PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Falklands Crash Sites
View Single Post
Old 28th Nov 2008, 22:23
  #91 (permalink)  
cosmiccomet
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South, near the end of the world.
Age: 50
Posts: 285
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
MIIIEA and Dagger AA wepons

My dear friends, as far as I know the Mirage IIIEA has never flown in combat sorties over MLV/Falklands equipped with MATRA 530.

The Argentine's Air Force was always very aware about the poor performance of that missile for combat against fighters.

The 8 single seater / 2 two seaters MIIIEA/BAs were bought in 1971, but those first batch airplanes were equipped with MATRA 530 and 2 DEFA 30 mm cannons for AA combat.

A second MIIIEA batch was deliver in 1981, but those were Matra 550 Magic I capable.
Only those second batch were Magic ready, those were deployed to Rio Gallegos AFB.

The First Batch airplanes were kept in Comodoro Rivadavia AFB and very few in Mariano Moreno AFB near Buenos Aires.

So, the MATRA 530 was only intend to be use against the VULCAN.

The other point is the Cirano II radar was not LOOK DOWN capable, so in most of those first combats the MIIIEA and Dagger were higher than the Sea Harrier.
It was impossible for the Cirano to LOCK ON to a SH from above.

The Nesher/Dagger's airplanes were delivered in two batches.
The first one in 1978 and the second in 1981.
A total of 39 airplanes were delivered before the war, but two were lost during training.

For AA, the Dagger's were fitted with 2 Shafrir Mk-4 + 2 DEFA 30 mm cannons.

At the beginning of the war, they were using 3 1300 lts fuel drop tanks.
Usually, the two wing drop tanks were dropped after been depleted, keeping the central one just before engaging usually 5 NM before crossing the SH.

But due the 1300 lts tanks shortege, the Dagger's were fitted with 2 1700 lts tanks.
The total fuel quantity was lower but the drag also was lower.

Cheers from TPE.
cosmiccomet is offline