SNCASE Baroudeur
SNCASE · France · first flew 1953 · fighter
The SNCASE SE.5000 Baroudeur ('Scrapper') was a French experimental jet fighter of the early 1950s designed for operations from unprepared surfaces, using a wheeled trolley for takeoff and a retractable belly skid for landing on grass or dirt, eliminating the need for conventional runways. It explored an important Cold War concept of dispersed basing.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.49 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- French experimental jet fighter designed to operate without a runway using a takeoff trolley and skid landing
- Swept-wing single-engine jet with a distinctive belly skid and no conventional undercarriage
- Designed for dispersed operations from unprepared ground during the Cold War
A sleek mid-wing swept-wing jet with a single engine intake at the nose, notable absence of conventional main undercarriage legs, and a visible belly skid — unique among jet fighters of any era.
Specifications
- The SNCASE Baroudeur has a length of 13.49 m (44 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1140 km/h (708 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Three prototypes were built and tested from 1953 to 1955, demonstrating that a high-performance jet could indeed take off from a trolley and land on a skid. Despite successful trials, the concept was not adopted for production as conventional runways remained the preferred option for the Armée de l'Air.
Variants
Three prototypes (SE.5000/01, /02, /03) were built, each with incremental refinements; no production variant followed.
Where you'll see it
Never entered operational service; the Baroudeur remained an experimental programme that influenced later studies of STOL and dispersed-basing concepts in France.
Related aircraft
- SNCASE SE.2010 Armagnac
- SNCASE SE.3000
- Aerfer Leone
- Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.12
- Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.14
- Avia S-103
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.