The Fouga CM.170 Magister is a two-seat military jet trainer developed in France in the 1950s by Fouga Aviation (later part of Aérospatiale).
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It stood out as one of the first jet trainers in the world and was widely used by various air forces.
Main Features of the Fouga CM.170 Magister:
Role: Military jet trainer Origin: France Manufacturer: Fouga (later Aérospatiale) First flight: July 23, 1952 Service entry: 1956 Engines: Two Turbomeca Marboré II turbojet engines Maximum speed: Approximately 715 km/h Range: Around 925 km Endurance: About 2 hours of flight Armament: Some versions were equipped with machine guns and rockets, allowing for light ground attack missions.
History and Usage
The Magister was adopted by several air forces worldwide, including France, Germany, Israel, Belgium, Brazil, and Ireland. It was valued for its ease of piloting and versatility, being used for both training and light reconnaissance and attack missions.
In Ireland, the Irish Air Corps operated the Fouga CM.170 Magister until 1998, when the fleet was retired and the aircraft became museum pieces. As a result, Ireland was left without a combat aviation force, relying on the British RAF for airspace interceptions.
Interesting Facts
- The Magister has a distinctive design with an inverted “V” tail, a rare feature in military aircraft.
- It was used by the Patrouille de France, the French Air Force’s aerobatic demonstration team.
- Israel deployed the Magister in combat missions during the Six-Day War (1967), where it was successfully used in ground attack operations.
Source: Wikipedia. Photos: Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
