Sud SO-4050 Vautour
The Sud Aviation Vautour was a French twin-jet aircraft that served as a bomber, attack aircraft, and all-weather interceptor. Its engines were mounted in large nacelles beneath a swept wing, while the long fuselage accommodated different crew arrangements for each role. Israel used Vautours in the Six-Day War, where their range and payload made them valuable strike aircraft. The type’s versatility reflects the era before specialised fighters and bombers became the norm.
Did you know?
The Sud Vautour served as bomber, attack aircraft, and interceptor in one airframe, from before roles split into specialised jets.
Specifications
| Length | 15.6 m (51 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 15.1 m (50 ft) |
| Height | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 20.8 t |
| Range | 1,500 NM (2,778 km) |
| Maximum speed | 610 kt (1,130 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 50,000 ft (15,240 m) |
| Rate of climb | 11,811 ft/min (60 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 1,200 m (3,937 ft) |
| Landing distance | 1,200 m (3,937 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 10,964 l |
| Engines | 2x SNECMA Atar 101E |
| Units built | 149 |
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
In CatchFlights the Sud SO-4050 Vautour starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Sud, the SO-4050 Vautour family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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