VAMPIRE and MISTRAL French. Volume 01

During the war, France had remained on the sidelines of the technological revolution represented by jet propulsion. A considerable industrial and financial effort would make it possible to close this gap within a few years and see the emergence of Dassault's products. But before that programme bore fruit, the Armée de l'Air had to learn everything about this new mode of propulsion and its implications for piloting, maintenance and combat procedures. It was a British product, the de Havilland DH.100 Vampire, that was chosen to drive this transition and radically modernise the fighter units.

Some are delivered complete, sourced from the RAF, while others are built under licence at Marignane. Mastery of this manufacturing process will enable SNCASE to develop a more powerful version, the SE.532/535 Mistral, used on the Algerian theatre of operations. Outclassed from the mid-1950s, these fighters with their unique silhouette allowed French forces to enter resolutely into the era of combat jets, yet no work had until now traced their careers — so numerous and widespread were they.

The three authors, supported by a wide network of friends, rose to this challenge and recounted in detail the history of all the units and services that operated the Vampire and Mistral. Correspondingly, the individual career of each of the 574 aircraft is meticulously traced. The industrial and operational aspects are not overlooked. The work, presented in two volumes, draws on an iconography of some 1,700 photographs and drawings and on the numerous profiles produced by Patrice Gaubert. More than 100 first-hand accounts from those who lived through that era show just how exhilarating — or dramatic — the early days of the jet were.

Approximately 1,700 photographs, 50 profiles, and numerous 3-view drawings at 1/72 scale, all gathered across these two volumes. 384 pages for Volume 01 and 400 pages for Volume 02.