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Aussie Mirages - where?

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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 06:22
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Aussie Mirages - where?

Hi, does anyone know what happened to the RAAF Mirage III"s. Regards
Mark
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 06:25
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Most went to Pakistan with a relatively small number remaining in Australia as display aircraft.
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 06:25
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Stored at Woomera for some time then sold to the Paki's.
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 07:24
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where they were made nuclear bomb carrying capable. Me thinks the F35 will not be able to be on sold like the Mirage!
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 07:34
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Stored at Woomera as related by dartman and shipped out from Whyalla.

History of individual airframes here

ADF Serials - Mirage III
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 09:53
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Ride a French Lady...
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 22:34
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Slightly off topic but Mirage related.
Did Garry Cooper make a dead stick landing at a disused airstrip after take-off from Williamtown due to a bird strike ?. Was the aircraft then towed back to Williamtown via public roads ?. Was this the same Garry Cooper who flew helicopters in Vietnam ?
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 22:42
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B772, have a look at the website listed above: (ADF Serials - Mirage III). Scroll down to A3-29.
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Old 2nd Feb 2017, 22:57
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There's one on display in the HARS hangar at Wollongong airport, NSW.
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 01:17
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The Miracle...certainly no slouch in the speed department...and still up there top speed wise and better than some of the modern stuff, so I read.

Interestingly, after all the Mirage losses due the single engine failures, the philosophy was for a twin..ie the Hornets.

Now days everything else seems to be a twin, but we are back getting a single !
Hope those F 35 donks a super reliable !!

And how the costs have blossomed !! 1.6 mil for a Mirage. 160 mil for a 35. !!
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 03:50
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REFERENCE A3-29. And for years I had believed it was Nick Leray-Myer who had "dead-sticked" the aircraft near Willytown. Just shows, never too old to learn.
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 03:58
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This has been read by many before.
Mirage landing Tullamarine Airport with wheels not down.

QAM - The Last Landing of Mirage A3-16
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 04:01
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A3-16 is now fully assembled and on display at the Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra.

A3-16
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 08:34
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A3-16 is now fully assembled and on display at the Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra.
What's that weapon on the centreline?
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 10:38
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where they were made nuclear bomb carrying capable. Me thinks the F35 will not be able to be on sold like the Mirage!
IIRC the Mirage III was never nuclear capable and could not be made so. There is a lot more to the job than attaching a bucket of sunshine to a weapons rack. The Australian jets were pretty much fit for spares only which is I believe what happened to them.
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 12:36
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"What's that weapon on the centreline?"

Bloggs, I reckon that's an ECM pod. A3-115 on display at the front gate of RAAF Edinburgh has one too.

You were clearly never trusted with the nation's secrets, as I was. So perhaps your ECM would have been limited to a couple of packets of chaff jammed under your speed brakes..
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 12:45
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Fair enough, Gerry, what about that rocket-thingee then? Doesn't look like an R530 to me...

Chaff better than cows wrapped in alfoil!
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 12:51
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PLovett,

50 ex RAAF Mirages were exported to Pakistan (PAF), plus a large heap of spares including engines around 1990. Most were re-engineered and upgraded for air to air refuelling with new avionics. There's still a few flying including ARDU's A3-2 but they'll all finally be retired this year. Perhaps check out on social media: "Friends of the RAAF Mirage 111O"?
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 13:01
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Apparently it is a R530 Matra but missing a few tail fins. QAM also need the missing landing light and the absent nosewheel door above.

Did you ever souvenir a few bits during your pre flights, Bloggs?
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Old 3rd Feb 2017, 21:05
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Apparently it is a R530 Matra but missing a few tail fins
Fair enough.

Couldn't even kick the tyres, they were inflated too hard, not like the ones I kick now...
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