Mirage airborne?

[Squeaks]

Whether my eyes are playing tricks, but watching the golf from Sydney this afternoon the camera panned to an overflying delta jet which looked amazingly like a Mirage.

Have we one back in the air, or was it some sort of replica?

[thrustpig]

Mirage of a mirage???

[jas24zzk]

I know the one that was at wangaratta was sold (last year) and there was a big plan to get it flying again, and relocate it to a more suitable base.

The strip length at wang, permitted it to fly out, but that was with enough fuel to get it to essendon for a refuel/drop tank addition to let it go somewhere interesting.

I'm not aware that there are others in private hands. Might be wrong tho.

Jas

[Wally Mk2]

What a mean machine that Wang Mirage was, how anyone every fitted in that cockpit is just amazing :-) be great to see/hear that fly again.
Anyone recall the one that guts itself at Tulla years ago? I think it was a Mirage.


Wmk2

[Harry Cooper]

Saw it as well. It looked to have two engines like a Eurofighter or Rafale with desert camo paintwork. A r/c model perhaps? It did look very "real" though.

[in-cog-nito]

Anyone recall the one that guts itself at Tulla years ago? I think it was a Mirage.I remember that when I was a kid. Dad was a Fireman in the RAAF and was part of the recovery team.

Quick google search found this:
The Age - Google News Archive Search (http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19741025&id=GFUQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7207,5644281)

[Fantome]

That jet-jock was FLTLT Nick Ford (29) from ARDU at Laverton.
From THE AGE pic it appears that it was A3-16.

According to that paper Ford intended making a touch and go.

When you next cast an eye over the one at Moorabbin, note the name
Meissner stencilled on it. This late officer of some distinction
was the main brain behind the publication ERSA. Presumably
he left the RAAF to join ASA.

[linedriva]

A3-16 is correct. It now sits at the Classic Jets Fighter Museum at Parafield Airport on static display. A really fantastic aircraft. It would be good to see one back in the air.

[QSK?]

thrustpig
Mirage of a mirage???No, mate I think that Mirage was actually a visual ilyushin.

[SeldomFixit]

yak yak yak.......dat was funny:ok:

[Arm out the window]

He claimed to be the best fighter pilot on the planet.

Modest sort of a bloke, then...

[tail wheel]

http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-reporting-points/181915-vale-reg-mice-meissner.html

[ramble on]

I was told that if he could see you you were a dead man but that he couldn't see.......

[eagle 86]

He was a modest man - he only claimed to be the second best fighter pilot because he was yet to meet the best!
GAGS
E86

[Arm out the window]

That is pretty modest for a knuck, I suppose!

[aroa]

Down in the deep south somewhere there is a guy, ex miracle driver with a Mirage, planning to get it back in the air:ok:

Since I trawl many Av Mags... I can't remember which one had the article...
might show up in a google.

I'd like to see and hear that again!

[jas24zzk]

I think you and I probably read the same article.

It looked pretty positive for getting it airborne again. It'd surprise me that they got it done this fast....tho money does talk, and given it flew into wang.

Jas

[Avtrician]

The Mirage looked good in the air, but was an orrible plane to work on

[jas24zzk]

The Mirage looked good in the air, but was an orrible plane to work on

Well thats what one would expect.... Designed by the frog's, and we had the stupidity to stick a pomme engine in it.

Metric meets Imperial. Always fun!!!

It'd be like working on a commodore!

[Capn Bloggs]

we had the stupidity to stick a pomme engine in it.
Atar 9C = Frog thru and thru! ;)

[jas24zzk]

blame a brain fart. Had been reading about the Avon powered prototype....
Need I say more LOL.

Its still french tho :P

[Wanderin_dave]

For more info on the Wang Mirage there's a page on Bookface dedicated to it. Search "Friends of Mirage A3-42"

[T28D]

No chance of A3-42 flying any time soon, owner is in W.A. long way from aircraft and significant work needs to be done on avionics ( Bezu) system to even get basic instruments to work.

[Tmbstory]

jas24zzk

Not only that but the French took about 18 months, after delivery, to approve the use of ammunition in the war aircraft!

Tmb

[jas24zzk]

Tmb,
by todays standards, that would be considered short.
If you compare WW2.......... the boomerang was operational in what...3 months?

Compare that to the JSF.....prediction is 10 years from first flight to first operational aircraft?

The more complicated they get, the longer it takes.

[Engineer_aus]

They are looking for a engine stand. Then they can get into some serious work. The aircraft is located at Essendon airport.

[Arm out the window]

You'd think there might be a stand hiding in one of the hangars at Wagga, maybe?