Dassault MD 311 & 312 Flamant at Airshow Aerodrome de Cambrai, Nierges, France.
The aircraft was used for pilot training, navigation training, light transport, maritime surveillance and light ground attack. During the Algerian War of Independence the plane was used for light attack with the Nord SS.11 and AS.11 antitank missiles or with machine guns, bombs, and rockets.
The Flamant MD 311 (which were based in Algeria to train pilots and navigators at first) was the first aircraft in history (1956) to fire one of the world's first wire guided antitank missile in anger, using French Army SS.11 antitank missiles, in a combat experiment to get at fortified caves located in deep mountain gorges, from an aircraft based with the special unit of the French Air Force in Algeria, GOM.86. The SS.11 attacks proved extremely successful and the French Army which had provided the missiles, began an experiment which resulted in the worlds first attack helicopters firing antitank missiles. The Flamant stayed in service until 1981. In addition to the French air force, the Flamant served in Cambodia, Madagascar, Tunisia, and Vietnam.
MD 311: Bombing, navigation and photography training aircraft, 39 built. MD 312: Six-seat transport and communications aircraft, 142 built.
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