Dassault Aviation aircraft, Megawallpapers: Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets.
It was originally founded by Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marcel Bloch changed his name to Marcel Dassault, and the name of the company was changed to Avions Marcel Dassault on 20 December 1947. In 1971, Dassault acquired Breguet, forming Avions Marcel Dassault-Breguet Aviation (AMD-BA). In 1990, the company was renamed Dassault Aviation.
The Société des Avions Marcel Bloch was founded by Marcel Bloch in 1928. In 1935 Bloch and Henry Potez entered into an agreement to buy Societe Aerienne Bordelaise (SAB), subsequently renamed Societe Aeronautique du Sud-Quest. In 1936 the entire arms industry in France was nationalised as the Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Sud-Ouest (SNCASO). Marcel Bloch was asked to act as delegated administrator of the Minister for Air.

During the occupation of France the country's aviation industry was virtually disbanded. [1] Marcel Bloch was imprisoned by the Vichy government in October 1940. In 1944 Bloch was deported to the Buchenwald concentration camp by the German occupiers where he remained until it was liberated on April 11 1945.

On November 10 1945 at an extraordinary general meeting of the Société Anonyme des Avions Marcel Bloch the company voted to change it form to a limited liability entity, Société des Avions Marcel Bloch, which was to be a holding company. On January 20 1947 Société des Avions Marcel Bloch became Société des Avions Marcel Dassault to reflect the name adopted by its owner.

In 1954 Dassault established an electronics division (by 1962 named Electronique Marcel Dassault), the first action of which was to begin development of airborne radars, soon followed by seeker heads for air-to-air missiles, navigation and bombing aids. From the 1950s to late 1970s exports become a major part of Dassault’s business, major successes were the Dassault Mirage series and the Mystere-Falcon. The average rate in the period 1952-1977 was 58%. [2]

In the year 1965 and 1966 the French government stressed to its various defence suppliers the need to continue specialization of tasks to maintain viable companies and the associated skills. Dassault was to specialise in combat and business aircraft, Nord Aviation in ballistic missiles and Sud Aviation civil and military transport aircraft and helicopters. [3] (Nord Aviations and Sud Aviation would merge in 1970 to form Aérospatiale) .

On June 27 1967 Dassault (at the urging of the French government) acquired 66% of Breguet Aviation. Under the merger deal Société des Avions Marcel Dassault was dissolved on December 14 1971, with its assets vested in Breguet, to be renamed Avions Marcel Dassault-Bregeut Aviation (AMD-BA).

Dassault Systčmes was established in 1981 to develop and market Dassault’s CAD program, CATIA. Dassault Systčmes was to become a market leader in this field.

In 1979 the French Government took a 20% share in Dassault and established the Societé de Gestion de Participations Aéronautiques (SOGEPA) to manage this and an indirect 25% share in Aerospatiale (the government also held a direct 75% share in that company). In 1998 the French Government transferred its shares in Dassault Aviation (45.76%) to Aerospatiale. On July 10, 2000, Aérospatiale-Matra merged with other European companies to form EADS.

In 2000 Serge Dassault resigned as Chairman and was succeeded by Charles Edlestenne. Serge Dassault was appointed Honorary Chairman.
Military aicraft: MD 315 Flamant, 1947
Dassault MD 450 Ouragan, 1951
Dassault MD 452 Mystčre II, 1952
Dassault MD 453 Mystčre III, 1952 (a one-off MD-452 nightfighter)
Dassault MD 454 Mystčre IV, 1952
MD 550, 1955
Super Mystčre, 1955
Mirage III, 1956,
Étendard II, 1956
Étendard IV, 1956
MD 410 Spirale, 1960
Balzac, 1962
Mirage IV (atomic bomber), 1960
Atlantic (ATL 1), 1965
Mirage F1, 1966
Mirage V, 1967
Mirage G, 1967
Milan, 1968
Mirage G-4/G-8, 1971
Alpha Jet, 1973
Super Étendard, 1974
Falcon Guardian 01, 1977
Mirage 2000, 1978
Mirage 4000, 1979
Mirage 50, 1979
Falcon Guardian, 1981
Atlantic 2 (ATL 2), 1982
Mirage III NG, 1982
Rafale, 1986
Neuron, expected 2009
Civilian aircraft:
Falcon family
Falcon 10 (Falcon 100)
Falcon 20 (Falcon 200)
Falcon 50
Falcon 900
Falcon 2000
Falcon 7X (originally Falcon FNX)