The SAAF Forum

A close-up of the nose



Cheers

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Brent Best

I really love all our (SAAF) Mirage III schemes absolutely (especially the Deep buff/ green and full markings) but I have to say that there is just "something" about 803 in this scheme.

Like a beautiful woman that with a minimum of makeup still makes the younger women envious, still a classic beauty....Graceful...Elegant

Hmmm, I may have talked myself into doing a 1/48 Mirage in this scheme instead of the usual red lightning bolt one.

Awsome work on the Mirages Brent, thanks.

Thanks gregair

Oh yeah, nothing like a nekid Mirage to get the heart racing.

This is the home stretch now for the Mirage IIIC's ... still another earlier "Black Widow" to do & then the red #802.



This one is incomplete, I'm missing some text on the nose above the Mirage CZ logo ... can anybody help with a close-up ?

Cheers

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Brent Best

oohh, this is a fugly colour scheme ..


Mirage III CZ #802 (c/n 151) N° 2 Squadron, "The Flying Cheetah's", AFB Hoedspruit, 1988.
This aircraft was painted in this striking scheme to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mirage in SAAF service. This aircraft was written off on 14th February 1990, when the pilot, Capt. M. Edwards, lost control of the aircraft after flying though wake turbulence. He ejected safely over the sea near Langebaan.

Cheers

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Brent Best

Absolutely amazing. That finish is so subtle and pure perfection! What medium are you using? Su

Thanks Su

I'm using Photoshop CS3.

But the finish is only achievable, as a result of the 100's of VERY close up reference photo's that I have ... (Thanks Dean )

Cheers

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Brent Best

Must admit, the Israeli profiles make me weak at the knees too ...

That's because the Israeli Mirages have such a rich & fascinating history

Thanks to Dingo, for the reference on the "Tarmil" recce nose below.


Mirage III CJ #753, N° 101"The First Fighter" Squadron, Hatzor Air Force Base, 1963.
Israel had ordered two Mirage IIIR recconaisance aircraft, but prior to their delivery in 1964, recce missions were carried out by Mirage IIIC fighters, converted to the reconnaisance role. "Shahak53" was operated by N° 101 "The First Fighter" squadron and was the first Mirage CJ to be fitted with a special recce nose called "Tarmil" This entailed cutting a 26cm x 23cm slot into the standard Mirage III C nose & installing a Zeis RMK 15/23 vertical camera. The aircraft performed two photo recconaisance missions in this configuration. The first sortie was over Egypt on the 26th May 1963, On the 11th November 1963, whilst returning from the second mission, also a photo sortie over Egypt, the aircraft suffered a critical engine failure on approach to its base at Hatzor. The pilot Capt Ran Ronen, ensured the aircraft was clear of any nearby houses & ejected at a very low level. The Mirage, left to its own fate, performed a near perfect belly landing in an open field. Capt Ran Ronen observed this surprising belly landing during his relatively short descent via parachute. He returned to the aircraft, turned off all electrical swicthes, and retrieved the valuable camera film. Due to the mostly undamaged state of the aircraft, engineers were able to identify the cause of the mysterious engine cut-outs (both in France & Israel) as being one of a fuel-injector gasket unable to withstand the temperature changes. SNECMA subsequently paid damages to the L'armee de l'air & the IAF. After a two year repair & refurbish, "Shahak53" returned to operational service with the "First Jet" squadron, albeit in her original fighter role. The aircraft had five "kills" before being sold to Argentina in 1982.

Cheers

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Brent Best

There are so many Israeli Mirage C's colour schemes to choose from


Mirage III CJ #103, N° 117"The First Jet" Squadron, Ramat David Air Force Base, 1979.


Mirage III CJ #153, N° 253"Negev" Squadron, Eitam Air Force Base, 1980.
Problems with the Atar 9B engine led to the mysterious engine cut-outs & crashes of 5 aircraft. Only with the sixth crash (see Mirage CJ #753 as profiled above) were engineers able to examine the engine afterwards. This led to the identification of a gasket in the fuel pump, which at altitude, reached an extreme temperature and melted. This in turn then jammed the fuel pump and shut down the engine. This design flaw, had also resulted in the crashes of 16 Armée de l'Air Mirage IIIC aircraft. To improve the performance of the Mirage C's and to create commonality in the mirage fleet, the Atar-9B engines were replaced by the superior Atar-9C. This re-engine process started in 1969 and ran parallel with the production of the Israeli "Nesher", which allready had the Atar-9C fitted. It was a lengthy process, mostly due to the unavailability of the replacement engines. During the 1973 Yom Kippur war, only about half of the Israeli Mirage CJ aircraft, had the improved Atar-9C engine fitted. The last of the Mirage CJ engine upgrades was done in the late 1970's. This aircraft had scored five "kills" before being sold to Argentina in 1982.

Cheers

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Brent Best

Stunning as usual

Thanks for sharing Brent!

Thanks Paul, I appreciate the comment

Cheers

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Brent Best

In 1982, Argentina became only the fifth country to operate the Mirage IIIC.

France: 95
Israel: 72
South Africa: 16
Switzerland: 1
Argentina: 19


Mirage III CJ #C-704, c/n CJ14, Escuadrón X - Grupo Aereo 10 de Caza, Base Aerea Militar Rio Gallegos, 1986.
To replace their aircraft losses incurred during the 1982 Falklands War, Argentina began negotiations with Israel for replacement aircraft. Israel subsequently sold 19 Mirage IIICJ's and 3 Mirage BJ's to Argentina. Due to the US and UK arms embargo against Argentina, to keep the sale secret from British intelligence, Israel, prior to delivery, painted all the aircraft in the colours and markings of the Peruvian Air Force. The first shipment of seven aircraft arrived on the 18th December 1982, with the last of the 22 airframes arriving on the 29th March 1983. These aircraft were all battle hardened veterans of the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur war, with one being "Shahak #159, which had 13 kills to its credit. The aircraft were serviced & upgraded before being put into service. This included the addition of two VHF radios, HF radio, VOR, ILS, ADF and DME equipment. The Cyrano radar was never put into service due to it being outdated, buit it was left inside the nose as a counterweight. By 1991 all the aircraft had been retired with only C-717 still flying with the Center for Arms Tests and Operating Systems (CEAS) .

Cheers

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Brent Best

Question. The Mirage III CJ had the Atar 9B engine. This aircraft is refitted with the Atar 9C, is it still a Mirage III CJ?

Good question

I have two angles to this one.

This Mirage IIICJ airframe has the Dassault construction number of CJ14 in the Mirage IIIC series. The Dassault country suffix of "J" indicating Israel, whereas Argentinian Mirages had a suffix of "A" The airframe then, no matter where it goes, stays a CJ, as this was the manufaturers designation. This also seems to be true when consulting references, which states Argentina operated the CJ.

The main external differences between the Mirage C's and the Atar-9C equipped Mirage E's, are more than just the engine. I've highlighted the big differences here.



So with the dorsal HF antenna & the cockpit position .. should it stay a CJ

How would you see it

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Brent Best

I've updated the "Black Widow" to include the gold "castle" & 1300l drop tanks.



Cheers

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Brent Best