Etendard IV

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The Dassault Étendard IV was a French carrier-based strike fighter developed in the 1950s for the French Navy, with its first flight on July 24, 1956. Entering service in 1962, the type served as the backbone of French naval aviation on Clemenceau-class carriers in both fighter (IVM) and reconnaissance (IVP) roles until its withdrawal in 1991 and 2000, respectively. 
 
Development and Design
Origin: Developed from the earlier Étendard II and VI, the IV was designed to meet a French Navy requirement for a carrier-based strike fighter.
Features: It featured highly swept folding wings, a Snecma Atar 8B turbojet (subsonic, but capable of supersonic speeds in a dive), and a retractable refueling probe.
Variants: 69 Étendard IVM fighters and 21 Étendard IVP reconnaissance aircraft were produced.
Limitations: The IVM lacked radar, relying on the pilot's sight for combat. 
 
Operational History
Service: The aircraft operated aboard the French aircraft carriers Clemenceau and Foch starting in 1962.
Performance: It logged 180,000 flight hours (IVM) and over 200,000 hours (IVP) during its service life.
Successor: The Étendard IV was progressively replaced by the improved Super Étendard, which featured better avionics and weapons systems.