GMK Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 https://videos.lesechos.fr/lesechos/sujet-actus/la-france-vend-63-mirages-doccasion-aux-etats-unis/ruz8uv' 63 ex-French Air Force Mirage F1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Hello Sounds incredible. While the stated price sounds reasonable, rescuing sixty or so F-16s from desert boneyards would probably cost even less, not to mention funds, that would remain in USA. Although, if this deal goes through, it will bring big smile to Marcel Dassault ghost's face. Bidding for new USAF light fighter some forty years ago, Mirage F1 lost to General Dynamics F-16. Cheers Jure 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMK Posted July 18, 2017 Author Share Posted July 18, 2017 From what I can recall, aren't the boneyard F-16s being consumed as full-scale targets (QF-16), replacing the almost-expended QF-4? I wonder whether the A-4 under contract will stop flying now? Considering the USAF/USN kills of Iraqi Mirage F1, maybe this could be considered a nostalgia/recapturing the magic trip! 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avgas Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 New paint schemes! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 (edited) These Mirage F1 are not for USAF but for ATAC, in order to provide DACT to USAF pilots... In the same way, few years ago, Top Aces had bought some AlphaJet A from Luftwaffe ! Edited July 18, 2017 by eclipse 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 1 hour ago, eclipse said: in order to provide DACT to USAF pilots... DACT is only one among numerous kind of missions covered by ATAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 I thought ATAC bought the ex Israeli F-16's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Thanks Eclipse, I watched the video three times and still thought both USAF and ATAC are buying Mirages. I really should brush up my French. GMK, I had no idea USAF is getting short on target drones. So QF-16s are going to be put on the wrong end of the shooting line, and extant QF-4s are being retired into museums? Cheers Jure 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creepy Pete Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 The QF-4 program ended last year. It's all QF-16's now. 1 hour ago, Jure Miljevic said: extant QF-4s are being retired into museums? More likely scrapped or put on the range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Hello Pity. And in twenty years there is going to be a howl about decreasing numbers of authentic Phantoms to display. Nice, although slightly exaggerated, panel shading on this one, courtesy to a desert sun I believe. Cheers Jure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 1 hour ago, Jure Miljevic said: Hello Pity. And in twenty years there is going to be a howl about decreasing numbers of authentic Phantoms to display. Nice, although slightly exaggerated, panel shading on this one, courtesy to a desert sun I believe. Cheers Jure Something tells me they will still be cutting em up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 (edited) I saw two QF4s fly at Oshkhosh last year. It was quite sobering to think that they were probably the last F4s I will ever see fly. Rumours at the show said they would both be destroyed in missile tests when they returned to their duties. Not sure if it was true. On another note, recently an A4N showed up on my Flightradar 24 app squawking 7700 over Germany. Turned out it was part of the Discovery Air Defence fleet used for DACT. Despite the squawk it didn't seem particularly distressed and circled around for a bit and then landed. It would be interesting to see it in the flesh so to speak. Edited July 20, 2017 by noelh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Part of training for QRA pilots and GC? Locating (presumably civil) aircraft in distress and escorting her to the nearest airfield? Just asking, I have no idea if this is still part of practice these days. Cheers Jure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latinbear Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 3 hours ago, noelh said: I saw two QF4s fly at Oshkhosh last year. It was quite sobering to think that they were probably the last F4s I will ever see fly. Rumours at the show said they would both be destroyed in missile tests when they returned to their duties. Not sure if it was true. On another note, recently an A4N showed up on my Flightradar 24 app squawking 7700 over Germany. Turned out it was part of the Discovery Air Defence fleet used for DACT. Despite the squawk it didn't seem particularly distressed and circled around for a bit and then landed. It would be interesting to see it in the flesh so to speak. If you're in the UK and within striking distance of the Channel Tunnel then Wittmund is not as far as it might look on the map. Back in 2012 I loaded the stepladder into the car and drove to Wittmund to sit outside the fence and see the Phantoms but also saw the odd A4 as well. It's only 450 miles from Calais which is not as far as it sounds on good Continental roads. I also got a bit of kick being able to drive in the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany all in one day. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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