It is a bit hard to get one's facts straight from freely available internet sources but from what I could figure out the Mirage could not possibly have a higher T/W ratio than 0.78 and that's with a 5.3tons empty weight. I think that weight is wrong though and the Mirage IIIE weight of 7tons+2.35t for fuel+weapons=9.5tons at least which gives the most numerous Mirage 3 version a T/W ratio of 0.65 compared to the absolute minimum 0.78 for an F6 Lightning at its max take off weight. I think that the F6 had nearer 0.82 t/w on take off with the F3 having approximately 0.88 (not bad considering the Mirage 2000 - two (or 1.5 rather) generations down from the Mirage 3 has a T/W of 0.88!). So the Lightning had a hands down energy advantage. But as the Lightning pilots have stated already it came down to tactics and individual skill as well as playing to one's advantages.
In terms of missiles the Mirage may have had an advantage after the end of the '70's with the introduction of the R550 Magic I...
OMG Mr Edmund Spencer is here! The one of "La muerta negra" fame?
You, sir, might appreciate the above comment on the Magic. It was Lt Martin Hale from 800 during the Falklands that got locked up by a Dagger
head-on and had to break downwards in a deep dive to get away from it IIRC. Always found it a bit ironic that the people talked about the AIM-9L during the Falklands and lamented its all aspect capability when to my knowledge no Argie fighter got locked up head on (even though Steve Thomas tried on 1 May) with the only front aspect lockup and valid shot having come from the Argentinian side with the above mentioned shot!
Jaysi - 4v4 against F15s and shooting em all up? That's unheard of! Well done!
Not even the SHAR boys would claim something like that (well I guess they may have). Btw you wouldn't have been a Fg Off towards the end of the Lightning era photographed by Ian Black in a blue greyish Lightning with your name on it would you? I think I have you on VHS on some Binbrook Lightning tape, going on record that you are delighted
not to be going to the Tornado but rather to the Hawk at the TWU!
