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The Dassault Mirage G, also known as the Mirage IIIG, is a variant of the French Dassault Mirage series of supersonic warplanes, but with a variable-sweep wing. Three prototypes were flown; one single-engined G and two twin-engined G8 examples (which had begun construction as the G4). Various roles, equipment fits and other variants were proposed, but none entered production.

The first flight was 18 November 1967. The plane was generally well received, however it crashed on 13 January 1971, following total loss of electrical power.

Mirage G8

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

By this time the Mirage G4 had been proposed as a twin-engine, two-seat nuclear strike fighter. A contract was issued in 1968 for two new prototypes, G4-01 and -02. These were intended to be powered by Snecma M53 turbofans in production. Flying with the Mirage G continued however until 13 January 1971 when the sole prototype was lost in an accident.

Influence on the 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. As a result of the publicity gained by the Mirage G, LTV sought the assistance of Dassault. Two agreements were signed by Dassault and LTV in 1968: one for general cooperation and the other specifically in regard to variable-geometry wings. Eight Dassault engineers went to America to help with the design. This resulted in two LTV designs, the Vought V-505 and V-507, as well as construction of a full-scale, non-flying mockup of the second design. In the event, the competition was won by another variable-geometry design, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat.

One outcome of the visit was a twin-engined two-seat Mirage G5 study. This was effectively an enlarged and navalised G4/G8, to be powered by twin SNECMA-built Pratt & Whitney TF306 turbofans. Length was , and span .

  • Mirage G8-02 is on display at the Musée Européen de l'Aviation de Chasse, Montélimar.

Specifications (Mirage G8-02)

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Buttler, Tony. X-Planes of Europe II: Military Prototype Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946–1974. Manchester, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2015.
  • Buttler, Tony and Jean-Louis Delezenne. X-Planes of Europe: Secret Research Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946-1974. Manchester, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2012.
  • Carbonel, Jean-Christophe. French Secret Projects 1: Post War Fighters. Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing, 2016
  • Carbonel, Jean-Christophe. "Negative G", Aeroplane, September 2023. pp.&nbsp;100–107.
  • 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.
  • Flight International - October 1971 - Mirage G