor
, Communications, Defense

Federal Department of
Defense,
Civil Protection, and Sports (DDPS)
Swiss Armed Forces
Army Staff