Dassault MD.452 Mystere II

                                       

                                            I suspect that this aircraft is one of the four prototype Mystere IIBs.  This factory shot may have
                                            been taken before the two 30 mm cannon were fitted.   The six Mystere II prototypes (four IIAs
                                            and two IIBs) led to a pre-production run of 11 Mystere IICs followed by an order for 150 of them
                                            for the Armee de l'Air.   They were soon outclassed by the vastly superior Mystere IVA although
                                            remained in squadron service until 1963.  A Mystere IIA was the first French aircraft to break the
                                            sound barrier (under controlled flight, and albeit in a dive) on 28 October 1951.