Sud-Ouest SO 4050 Vautour

Jet-Powered Fighter-Bomber Aircraft

France | 1958

"The capable French Sud-Ouest Vautour line would later be replaced by the more advanced Dassault Mirage F1 series fighter jets."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/16/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

These limited-production aircraft served with little distinction in French hands but were better served as night fighters and attack aircraft by the Israeli Air Force in later years. The aircraft is oft-noted for its design similarities to the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-28 but it became a very different aircraft altogether. The system was produced in only three mission-specific variants and formed the core of Soviet deterrent in France during the Cold War. The portly-looking Vautour (meaning "Vulture") served for an impressive 15 years with the French Air Force eventually being replaced by the more capable Mirage F1 series.

The Vautour was initially derived from half-scale research glider testing in powered and engine-less forms. From there, a full scale prototype was born with the designation of S.O. 4000 to which these were fitted with Hispano-Suiza turbojets (x2), license-production copies of the British Rolls-Royce Nene. With the arrival of the official designation, S.O. 4050, the Vautour was produced in three prototypes that included two 2-seat versions and a one single-seat version. the initial two-seat variant was designed as a night fighter while the second appeared as a single-seat ground-attack derivative. The final prototype was a two-seat dedicated bomber. All versions differed mainly from one another by their selection of powerplants. Engines were later standardized for production in the SNECMA Atar 101E 7,716 pound thrust engine regardless of dedicated role.

The three major variants became the Vautour II-A attack aircraft - fitted with 4 x 20mm cannons and bombs - the Vautour II-B - a dedicated bomber with a redesigned and glazed nose assembly for the bombardier - and the Vautour II-N nightfighter with the "N" in the designation indicating this specific role. The nightfighter variant was fitted with specialized interception radar in the nose and was of the two-seat design. In all, just some 70 aircraft of all three types were ever delivered despite the initial desire for the French government to field some 140 total Vautours.

Externally, the Vautour was a very standard aircraft design. The fuselage allowed for either the single or two-seat crew accommodation to be used depending on the production model. Engines were held outward of the fuselage under each wing and the crew sat high and forward on the stout airframe. A single vertical tail surface was held at rear with high-mounted elevators creating the distinct "T" tail assembly. Two hardpoints allowed for the carrying of air-to-air missiles or unguided rockets. Standard armament was a battery of 4 x 20mm cannons - two to a side in the nose.

Israel took delivery of at least 18 Vautours after testing their capabilities. These Vautours formed two squadrons and replaced aging British Mosquitos in attack and interception roles. The Vautour performed admirably well in Israeli hands in day or night roles. Their exposure to combat gradually diminished with the arrival of more capable French and American made aircraft.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Sud-Ouest SO 4050 Vautour IIN Jet-Powered Fighter-Bomber Aircraft.

2 x SNECMA Atar 101E-3 turbojet engines developing 7,716 lb of thrust each.
Propulsion

687 mph
1,105 kph | 597 kts
Max Speed

49,213 ft
15,000 m | 9 miles
Service Ceiling

1,988 miles
3,200 km | 1,728 nm
Operational Range

11,800 ft/min
3,597 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Sud-Ouest SO 4050 Vautour IIN Jet-Powered Fighter-Bomber Aircraft.

2
(MANNED)
Crew

51.1 ft
15.57 m
O/A Length

49.5 ft
(15.09 m)
O/A Width

14.8 ft
(4.50 m)
O/A Height

22,046 lb
(10,000 kg)
Empty Weight

44,092 lb
(20,000 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Sud-Ouest SO 4050 Vautour Jet-Powered Fighter-Bomber Aircraft .

STANDARD:
4 x 30mm DEFA internal autocannons.

OPTIONAL:
240 x Unguided rockets.
2 x Air-to-Air Missiles (AAMs) OR conventional drop bombs / napalm bombs across four total hardpoints (inboard / outboard).

Maximu, loadout up to 9,700lb.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Sud-Ouest SO 4050 Vautour family line.

Vautour - Base Series Designation

S.O.M. 1 ? Un-powered Half-Scale Research Glider

S.O.M. 2 - Powered Half-Scale Research Glider; fitted with Rolls-Royce Derwent turbojet engine.

S.O. 4000 - Full Scale Prototype; fitted with 2 x Hispano-Suiza license-built Rolls-Royce-brand Nene turbojet engines.

S.O. 4050 - Series Designation; single (1 built) and dual (2 built) seat prototypes constructed - 3 total; fitted with 2 x SNECMA Atar 101B turbojet engines; third prototype fitted with Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engines; 6 x pre-production aircraft.

S.O. 4050 Vautour II-A - 30 examples produced; fitted with 2 x SNECMA Atar 101E turbojet engines of 7,716lbs; single seat ground attack version.

S.O. 4050 Vautour IIB - 40 examples produced; two-seat bomber variant.

S.O. 4050 Vautour IIN - 70 examples produced; night-fighter variant with specialized equipment.

S.O. 4050 Vautour II1N - II-N models when fitted with slab-type tailplanes.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Sud-Ouest SO 4050 Vautour. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 149 Units
Contractor(s): Sud-Ouest (Sud-Est) - France

[ France; Israel ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 750mph

Lo: 375mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (687mph).

Graph Average of 563 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

Production Comparison

149

36183

44000

Entry compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian) total production.

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

♦

1 / 1

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Going Further...
The Sud-Ouest SO 4050 Vautour Jet-Powered Fighter-Bomber Aircraft appears in the following collections:

HOME

AVIATION INDEX

AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY

AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS

YOM KIPPUR WAR AIRCRAFT

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2025 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks U.S. DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols US 5-Star Generals WW2 Weapons by Country

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes Global Firepower, WDMMA.org, WDMMW.org, and World War Next.

©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)