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Mirage numbering


Nigel Bunker

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Earlier there were also Mirage I (prototype) and Mirage II (project).

And later you have Mirage 50, 2000, 4000, F1, F2, G4 and G8.

So in my opinion it's just the matter of replacing Roman numerals with Arabic ones in the early 60s - like in RAF aircraft just after the WW2.

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Earlier there were also Mirage I (prototype) and Mirage II (project).

And later you have Mirage 50, 2000, 4000, F1, F2, G4 and G8.

So in my opinion it's just the matter of replacing Roman numerals with Arabic ones in the early 60s - like in RAF aircraft just after the WW2.

PhantomBigStu is right: the 5 was to avoid confusion with the Mirage III V (for Vertical).

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The mirage 5 was an export version of the iii and the mirage V was the mirage iiiv better know as the Balzac vtol experimental version

Balzac and Mirage III V are two totally different aircraft. Balzac was a small (43 ft long, 24 ft wide, 7 ton MTOW), Orpheus-powered subsonic testbed, while Mirage III V was a quite large (59 ft long, 29 ft wide, 12 ton MTOW), P&W TF30-powered Mach2 fighter prototype. The difference is something like the MiG-21PD and MiG-23PD or Northrop F-5 and F/A-18 Hornet.

PhantomBigStu is right: the 5 was to avoid confusion with the Mirage III V (for Vertical).

Of course I can't say that PhantomBigStu isn't right :)

Nevertheless why there isn't Mirage F II ? To avoid confusion with the 1919 Fokker airliner ?

Since 1965 all the Dassault aircraft (Mirage, Falcon...) feature Arabic numerals, while earlier ones (Mystere, Etendard...) used Roman ones.

Even the (later) well-known Falcon 20 biz-jet appeared for the 1st time in 1963 as the Mystere XX, becoming Mystere 20 two years later.

http://www.avionslegendaires.net/avion-militaire/dassault-mystere-xx-falcon-20/

Edited by KRK4m
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How difficult would it to backdate an 1/72 Italeri Kfir to an Mirage III? There aint that many Mirage III out on the market...

Not easy at all: Modify the wing (at least if starting from the Kfir box, the F-21 has the same wing), longer rear fuselage, different lower fuselage, remove the large intake ahead of the fin, modify the radome area... Then there are plenty of smaller details like wheels and exhaust. Can be done and I've seen it done but it's hard work.

Personally I'd rather look for the RV kit online or the HiPlanes one. Modelsvit have also announced a new Mirage III in this scale

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How difficult would it to backdate an 1/72 Italeri Kfir to an Mirage III? There aint that many Mirage III out on the market...

As Giorgio's written it seems an awful lot of work.

You'd be better off trying to get a hold of the HighPlanes/PJ Productions or the RV Aircraft kits. The former are a bit heavy on the panel lines, whilst the latter are limited run.

Mike.

Edited by MikeR
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Having the older Revell kit with nose and other parts it not seems more difficult converting the Kfir than converting an Airfix/Revell/Hasegava J 35 Draken kits for som other/correct variants. I wouldn't say it is hardwork...

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