288:, initially flying only using jet power, the rocket motor was not installed at all. On 30 March 1957, the second Durandal conducted its first flight, joining the test programme shortly thereafter. It was the second prototype that first made use of the rocket motor during April 1957. During flight testing, a maximum speed of 1,444 kilometres per hour (897 mph) was attained at an altitude of12,300 metres (40,400 ft), even without using the extra power of the rocket motor; this rose to 1667 km/h at 11,800 m while the rocket was active. These tests were performed without any armament being installed. A total of 45 test flights were performed prior to work on the programme being terminated.
28:
307:
During May 1957, the decision was made to terminate development of the
Durandal prior to any production aircraft being constructed; no further activity on the programme was ever taken. van Pelt notes that the programme's critics had derided the ability to carry only one AA.20 as giving such an
179:. During this time, the French Air Staff sought both to become a strong military force once again and to foster the indigenous development of advanced military aircraft. In this respect, one area of high interest for prospective development was the relatively new field of
118:
during the early 1950s, who were keen to exploit the potential advantages of a mixed-power propulsion system. In parallel, as part of a wider effort to re-build French military power and to furnish France with advanced, new domestically-produced designs, the
244:. It was intended for the Durandal to take off while being solely powered by this conventional engine; once it had attained a high altitude, the aircraft's speed could then be boosted by the ignition of its auxiliary engine, a single
158:
was picked as the competition's winner instead, subsequently being manufactured in quantity for numerous nations. Accordingly, the
Durandal became one of a number of "also-rans." The first prototype performed its
340:, in which a large number of advanced aircraft development programmes, including their own mixed-power interceptor programme, had been abruptly aborted in favour of concentrating upon the development of
245:
192:
1026:
163:
on 20 April 1956. Despite promising results demonstrated by the prototypes during tests, the project was ultimately unordered and all work was terminated by the company during 1957.
277:. According to aviation author Michel van Pelt, the limited missile armament of only one AA.20 was a major point of criticism of the Durandal, and contributed to its cancellation.
252:. The fuel pumps for the rocket motor were driven by the jet engine, thus the latter had to be kept running for the former to be ignited or to continue to power the aircraft.
1021:
259:
prototype interceptor, it was a heavier aircraft, intended to fly primarily on its jet engine rather than its rocket motor. Its armament was to consist of a single
214:, with a view towards inducted such an aircraft into its squadrons. Accordingly, as early as late 1951, SNCASE commenced work on design studies for a lightweight
800:
324:, the cancellation of several French mixed-power aircraft around this time had been heavily influenced by political developments in the neighbouring
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family of fighter aircraft. Furthermore, it was allegedly felt at the time that such a capability would be barely more than that of
266:, which was to be carried underneath the fuselage's centreline; an alternative armament configuration involved a pair of 30 mm
183:. According to author Michel van Pelt, French Air Force officials were against a pure rocket-powered fight, akin to the wartime-era
308:
interceptor only a single opportunity to attack, after which it would be defenseless; this criticism was equally applied to the
793:
515:
154:. While SNCASE did opt to submit their design for evaluation towards satisfying this requirement, the more conventional
940:
909:
184:
945:
834:
677:. Vol. II: Military Prototype Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946–1974. Manchester, UK: Hikoki Publications.
1006:
786:
329:
296:
222:
Pierre Satre, to undertake development of such an aircraft. Formal development of what would be designated the
980:
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904:
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that harnessed multiple propulsion systems; the company subsequently tasked its design team, headed by the
950:
317:
104:
970:
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889:
219:
27:
985:
215:
211:
136:
128:
713:
The
Complete Book of Fighters: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Every Fighter Aircraft Built and Flown
333:
313:
309:
143:
135:
by the company, was at one stage specialised towards its application as a dedicated point-defence
525:
263:
768:
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175:, France quickly set about its recovery and the rebuilding of its military, particularly the
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207:
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A pair of prototype aircraft were constructed; on 20 April 1956, the first performed its
210:
was keen for aviation companies to investigate the development of a capable and advanced
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874:
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859:
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325:
292:
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In comparison to other French mixed-power experimental aircraft, such as the competing
36:
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was not only keen to develop and produce cutting-edge designs, but was aware that the
187:, but instead favoured a mixed-propulsion approach, using a combination of rocket and
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1,667 km/h (1,036 mph, 900 kn) with rocket at 11,800 m (36,300 ft)
483:
417:
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with which to equip itself. Accordingly, the resulting design, designated
510:
420:
237:
188:
195:(SEPR), was founded for the purpose of developing France's own domestic
765:
Rocketing into the Future: The
History and Technology of Rocket Planes.
341:
810:
Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du Sud-Est (SNCASE)
809:
291:
The second
Durandal, aircraft No.02, was statically displayed at the
285:
274:
203:
151:
115:
58:
696:. Vol. 1: Post War Fighters. Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing.
474:
260:
229:
The design team produced a compact aircraft furnished with a 60°
492:
299:
during May 1957 with the AA.20 missile underneath the aircraft.
271:
147:
782:
352:
Sections of the first aircraft have been held in store by the
142:
The
Durandal's development was in parallel to a number of
733:. Cambridge, England: Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981.
114:
It was designed by the French aircraft manufacturer
928:
817:
747:
Aviation
Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe
505:
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
433:
rocket engine, 7.35 kN (1,653 lbf) thrust
146:-bomber projects that were promoted in response to
39:in May 1957 with AA20 rocket beneath the aircraft
749:. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians).
711:Green, William and; Swanborough, Gordon (1994).
