MIRAGE F1 1973-2014 - Histoire & Collections - Casemate Publishing

[Julien]

MIRAGE F1 1973-2014
Histoire & Collections - Casemate Publishing

Surprisingly enough The Dassault Mirage F1 was not commissioned by The Armée de l'Air, but was a private venture funded by Dassault. Following the Mirage III, and Mirage 5, the successor was to be the Mirage F2. As the F1 was privately funded it was to use the same engine as the Mirage 5, with the same shoulder mounted wing and tail of the Mirage F2, a bait in a scaled down airframe. The F1 would prove to be a better aircraft than its predecessor with 43% more fuel, a shorter take-off run; and better manoeuvrability. The prototype first flew in 1966, with an order flowing in 1967, and production deliveries starting in 1973. The Mirage F1 would serve as the main interceptor of the French Air Force until the Dassault Mirage 2000 entered service. Export orders would see the aircraft serve in Ecuador, Libya, Iraq, Greece, Morocco, South Africa, Gabon (from South Africa), Iran (Defecting Iraqi aircraft), Jordan, Kuwait, Quatar, and Spain.

The F1 has actually seen a fair deal of combat. The French would use the F1 in combat in Chad, Afghanistan, Mali and Libya. Ecuador would use their aircraft in limited combat in their brief wars with Peru. Iraqi aircraft would fight in their war with Iran (and then defect there during the Gulf war). Moroccan aircraft would see limited combat in The Western Sahara in the late 1970s. South African aircraft would see combat in Namibia and Angola. Libya would use its aircraft in Chad, they were also used in the Civil war with two aircraft defecting to Malta when they pilots disobeyed order to attack protesters.

The title gives away the fact that this book is in French, but don't let that small fact put you off. It is great if you can read French, but if you don't you can still get the gist of things; and the wealth of photographs are worth the asking price alone. The book is medium format 200 x 240mm sitting between A4 and A5, with 128 pages.

The book covers the following areas;

• Origins
• Prototypes
• French Air Force Examples F1B, F1C, F1CR & F1CT
• Operational Deployments to Chad, Afghanistan, Mali and Libya.
• Overseas Operators.
• Special Markings Aircraft.

There are a wealth of excellent photographs in the book as well as 8 pages of colour profiles featuring French Aircraft, and a further 4 pages of export aircraft.

Conclusion
It might seem strange to recommend a book I can hardly read (my French is not great!), however the photographs will be of invaluable use the the modeller. Highly recommended.

Review sample courtesy of