By Jean-Marc Olivier, professor of contemporary history, co-founder and co-editor of the journal “Nacelles: The Past and Present of Aeronautics and Space,” and member of the AAE
By 1945, the French Air Force had virtually ceased to exist independently. The only national aircraft it could mobilize was the Dewoitine D.520, which had been completely overtaken by the first jet aircraft. However, France managed to catch up within fifteen years, thanks to the skills of its personnel, massive state investment and the help of its Western allies. In 1952, Dassault’s Mystère IV fighter made its maiden flight, and over 400 were produced. Then, in 1960, France detonated its own atomic bomb, using aircraft as the main delivery system, in particular the Dassault Mirage IV, which entered service in 1964.
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