Book Review of
Dassault Mirage F1 Fighter
Flying With Air Forces Around the World
Aircraft in Detail 010
Author: Duke Hawkins
HMH Publications
ISBN: 978-2-9602488-9-0
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $29.00
ISBN: 978-2-9602488-9-0
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $29.00
HISTORY:
During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would become the Mirage F1 as a private venture, alongside the larger Mirage F2. Work on the F1 eventually took precedence over the more costly F2, which was cancelled during the late 1960s.
The French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) took interest in the fledgling fighter to meet its requirement for an all-weather interceptor aircraft. Accordingly, initial production units were equipped with the Thomson-CSF Cyrano IV monopulse radar.
During the latter half of 1974, the Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force. Shortly thereafter, the type was deployed as the main interceptor of the French Air Force, a capacity which it continued to serve in until the arrival of the Mirage 2000.
It later transitioned to an aerial reconnaissance role. During June 2014, the last French Mirage F1s was retired from service.
Powered by a single SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet engine, which provided about 7 tonnes-force (69 kN; 15,000 lbf) of thrust, and armed with an array of French and American-sourced armaments, the Mirage F1 has been operated as a light multipurpose fighter and has been exported to around a dozen nations.
The type has seen action in a large number of armed conflicts involving several of its operators, including the Western Sahara War, the Paquisha War, the Cenepa War, the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War, the South African Border War, the War in Afghanistan, the Chadian–Libyan conflict, the 2011 military intervention in Libya, and the Northern Mali conflict.
More than 720 Mirage F1s were manufactured between 1966 and 1992. It was succeeded in production by the Dassault Mirage 2000.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter aircraft
National origin: France
Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation
First flight: 23 December 1966; 53 years ago
Introduction to service: 1973; 47 years ago
Status: Retired from the French Air Force operational service in June 2014. In limited service.
Primary users: French Air Force (historical), Iraqi Air Force (historical), Hellenic Air Force (historical), Spanish Air Force (historical)
Produced: 1966–1992
Number built: 720
Developed from: Dassault Mirage III
THE BOOK:
This book is soft-cover of 82 pages in 9 ½” x 9 ½” page format.
The cover art shows a Spanish Air Force Mirage F1 making a dramatic right hand turn at very low level during a training mission. It is overall medium-grey.
The back cover shows a French Air Force Mirage F1 just taking off a runway, with a forest in the distance. It is in a wave pattern camouflage of dark-green and grey.
The book contains 226 color photos of the Mirage F1. On the ground, in flight, in action, 67 photos are of the walk-around type showing weapons, maintenance being done and every inch of the interior and exterior of the single seat and the twin seated versions.
Various paint schemes are shown.
One in-flight photo shows the Mirage F1 being refueled by a tanker.
The last page of the book has 10 color cover arts of other books in this series: Jaguar, F-16, Mirage 2000, Fulcrum, Tornado Typhoon, Viggen, Hornet, C-130 Hercules and this book of the Mirage F1.
This is one neat color picture album on the Mirage F1. It will be of great interest to modelers who intend to build a Mirage F1 and to aviation historians alike.
I want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of HMH books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would become the Mirage F1 as a private venture, alongside the larger Mirage F2. Work on the F1 eventually took precedence over the more costly F2, which was cancelled during the late 1960s.
The French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) took interest in the fledgling fighter to meet its requirement for an all-weather interceptor aircraft. Accordingly, initial production units were equipped with the Thomson-CSF Cyrano IV monopulse radar.
During the latter half of 1974, the Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force. Shortly thereafter, the type was deployed as the main interceptor of the French Air Force, a capacity which it continued to serve in until the arrival of the Mirage 2000.
It later transitioned to an aerial reconnaissance role. During June 2014, the last French Mirage F1s was retired from service.
Powered by a single SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet engine, which provided about 7 tonnes-force (69 kN; 15,000 lbf) of thrust, and armed with an array of French and American-sourced armaments, the Mirage F1 has been operated as a light multipurpose fighter and has been exported to around a dozen nations.
The type has seen action in a large number of armed conflicts involving several of its operators, including the Western Sahara War, the Paquisha War, the Cenepa War, the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War, the South African Border War, the War in Afghanistan, the Chadian–Libyan conflict, the 2011 military intervention in Libya, and the Northern Mali conflict.
More than 720 Mirage F1s were manufactured between 1966 and 1992. It was succeeded in production by the Dassault Mirage 2000.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter aircraft
National origin: France
Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation
First flight: 23 December 1966; 53 years ago
Introduction to service: 1973; 47 years ago
Status: Retired from the French Air Force operational service in June 2014. In limited service.
Primary users: French Air Force (historical), Iraqi Air Force (historical), Hellenic Air Force (historical), Spanish Air Force (historical)
Produced: 1966–1992
Number built: 720
Developed from: Dassault Mirage III
THE BOOK:
This book is soft-cover of 82 pages in 9 ½” x 9 ½” page format.
The cover art shows a Spanish Air Force Mirage F1 making a dramatic right hand turn at very low level during a training mission. It is overall medium-grey.
The back cover shows a French Air Force Mirage F1 just taking off a runway, with a forest in the distance. It is in a wave pattern camouflage of dark-green and grey.
The book contains 226 color photos of the Mirage F1. On the ground, in flight, in action, 67 photos are of the walk-around type showing weapons, maintenance being done and every inch of the interior and exterior of the single seat and the twin seated versions.
Various paint schemes are shown.
One in-flight photo shows the Mirage F1 being refueled by a tanker.
The last page of the book has 10 color cover arts of other books in this series: Jaguar, F-16, Mirage 2000, Fulcrum, Tornado Typhoon, Viggen, Hornet, C-130 Hercules and this book of the Mirage F1.
This is one neat color picture album on the Mirage F1. It will be of great interest to modelers who intend to build a Mirage F1 and to aviation historians alike.
I want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of HMH books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at: