Dassault Etendard 4
The Dassault Etendard IV was France's first carrier-based jet strike fighter, developed to give the French Navy an independent domestic alternative to buying American or British carrier aircraft. Its relatively small size and simple, robust design suited carrier operations well, even though it was already somewhat outdated in performance compared with contemporary land-based fighters by the time it entered widespread service. A dedicated reconnaissance variant, the Etendard IVP, remained in French Navy service for photographic and electronic surveillance duties years after the strike version had retired. Its successor, the Super Etendard, became far more famous for its role delivering Exocet missiles during the 1982 Falklands War.
Did you know?
The Etendard IVM was France's first carrier-based jet strike fighter, a compact, rugged design later succeeded by the Exocet-armed Super Etendard of Falklands War fame.
Specifications
| Length | 14.4 m (47 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 9.6 m (31 ft) |
| Height | 3.8 m (12 ft) |
| Persons on board | 1 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 12 t |
| Range | 500 NM (926 km) |
| Maximum speed | 600 kt (1,111 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 50,850 ft (15,499 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 36,000 ft (10,973 m) |
| Rate of climb | 19,685 ft/min (100 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 400 m (1,312 ft) |
| Landing distance | 500 m (1,640 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 3,200 l |
| Engines | 1x SNECMA Atar 8 |
| Units built | 90 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
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