Dassault Mirage G

Mirage G
The Dassault Mirage G8-01 and G-8-02 prototypes in flight. The G8-01's wings are swept.
Role Swing-wing multirole fighter
Manufacturer Dassault Aviation
First flight 18 November 1967
Status Cancelled in the 1970s
Primary user French Air Force
Number built 3
Developed from Dassault Mirage F2

The Dassault Mirage G was a French two-seat twin-engined variable-geometry prototype fighter, built by Dassault Aviation in the late 1960s. The aircraft was further developed into the twin-engine Mirage G4 and G8 variants as a multi-role jet fighter capable of both interception and nuclear strike missions. Although Dassault built and flew prototypes, the entire programme was terminated in the 1970s without the aircraft entering production.[1]

Development

In 1964 the French defence ministry requested a development programme on variable-sweep wing aircraft for dual land and aircraft carrier use. France had participated with the Anglo-French Variable Geometry aircraft (AFVG) before abandoning their interest; later Dassault received an order for a prototype, powered by a single Pratt & Whitney/SNECMA TF-306 turbofan in October 1965.[2]

The first variable-sweep aircraft from Dassault emerged as the single-engined, two-seat Mirage G fighter in 1967, essentially a swing wing version of the Mirage F2. The wings were swept at 22 degrees when fully forward and 70 degrees when fully aft and featured full-span double-slotted trailing edge flaps and two-position leading edge flaps.[3]

Flight trials were relatively successful but no production order ensued, the Mirage G programme being cancelled in 1968.[2] Flying with the Mirage G continued however until 13 January 1971 when the sole prototype was lost in an accident.

Variants

Mirage G4

G8-01 is on public display at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace

The basic Mirage G was developed into a twin-engine, two-seat nuclear strike fighter, the Mirage G4 after a separate contract was issued in 1968 for two aircraft to be built. These aircraft were intended to be powered by Snecma M53 turbofans in production.[2] While the aircraft were under construction the requirements changed and the French military requested that the design be converted into a dedicated interceptor.[2]

Mirage G8

Mirage G4-01 was redesignated G8-01 and remained a two-seat aircraft (first flight 8 May 1971) with the second aircraft, G4-02 becoming a single-seat version, G8-02 (first flight 13 July 1972).[2] The G8 variants were equipped with Thomson-CSF radar and a low-altitude navigational-attack system based on that used in the SEPECAT Jaguar and Dassault Milan.[1][2] As no funding was included for the Mirage G8 in the 1971-1976 French defence budget the aircraft did not enter production.[1]

Aircraft on display

Dassault Mirage G8-01 is on public display at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace near Paris.[4]

Specifications (Mirage G8-02)

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Green 1972, p. 84.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dassault Aviation - Mirage G history www.dassault-aviation.com Retrieved: 10 April 2010
  3. ↑ Green 1968, p. 78.
  4. ↑ Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace - Collections (French language) www.mae.org Retrieved: 13 April 2010

Bibliography

  • Green, William. The Observer's Book of Aircraft. London. Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., 1968.
  • Green, William. The Observer's Book of Aircraft. London. Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., 1972. ISBN 0-7232-1507-3

External links

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