Dassault Mirage F1
Dassault Aviation · France · first flew 1966 · fighter
A French single-engine interceptor and multirole fighter that broke from Dassault's delta tradition with a high swept wing and a conventional tail.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 15.3 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Shoulder-mounted swept wing — not a delta
- Single engine with a pointed nose radome and side intakes
- Conventional swept tailplane and a single fin, often with wingtip missile rails
Tell it from earlier Mirages by the swept wing and separate tailplane rather than a tailless delta; the slim fuselage, single fin and wingtip missile rails complete the look.
Specifications
- The Dassault Mirage F1 has a length of 15.3 m (50 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.4 m (28 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2338 km/h (1453 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1966, the Mirage F1 replaced the delta layout of the Mirage III with a shoulder-mounted swept wing and a tailplane, cutting takeoff runs and boosting internal fuel. It served widely with France and many export customers from the 1970s.
Variants
Versions include the F1C interceptor, the F1E multirole, the F1CR reconnaissance variant and numerous export models.
Where you'll see it
Never an RAF type, but ex-French and privately operated Mirage F1s now serve as aggressor aircraft and warbirds and have appeared at UK airshows and RIAT Fairford.
Related aircraft
- Dassault Mirage 5
- Dassault Mirage 5F
- Dassault Mirage 5P
- Dassault Hirondelle
- Atlas Impala Mk I
- Chengdu J-7
- Dassault Mirage IIIS
- English Electric / BAC Lightning F.6
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