PIERRE BREGERIE COLLECTION
No. 10903. Dassault M.D.452 Mystère II C (37 c/n 37) French Air Force
Photographed at Creil AFB, France, ca. 1955, by the air base photographer

Dassault M.D.452 Mystère II C

10/31/2011. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The Mystère II (Mystery) was a progressive development of the basic M.D.450 Ouragan, the first prototype, the Mystère I, flying on February 23, 1951. It retained the fuselage, Nene engine and armament of the M.D.450, mating these elements with a new, sweptback (30°) wing and redesigned tail surfaces. Three further prototypes followed, these differing from their predecessor primarily in power plant, two having the 6,283 lb (2,850 kg) st Hispano-Suiza Tay 250 turbojet and the third having a 5,512 lb (2,500 kg) st Atar 101C turbojet.

Eleven (later reduced to ten) pre-series Mystère IIs had been ordered in September 1951, and, of these, the first three and fifth were completed to the Tay-engined IIB standard, the third with twin 30mm cannon. The sixth and subsequent received a similar armament, SNECMA Atar 101C-1, 101C-3, and later 101D-1 or 101D-2 engine with revised intake trunking and rearranged fuel tanks as Mystère II Cs.

First six of initial order for 40 added to pre-series, the final two of these receiving the afterburning Atar 101F-2 of 8,378 lb (3,800 kg) st. Production of a further 90 Mystère II C fighters ordered for the Armee de l'Air, the last flying in January 1957. The series model featured increased tail sweepback, twin 1.18 in (30 mm) cannon and 6,173 lb (2,800 kg) st Atar 101D-2 or 101D-3 turbojet."

10/31/2011. Remarks by Pierre Bregerie: "I flew this aircraft on September 20, 1956, while with Escadrons 1/10 Parisis at Creil AFB, some 30 mls (48 km) north of Paris."


Created October 31, 2011