- Yes
- No
Hello everyone, welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I’m introducing you to the two-seater version of an aircraft we already have in the game, the Mirage F1B.
The Mirage F1B is the two-seat version of the Mirage F1, developed by Dassault Aviation primarily for advanced training and operational conversion of pilots to the F1. Based on the Mirage F1C airframe, it retains the main flight characteristics of the single-seat version, including the engine (SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet) and basic avionics, but with an elongated cockpit allowing two pilots to be carried in tandem. Its first flight took place in 1976, and it entered service shortly thereafter. Although primarily intended for training, the F1B is also operationally armed, capable of carrying missiles and bombs, making it a versatile aircraft for secondary missions. Less produced than the F1C, it has nevertheless been exported, notably to Morocco and Spain.
In the French Air Force, the Mirage F1B was used from the late 1970s as an advanced trainer for training fighter pilots assigned to Mirage F1 squadrons. Thanks to its two-seater configuration, it allowed the transition to combat aircraft in a realistic environment, while maintaining operational capability. The F1B was also used for combat training missions, flights in complex weather conditions, and sometimes for armed secondary missions, particularly when a second pilot allowed for tactical task sharing. Although in small numbers, the Mirage F1B served until the end of the F1’s career in the Air Force, that is, until 2014, alongside the CR and CT versions. They were particularly valuable in maintaining pilot skills during the transition to more modern fighters such as the Mirage 2000 and the Rafale.
The version I’m offering you today is the version used between 1980 and 1986 (before the introduction of the Magic 2). Its armament is therefore slightly different from that available on the Mirage F1 currently present in the game.
Characteristics
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Length : 15.33m
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Width : 8.40m
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Weight : 7,400 (empty)
The aircraft is powered by a Snecma Atar 9 K 50 developing 7200 kgp of thrust, which allows it to reach Mach 2 in level flight and climb to a maximum altitude of 60,700 feet.
Equipment
This version of the Mirage F1B remains very similar in concept to the aircraft we already have in the game. It will therefore be equipped with the following equipment:
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Radar :
Thompson-CSF Cyrano IV -
RWR :
Thompson-CSF BF (after the 71st plane) -
Decoys :
Matra Corail
Phimat pod (x2)
Weapons
Where the aircraft differs from the version already in game is in its armament. Indeed, the Magic 2 wasn’t in service before 1986, which would make this aircraft particularly interesting.
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Defa 553 :
The two classic 30mm cannons of French aircraft are present on the aircraft with 270 rounds in total. -
Type 23 SNEB rockets :
Type 23 rockets are installable in two different formats, the 18-round basket and the 38-round basket -
SAMP Type 25 bomb :
250kg smooth bomb, 5 units maximum -
SAMP Type 25 200 bomb :
250kg parachute bomb, 5 units maximum -
SAMP Type 21 bomb :
400kg smooth bomb, 5 units maximum -
SAMP Type 21 200 bomb :
400kg parachute bomb, 5 units maximum -
Aim-9B :
Short-range IR-guided missile, 2 units maximum -
Matra Magic 1 :
Short-range IR-guided missile, 2 units maximum -
Matra R350 :
Short-range SARH-guided missile, 3 units maximu -
Matra R530 E:
Short-range IR-guided missile, 3 units maximum -
Matra Super 530 F:
Medium-range SARH-guided missile, 2 units maximum
This Mirage F1C is therefore much more limited in its air-to-air combat capabilities than its late version. Its maximum armament is 2 Aim-9Bs at the wingtips and 3 R530s under the wings and under the fuselage.
In-game this plane would be a good addition to the French tree, bringing a “heavy” plane with armament that would allow it to fill the gap between fighters with Magic 1s and those with Magic 2s.