| Matra M.04 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Air-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | France |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1948 |
| Manufacturer | Matra |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 460 kilograms (1,010 lb) |
| Length | 4.6 metres (15 ft) |
| Diameter | 0.25 metres (9.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) |
| Engine | Solid-fuel rocket 1,250 kg thrust for 14 seconds |
| Propellant | Acid/Aniline rocket |
Launch platform | Halifax (testing) |
The Matra M.04 was a French missile project that began development in Societe Matra in 1948. Intended either as an air-to-air missile or a surface-to-air missile it was never adopted in service, although it was tested over the Sahara in 1952.
Development
The missile was first test-fired in flight from a Halifax bomber in May 1950 at Colomb-Bechar. The missile was large for an air-to-air missile, with two pairs of cruciform swept wings, with the smaller rear pair being moved using pneumatic actuation to provide steering. A SEPR acid/aniline rocket containing 110 kg of propellent provided 1,250 kg of thrust for 14 seconds, taking it to a speed of 490 meters per second.
The surface-to-air version was intended to have an additional tandem booster stage, and was designated the R.042 - and work continued on it until 1955.
References
- Flight magazine, 28 January 1955
- Gunston, Bill (1979). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Rockets & Missiles. London: Salamander Books. ISBN 0-517-26870-1.