Dassault Super Mystère
| Dassault Super Mystère | |
|---|---|
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| Type: | Fighter plane , fighter-bomber |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
March 2, 1955 |
| Commissioning: |
February 26, 1957 |
| Production time: |
May 1956 to October 1959 |
| Number of pieces: |
180 |
The Dassault Super Mystère was a French jet fighter aircraft . It represents the end point of the Mystère series and was the first supersonic aircraft from Western European production that was used extensively. Planned as a fighter aircraft , however, it was overtaken by technical developments and finally used in fighter-bomber units.
Technical development
The beginning of 1952 we had planned, the MD 452 Mystere IV A the name Super Mystère to give, but there were constantly improvements. That is why Marcel Dassault wanted to create a model that really deserved the name. Spurred on by the North American F-100 Super Saber, aerodynamic development work continued. Dassault opted for a bold construction of the wing. The wings got a sweep of 45 ° and a thickness-depth ratio of only six percent. It is amazing that they managed to keep the conventional outer ailerons and flaps and a rigid leading edge of the wing. The F-100, however, had inner ailerons, no flaps, but slats over the entire span. The hull of the Super Mystère was provided with a larger and wider, oval air inlet. The flatter air inlet, in addition to a higher and more bulky cockpit hood, provided better visibility for the pilot. The tail unit got a greater depth and still had fully movable and motorized elevators set at half height .
The first flight of the Dassault Super Mystère took place on March 2, 1955. It already reached Mach 1.2 on its fourth flight . The planned Rolls-Royce Avon RA.14R could no longer be used after quarrels with the British. Therefore the SNECMA Atar 101G had to be installed again. In addition, the wings were given a saw tooth in the outermost leading edge and an elongated and curved profile, which proved to be very advantageous when maneuvering at high altitude. Despite the crash of the prototype, testing took place relatively smoothly, so series production could begin as early as 1956 with the machine, now known as the Super Mystère B2 (SMB2).
Mission history
The first series-production aircraft did not fly until February 26, 1957. Originally 150 units were to be ordered, but this number was soon increased to 370 units. In the meantime, the Armée de l'air got enthusiastic about the Mirage III , so only 180 machines were built, 24 of which were exported to Israel . The SMB2 was used in the French Air Force by the squadrons EC5 in orange , the EC10 in Creil and the EC12 in Cambrai . At first she was classified as a day hunter, but soon got a privacy screen and was now intended for ground combat missions. Passive electronic warning receivers were added later. The Super Mystère remained in service until 1977.
In the Israeli Air Force (IAF - חיל האוויר) the SMB2 was mainly used in ground combat operations. She came too late for the Suez Crisis , but still flew in the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War . The SMB2 performed so well in all missions that from 1972 the Israelis replaced the engine with a Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojet with 4,218 kp thrust. In addition to the greater thrust, the engine had the advantage that it was also used by the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. This enabled maintenance costs to be reduced. The Israel Aerospace Industries dropped the heavy and costly afterburners eliminated and could thus save fuel. In addition, the beam pipe had a weaker infrared signature , which greatly reduced the risk of heat-seeking missiles. The last SMB2 still flying were sold to Honduras .
Military use
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Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 14.13 m |
| span | 10.52 m |
| height | 4.55 m |
| Wing area | 35 m² |
| Empty mass | 6,932 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 10,000 kg |
| Top speed | 1195 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 17,000 m |
| Range | 870 km |
| Engines | 1 × SNECMA Atar 101G-2 / -3 turbojet engine with 43.74 kN (4,460 kp) thrust with afterburner |
| Armament | 2 × 30 mm DEFA cannons with 150 rounds each, plus 35 × 68 mm SNEB missiles in a retractable fuselage container. 1,000 kg of weapons at four lower wing stations |
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ World Air Forces. Chris Thornburg, December 3, 2006, archived from the original on July 4, 2013 ; accessed on March 2, 2015 .