656:
193:Société d'Etudes pour la Propulsion par Réaction
171:During the late 1940s, following the end of the
550:
548:
1027:Cancelled military aircraft projects of France
423:, 43 kN (9,700 lbf) with afterburner
794:
767:Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.
8:
226:by SNCASE was started during December 1963.
801:
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604:
602:
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596:
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328:, specifically the announcement of the
1022:Aircraft with auxiliary rocket engines
558:Volume XIX, No. 1, January 1957, p. 9.
556:Air Pictorial and Air Reserve Gazette,
17:
644:
191:engines. During 1944, a new company,
7:
398:29.60 m (318.6 sq ft)
386:12.07 m (39 ft 7 in)
715:. New York: Smithmark Publishing.
692:Carbonel, Jean-Christophe (2016).
392:7.44 m (24 ft 5 in)
312:, the precursor to the successful
212:point defence interceptor aircraft
129:point defence interceptor aircraft
14:
460:200 m/s (39,000 ft/min)
202:The French aircraft manufacturer
152:NATO Basic Military Requirement 1
26:
320:. According to aviation author
657:Green & Swanborough (1994)
410:6,700 kg (14,771 lb)
404:4,575 kg (10,086 lb)
1:
1012:1950s French fighter aircraft
354:Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace
35:SE-212 Durandal No.02 at the
1037:Tailless delta-wing aircraft
1032:Aircraft first flown in 1956
516:Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor
1017:Single-engined jet aircraft
554:"Sud-Est SE-212 Durandal."
1053:
635:Gunston 1981, pp. 218–219.
185:Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet
34:
25:
20:
330:1957 Defence White Paper
297:Paris Le Bourget Airport
233:and powered by a single
731:Fighters of the Fifties
626:Pelt 2012, pp. 164-165.
617:Pelt 2012, pp. 163-164.
371:General characteristics
318:surface-to-air missiles
181:rocket-powered aircraft
694:French Secret Projects
673:Buttler, Tony (2015).
240:engine, equipped with
167:Design and development
94:SNCASE SE.212 Durandal
220:aeronautical engineer
216:interceptor aircraft
137:interceptor aircraft
910:SE-3130 Alouette II
745:Ogden, Bob (2006).
314:Dassault Mirage III
144:lightweight fighter
905:SE.3120 Alouette I
812:(Sud-Est) aircraft
763:Pelt, Michel van.
675:X-Planes of Europe
608:Pelt 2012, p. 164.
584:Pelt 2012, p. 163.
572:Pelt 2012, p. 158.
526:Saunders-Roe SR.53
264:air-to-air missile
111:of the mid-1950s.
994:
993:
722:978-0-8317-3939-3
703:978-1-91080-900-6
684:978-1-90210-948-0
310:Dassault Mirage I
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418:SNECMA Atar 101F
373:
334:Defence Minister
235:SNECMA Atar 101F
208:French Air Force
177:French Air Force
173:Second World War
121:French Air Force
109:fighter aircraft
83:
49:Type of aircraft
30:
21:SE.212 Durandal
18:
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1007:SNCASE aircraft
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729:Gunston, Bill.
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356:at Le Bourget.
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332:by the British
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224:SE.212 Durandal
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133:SE.212 Durandal
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458:Rate of climb:
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452:Maximum speed:
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446:Maximum speed:
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326:United Kingdom
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293:Paris Air Show
257:SNCASO Trident
197:rocket engines
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360:Specification
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338:Duncan Sandys
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107:experimental
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96:was a French
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76:Experimental
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65:First flight
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55:Manufacturer
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667:Bibliography
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645:Ogden (2006)
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348:Preservation
322:Bill Gunston
306:
303:Cancellation
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279:
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250:rocket motor
242:afterburning
228:
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170:
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132:
113:
93:
91:
82:Number built
15:
941:Alouette II
818:Designation
491:24 x 68 mm
484:DEFA cannon
439:Performance
427:Powerplant:
414:Powerplant:
270:or 24 68mm
268:DEFA cannon
105:mixed-power
47:Interceptor
1001:Categories
946:Amphitrite
936:Alouette I
534:References
482:Two 30 mm
396:Wing area:
231:delta wing
125:supersonic
981:Languedoc
961:Baroudeur
539:Citations
473:One Nord
454:Mach 1.57
390:Wingspan:
365:Data from
344:instead.
156:Fiat G.91
127:-capable
123:sought a
976:Grognard
966:Durandal
956:Armagnac
511:Avro 720
500:See also
466:Armament
421:turbojet
342:missiles
238:turbojet
189:turbojet
951:Aquilon
920:SE-5000
915:SE.3200
900:SE-3110
895:SE-3101
890:SE-3000
885:SE-2410
880:SE-2310
875:SE-2300
870:SE-2100
865:SE-1210
860:SE-1010
495:rockets
431:SEPR 75
384:Length:
275:rockets
73:Status
971:Frelon
855:SE-700
850:SE.580
845:SE-400
840:SE.212
835:SE.200
830:SE.161
825:SE.100
771:
753:
737:
719:
700:
681:
286:Istres
204:SNCASE
116:SNCASE
102:rocket
59:SNCASE
475:AA.20
378:Crew:
261:AA.20
44:Role
929:Name
769:ISBN
751:ISBN
735:ISBN
717:ISBN
698:ISBN
679:ISBN
493:SNEB
429:1 ×
416:1 ×
272:SNEB
246:SEPR
148:NATO
100:and
92:The
295:at
284:at
248:75
150:'s
98:jet
1003::
589:^
577:^
563:^
547:^
487:or
478:or
336:,
199:.
139:.
86:2
802:e
795:t
788:v
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759:.
741:.
725:.
706:.
687:.
380:1
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