Dassault M.D.452 Mystere II

The MD.452 Mystere was a progressive development of the basic MD.450 Ouragan, the first prototype, the Mystere I, flying on 23 February 1951. It retained the fuselage, Nene engine and armament of the MD.450, mating these elements with a new, sweptback (30 deg) wing and redesigned tail surfaces. Three further prototypes followed, these differing from their predecessor primarily in power plant, two having the 2850kg Hispano-Suiza Tay 250 and the third having a 2500kg Atar 101C. Eleven (later reduced to 10) pre-series Mystere 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, -3, and later D-1 or -2 engine with revised intake trunking and rearranged fuel tanks as Mystere IICs. First six of initial order for 40 added to pre-series, the final two of these receiving the afterburning Atar 101F-2 of 3800kg. Production of a further 90 Mystere IIC fighters ordered for the Armee de l'Air, the last flying in January 1957. The series model featured increased tail sweepback, twin 30mm cannon and 2800kg Atar 101D-2 or D-3 turbojet.