Dassault Super Mystère
Dassault Aviation · France · first flew 1955 · fighter
The Dassault Super Mystère B2 was the first Western European production aircraft capable of supersonic flight in level flight, entering service with the French Air Force in 1957. It represented the pinnacle of Dassault's subsonic Mystère series before the delta-wing Mirage era.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 14.13 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- First Western European supersonic fighter in production
- 45-degree swept wing with nose intake
- Operated by France and Israel; Israeli aircraft saw combat
A sleek swept-wing jet fighter with a circular nose intake, 45-degree wing sweep, and a slightly bulged fuselage; broadly similar in layout to the F-100 Super Sabre but with distinctly French design lines.
Specifications
- The Dassault Super Mystère has a length of 14.13 m (46 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.51 m (34 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1195 km/h (743 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed as an enhanced version of the Mystère IV with a more swept wing and afterburning Atar engine, the Super Mystère demonstrated French ability to produce a fully supersonic fighter independently. France operated over 150 examples; Israel acquired 36 and used them in the Six-Day War of 1967 and War of Attrition, with Honduras operating ex-Israeli aircraft into the 1990s.
Variants
Produced as the B2 production version; a navalized variant was studied but not built; Israel upgraded its aircraft with J52 engines creating the Sabbat.
Where you'll see it
Served Armée de l'air from 1957, retired by 1977; Israeli Air Force used the type in combat through 1967; Honduras flew ex-Israeli aircraft until around 1996.
Related aircraft
- Dassault Etendard IV
- Dassault Mirage III
- Dassault MD 454 Mystère IV
- Dassault Mirage IIIB
- Bell X-2
- Cessna T-37C Tweet
- Dassault MD 550 Mystère-Delta
- FFA P-16
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