Nord Aviation
Nord 2200
The Nord 2200 was a French jet fighter prototype built by Nord Aviation in the late 1940s. Conceptualized shortly after World War II, the aircraft was intended to demonstrate France’s ability to produce a modern, swept‑wing jet capable of high‑speed interception. Its design borrowed heavily from the German Messerschmitt Me 262, featuring a single Junkers Jumo 004‑B turbine engine mounted under the fuselage and a conventional straight‑wing layout initially, later modified to a 30‑degree swept wing to improve transonic performance. First flight occurred on 28 May 1949, piloted by test ace Jacques Guignard. Although the 2200 achieved a top speed of roughly 950 km/h and displayed respectable climb rates, development was hampered by engine reliability problems and the emergence of more advanced designs such as the Nord Noratlas and the Mirage series. The prototype never entered production, and only one airframe was completed before the program was cancelled in 1950. Nevertheless, the Nord 2200 provided valuable experience in jet aerodynamics, materials, and propulsion for the French aerospace industry, laying groundwork for the successful Sud‑Algerian and Dassault jet programs that followed later.
Classification
Production & History
- First Flight
- 1949