Description
Of all the French prototypes of the 1950s, the Trident was the one that came closest to production and operational implementation.
At the time, and even today, many believed that cancelling the Trident program was a mistake. In the aftermath of World War II, the rocket-powered interceptor armed with missiles was seen by many air forces, including the French Air Force, as the answer to the threat of atomic bombers. It was in this context that the Trident was conceived.
From the first projects of 1948 to those of Mach 3 fighters of 1958, it is 10 years of research and development devoted to the rocket interceptor, started at SNCASO and finished at Sud-Aviation which the author recounts here.
Beyond the history of the Trident program, the author also examines the controversy surrounding its cancellation and its impact on popular culture, including fiction and popular science books, and model aircraft. The weaponry that the operational Trident would have received, as well as the question of equipment and pilot rescue, are also addressed in separate chapters.
Finally, for model makers, 1/72 scale plans of the main versions and colour profiles complete this work.
