Passion

70 years of the 1st flight of the MD 452 Mystère II

This Tuesday February 23 marks the 70th anniversary of the 1st flight of the Mystère II prototype, which took place in 1951 at Istres, under the command of Kostia Rozanoff.

This Tuesday February 23 marks the 70th anniversary of the 1st flight of the Mystère II prototype, which took place in 1951 at Istres, under the command of Kostia Rozanoff.

Directly derived from the hurricane and equipped with a Rolls Royce Nene engine, the MD 452 made aviation history by being the first aircraft to dive through the sound barrier. Despite this unprecedented performance, the French transonic only served as a transition to the development of the Mystère IV, which replaced it in 1957.

With only 150 units delivered, it remains a remarkable success which has once again placed Dassault Aviation at the forefront of aeronautical innovation.

Find more information about the Mystère II by consulting its airplane file.