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Hello everybody, does anyone know if there are photo’s of SAAF Mirage F.1’s carrying Matra rocket pods ? I cant seem to find any showing them. If so could/would they use the dual mount on the inner pylon or was it strictly single pod use ? I was planning on an F.1cz air to air interceptor, but the decals haven't arrived yet from South Africa. However I may need to fall back on the az strike version as those decals I already have. Any help would be very helpful and gratefully accepted. 
 

Dennis

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Yes they did, I have photographs of SAAF F1AZ taking off for a mission into Angola carrying a belly tank and 4x Matra 155 rocket pods, one on each wing pylon and another with two under wing tanks and one Matra 155 under each wing.

The rocket pods were natural metal with black area on front and later they were dark green with light blue/grey underneath.

 

Here are a pair of SAAF F1AZs at low level carrying a natural metal belly tank and 4x Matra rocket pods each 

https://aviationhumor.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Mirage-F1-camo.jpeg

 

Here is an SAAF F1CZ carrying a pair

https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/542261611359038052/

 

 

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2 hours ago, exdraken said:

Im no expert but they kind of look either like  Mk.82 500 lb’rs or Mk.83 1000 lb’rs. There is a photo of a SAAF F.1 from the 1975 Paris airshow showing Mk.82’s and Mk.83’s in front of the plane. Its in the second bundle of six upper right. 
 

http://www.sa-transport.co.za/aircraft/mirage_f1_saaf_service.html

 

Dennis

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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6 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Im no expert but they kind of look either like  Mk.82 500 lb’rs or Mk.83 1000 lb’rs. There is a photo of a SAAF F.1 from the 1975 Paris airshow showing Mk.82’s and Mk.83’s in front of the plane. Its in the second bundle of six upper right. 
 

http://www.sa-transport.co.za/aircraft/mirage_f1_saaf_service.html

 

Dennis

thanks for that site!

those seem to be french 400 kg bombs!

http://www.sa-transport.co.za/aircraft/articles/mirage_f1/mirage_f1-cz-200_france_dafpdc.JPG

 

cheers, 

Werner

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/27/2021 at 4:48 AM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Hello everybody, does anyone know if there are photo’s of SAAF Mirage F.1’s carrying Matra rocket pods ? I cant seem to find any showing them. If so could/would they use the dual mount on the inner pylon or was it strictly single pod use ? I was planning on an F.1cz air to air interceptor, but the decals haven't arrived yet from South Africa. However I may need to fall back on the az strike version as those decals I already have. Any help would be very helpful and gratefully accepted. 
 

Dennis

Hi Dennis,

 

Both F-1AZ and F-1CZ were equiped with the Matra rocket pods.

 

Mirage F-1AZ

0JzXRyy.jpg

 

Mirage F-1CZ

O9e082Z.jpg

 

Cheers,

John

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6 hours ago, Hook said:

Nice pics! - what's that pod on the centreline of the CZ?

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

Looks like the plane is on a test flight, probably still in France (no? national markings, white rudder, Matra Magics), so I guess a camera pod mounted on a R.530 pylon?  Also note the rearward looking  fairing under the nose!

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On 4/11/2021 at 7:25 PM, Bladerunner said:

Andre, that looks like a CHAFF/Flare dispenser. Never seen those on any other photos. 

 

Cheers, John 

looks like the same testing load out with a rearwardfacing camera under the nose and the center pod... probaly testing AS.30Ls for Iraqi Q5/6 F1s! maybe Quatari ones could also use the AS.30

F1-AS30L.jpg

https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/AVIATION/MUNITIONS/Missiles - Air to Ground/Air-to-Ground/F1-AS30L.jpg

sorry, source probably CEV, no idea where actually from!

 

the standard AS.30 was also employed by the ZA MIrage F1s :) 

https://www.saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/weapons/36/as-30-missile

 

 

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The initial tan used on SAAF schemes was BS318C:360 Deep Buff; this was later replaced by BSC318:450 Dark Earth. This was not related to a role like air to air or air to ground. 

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

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Hi there

 

I strongly suggest you all get a copy of Dick Lord Vlamgat book

 

https://www.amazon.com/Vlamgat-Story-Mirage-South-African/dp/0620241160

 

"...Perhaps it is the early morning chill that awakens them. They are mostly young and enthusiastic - but combat is a maturing process that can change a youth into an adult overnight. ...At last they have suited up and completed the briefing. The weapons are loaded and the aircraft are servicable to fly. The pilots forget the anxieties and tension of the early morning hours. ...The peace of the morning is shattered by the rising crescendo of the engine noise. ...Then they are rolling into a steep dive upon the waiting target. Their hands inside their gloves are sweating; their mouths are dry." Vlamgat is the gripping story of the South African Mirage F1 jet fighter pilots in action during the tense years of the bush war. Their experiences are authentically told with accuracy, humor and pathos - by an author who writes from the cockpit.

 

"They'll be flying again in the morning"

 

Regards

 

Armando

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16 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

If my research and info was correct the upper scheme is the Air to Air, the lower is the Air to Ground scheme ?  

Which means one is a Mirage F1CZ and the other a Mirage F1AZ... But if you look at the noses of these both aircrafts with attention, you'll see both of them are Mirage F1AZ. 😉 

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2 hours ago, eclipse said:

Which means one is a Mirage F1CZ and the other a Mirage F1AZ... But if you look at the noses of these both aircrafts with attention, you'll see both of them are Mirage F1AZ. 😉 

Correct, very odd/rare to see this. Usually the F-1AZ had it's own scheme and not the F-1CZ scheme. 

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On 4/15/2021 at 7:52 PM, Bladerunner said:

Correct, very odd/rare to see this. Usually the F-1AZ had it's own scheme and not the F-1CZ scheme. 

Both types used both schemes, with Deep Buff initially and Deep Earth later.

 

Cheers,

 

Andte

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  • 9 months later...

I'm digging this one up, thanking everyone for their great input!

 

Can any of you, please, shed some light into what that huge bump between the ventral strakes of Aerosud's 233 is?

What kind of equipment is stored/ placed there?

Chaff & flares were housed in the ventral strakes themselves, as I remember.

Did it find it's way onto operational aircraft (Congo, Gabon - I'm guessing SAAF is out of the question, or...)?

 

Mirage F.1AZ Aerosud 233

 

Many thanks!

Niki

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9 hours ago, niki said:

I'm digging this one up, thanking everyone for their great input!

 

Can any of you, please, shed some light into what that huge bump between the ventral strakes of Aerosud's 233 is?

What kind of equipment is stored/ placed there?

Chaff & flares were housed in the ventral strakes themselves, as I remember.

Did it find it's way onto operational aircraft (Congo, Gabon - I'm guessing SAAF is out of the question, or...)?

 

Mirage F.1AZ Aerosud 233

 

Many thanks!

Niki

Im no expert but I'm thinking some kind of ECM suite permanently attached to the fuselage. The dark marks could be dielectric panels ? 

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