Dassault Mirage G

The Dassault Mirage G was a French two-seat twinjet variable-geometry prototype fighter, built by Dassault Aviation in the late 1960s. The type 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]

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

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 G

Single-engined initial version, first flight 18 November 1967. Crashed 13 January 1971.

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, the Mirage G8.[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]

Cooperation on LTV V-507

In the late 1960s, the US manufacturer Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) was seeking technical data on variable-geometry wings, within the framework of a bid for the US Navy's VFX carrier fighter contract.[4] As a result of the publicity gained by the Mirage G, LTV sought the assistance of Dassault, as well as General Dynamics, which had secured a contract with the USAF for a variable geometry fighter-bomber/attack aircraft, the F-111A. Two agreements were signed by Dassault and LTV in 1968: one for general cooperation and the other specifically in regard to variable-geometry wings. This resulted in two LTV designs, the Vought V-505 and V-507,[5] as well as construction of a full-scale, non-flying mockup of the second design. There were two competing bids, both with variable geometry: the McDonnell F-4(FVS), which was a variant of the Phantom II, and the Grumman 303. The latter was successful and was developed into the F-14. However, during its development, Grumman approached LTV for details of the V-507, including some of the same technical solutions devised for the Mirage G.

Some of the same data also contributed to the Vought Model V-1100, which competed for the Pentagon's Light Weight Fighter program in the 1970s. However, this LTV design did not include variable geometry (and was more closely related to the LTV A-7 Corsair II). This particular proposal was also rejected and the F-16 and F/A-18 were eventually selected for production.

Aircraft on display
  • Dassault Mirage G8-01 is on public display at the Musée de l’air et de l’espace near Paris.[6]
  • Dassault Mirage G8-02 is on public display at the Musée Européen de l'Aviation de Chasse, Montélimar.[7]

Specifications (Mirage G8-02)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 18.8 m (61 ft 8 in)
  • Wingspan: 15.4 m (50 ft 6 in)
  • Lower wingspan: 8.7 m (28 ft 7 in) swept
  • Height: 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in)
  • Empty weight: 14,740 kg (32,496 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 23,800 kg (52,470 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2 × SNECMA Atar 9K50 afterburning turbojet engines, 49.03 kN (11,020 lbf) thrust each dry, 70.1 kN (15,800 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

  • Maximum speed: Mach 2.2
  • Range: 3,850 km (2,390 mi, 2,080 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 18,500 m (60,700 ft)

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. Green 1972, p. 84.
  2. Dassault Aviation - Mirage G history www.dassault-aviation.com Retrieved: 10 April 2010
  3. Green 1968, p. 78.
  4. Claude Carlier, Une formule aérodynamique gagnante. La grande aventure des « Mirage » à géométrie variable, 2, Le Fana de l’aviation, n° 537, august 2014
  5. The Vought V-507. Posted on July 2, 2014 by Ian D'Costa - ; Blast from the past....Ling-Temco-Vought (LVT) V-507 ; Vought designs the 1960s-1970s "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-09-03. Retrieved 2016-08-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace - Collections (French language) Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine www.mae.org Retrieved: 13 April 2010
  7. Mirage G8-02 - Musée europeen de l'aviation de chasse (French language) www.meacmtl.com Retrieved: 7 November 2017

Bibliography
  • Buttler, Tony. X-Planes of Europe II: Military Prototype Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946–1974. Manchester, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2015. ISBN 978-1-90210-948-0
  • Buttler, Tony and Jean-Louis Delezenne. X-Planes of Europe: Secret Research Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946-1974. Manchester, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2012. ISBN 978-1-902-10921-3
  • Carbonel, Jean-Christophe. French Secret Projects 1: Post War Fighters. Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing, 2016 ISBN 978-1-91080-900-6
  • 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
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