October 1952. One built. S.O. 4050-02 : Single-seat ground-attack prototype, powered by two 27.6-kN (6,217-lb) Atar 101D turbojet engines. First flew on 16 December 1953. One built. S.O. 4050-03 : Two-seat bomber prototype, powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire turbojet engines. First flew on 5 December 1954. One built. The Vautour was produced in three principal variants, which had 90% commonality: IIA: Single-seat, long-range attack aircraft, armed with cannon and bombs (carried internally or on four underwing pylons) IIN: Two-seat, all-weather interceptor with DRAC-25AI or DRAC-32AI radar in nose, pilot and co-pilot in tandem seats, armed with cannon, air-to-air missiles, and (theoretically) unguided rockets. The designation was later changed to II-1N. IIB: Two-seat bomber with glazed nose position for bombardier/observer replacing cannon pack, carrying bombs internally and on underwing pylons. Some IIB aircraft were converted to various specialized roles, principally reconnaissance (IIBR and IIBN), ECM, and eventually target tug (IIB-TT). Production Total production was 149 aircraft, divided as follows: Prototypes: 3 Pre-production: 6 IIA: 30 (13 for France, 17 for Israel) IIB: 40 (36 for France, 4 for Israel) IIN: 70 (63 for France, 7 for Israel) Operators Armee de l'Air received 112 aircraft. 92me Escadre de Bombardement operated the Vautour IIB and between 1970 and 1978, some Vautour IINs. Escadron de Bombardement 1/92 "Bourgogne" Escadron de Bombardement 2/92 "Aquitaine" Bombing Training Center operated Vautour IIB variant. 30me Escadre de Chasse Tout Temps operated the Vautour IIN and used several Vautour IIAs for training purposes. 1/30 "Loire" 3/30 "Lorraine" Israeli Air Force received 31 aircraft, operating the type between May 1958 and April 1972. 110 Squadron based at Ramat David operated 19 Vautour IIA and four Vautour IIB aircraft. 119 Squadron based at Tel-Nof operated eight Vautour IINs. Aircraft on Display Vautour IIA -- Le Château de Savigny-Lès-Beaune Vautour IIA -- Israeli Air Force Museum Vautour IIB -- Israeli Air Force Museum Vautour IIN -- Musée aéronautique et spatial Safran Vautour IIN -- Musée Europeen de l'Aviation de Chasse Vautour IIN -- Le Château de Savigny-Lès-Beaune Vautour IIN -- Israeli Air Force Museum Specifications (Vautour IIA) See also Rotem Crisis References Notes Bibliography Crosbie, Sylvia K. A Tacit Alliance: France and Israel from Suez to the Six Day War. Princeton University Press, 2015. . Gunston, Bill. Bombers of the West. New York. Charles Scribner's and Sons, 1973. . Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981.