Sud Ouest Aviation/Sud Est-SNIAS SO-4050 "Vautour"

The multipurpose battle aircraft S.O. 4050 "Vautour" originated from a long developmental history. First, there was a two-jetted experimental bomber, the S.O.4000, which took off for the first time on March 15, 1951. This was based on experiences which Sud-Oest had garnered through two models by the end of the 1940s. These models of the S.O.4000 were principally finished in a 1:2 ratio in order to collect experiences concerning flight speeds and to get closer to the speed of sound.

The first of these models, the S.O.M 1 took off for the first time in March 1948. It was purely a glider that discharged by the Languedoc S.E. 161 as a carrier airplane. The similar but motorized S.O.M.2 had its initial flight on April 13, 1948. It was powered by a Rolls-Royce Derwent-gas turbine engie. The experiences with both these models led to construction of the prototype of an advanced, two-jetted high performance aircraft S.O. 4000, whose tanks could hold up to 6,500 liters of fuel.

The S.O. 4000 was quickly developed into a tactical multipurpose aircraft, the S.O. 4050 after its flight tests. From the three prototypes, some were ordered and used for various military efforts. The S.O.4050-01 was conceived as the first two-seater all-weather fighter and equipped with two SNECMA jet engines Atar 101B with 23.5 kN thrust. It flew for the first time on October 16, 1952. The S.O.4050-02, the prototype of the one-seater fighter bomber, flew for the first time on December 16, 1953, was powered by two Atar 101D with 27.6 kN thrust each. The S.O.4050-03 was a two-seater bomber and flew for the first time on December 5, 1954 powered by two Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire engines.

After the testing of the three prototypes, as well as troop test from six (other sources claim eight) further pre-series models until 1955, all three versions of the "Vautour" were ordered by the French Armed Forces and were produced with Atar 101E as its standard engine type. The first aircrafts were in service by the beginning of 1956.

300 copies of the one-seater attack plane Vautour II-A with cannons and bomb armament were originally ordered, 30 copies were constructed.

40 copies were originally ordered and constructed of the two-seater bomber Vautour II-B with internal and external bomb load of 4,500 kg. The Armed Forces recieved these aircrafts in March 1958 and were utilized until 1978. The bomber version was the least successful model of the "Vautour" with a decent operational range, however, it should have had more bombs or better fuel consumption. The "Vautour" II-B was France's first atomic weapon carrier.

Of the 140 ordered copies of the two-seater all-weather fighter Vautour II-N, 70 copies were finally completed. By May 1957, they were in service and used until 1973 when they were replaced by the "Mirage F-1". A variation was the Vautour II-1N that was retrofitted and designed with a pendular rudder.

The total production of all "Vautour" series machines amounted to 140 copies.

Of the 30 completed copies of the one-seater attack version "Vautour" II-A, 19 copies were later delivered to Israel. By 1960, Israel took over the five with interceptor radar, which were of the equipped Vautor II-N nightboming model that was utilized during the Six Day War.

The successful SNCASO S.O. 4050 "Vautour" had three jet engines with which it could achieve a speed of 1,100 km/h. As a bomber, it could transport over 2,400 kg of bombs over a distance of 1,500 km. This middle-distance aircraft had a large, streamlined fuselage which was constructed entirely out of metal in a half-shell shape, a maintained cabin, large breaks on both sides of the fuselage and strong wings and empennage. The wings were at an angle of 35°. The empennage was well situated on the fuselage. Both engines were located in cases under the wings. The retractable undercarriage had two main wheel pairs in tandem order. Smaller cantilever legs were to help support the covers of the engines. The cabin was climatized by good standards and equipped with two ejector seats.

The machines of the assembly line S.O.4050 "Vautour", despite their size, were regarded as versatile, strong and strong competition in battle.

European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V.
Mendelweg 30 · 2333 CS Leiden · The Netherlands

EADS Deutschland GmbH · 81663 Munich · Germany
EADS France S.A.S. · 37, boulevard de Montmorency · 75781 Paris Cedex 16 · France
EADS CASA · Ava. de Aragón, 404, 28022 Madrid · Spain