Dassault Mystère IV
Summary
| Category | Combat aircraft |
| Origin country | 🇫🇷 France |
| First flight | 28 September 1952 |
| Year of introduction | 1954 |
| Number produced | 411 units |
| Average unit price | $1.5 million |
Description
Derived from the Mystère II with its swept wing design, the MD-452 Mystère IV was developed starting in 1951. Although it was not intended for mass production, the project was initiated to boost the development of new aircraft. The first flight of the Mystère IV 01, piloted by Kostia Rozanoff, took place on September 28, 1952. It lasted for 25 minutes and the aircraft quickly demonstrated excellent flight qualities.
As part of the aid provided by the United States to post-war Europe, the aircraft was evaluated by an American commission, which included Charles "Chuck" Yeager. Completely satisfying the requirements, the aircraft was ordered by the United States Department of the Air Force on April 25, 1953, with a total of 225 units, all of which were offered to France.
In total, 411 aircraft were manufactured and delivered from 1954 to 1958, for the French Air Force and for export (110 units to India and 59 to Israel). 114 were equipped with Rolls-Royce Tay engines, while all the others (especially those exported) were equipped with the more powerful Hispano-Suiza Verdon 350, an upgraded version of the Tay. The final of the 242 French Mystère IV A aircraft was delivered to the French Air Force on November 27, 1958.
Its armament consisted of 2 30mm cannons and 907 kg of ordnance carried on 4 hardpoints: 12 105mm rockets, 2 250/500 kg bombs, 4 70 kg bombs, or 2 additional fuel tanks.
Between 1957 and 1963, the Mystère IV was used by the Patrouille de France aerobatic display team. It also made history with its combat achievements in the 1956 and 1967 wars for Israel. On October 30, 1956, the Mystère IV achieved its first victory when 8 aircraft engaged 12 Egyptian MiG-15s. They shot down one MiG and damaged a second one. In the following days, 2 Mystère IVs engaged 4 Egyptian Vampires and shot them all down, thus demonstrating the aircraft's excellent capabilities and reinforcing the Israelis' decision to order Super Mystère B2 and Mirage III C aircraft. Between 1965 and 1971, India used the Mystère IV against Pakistan, where they carried out ground attack missions.
The Mystère IV ended its career at the 8th Fighter Squadron in Cazaux, where it provided advanced training for future combat pilots. Many Iraqi trainees benefited from the quality of French instruction. The final retirement of the last Mystère IV A, almost thirty years old, did not take place until November 1982, after the 8th Fighter Squadron transitioned to the Alphajet.
Technical specifications
| Version: Mystère IV N | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 pilot |
| Operational range | 920 km (572 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 1120 km/h (696 mph) |
| Wing area | 32 m² (344.4 sqft) |
| Wingspan | 11.1 m (36.5 ft) |
| Height | 4.6 m (15.1 ft) |
| Length | 14.8 m (48.6 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 13700 m (44948 ft) |
| Empty weight | 7140 kg (15741 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 10320 kg (22752 lbs) |
| Climb rate | 95.0 m/s (311.7 ft/s) |
| Powerplant | 1 × turbojet Rolls-Royce Avon RA.7R delivering 3334 kgp, up to 4332 kgp with afterburner |
Current operating countries
No country is operating the Mystère IV in 2024.
Photo of Mystère IV
