Dassault Mirage IIIC
Dassault Aviation · France · first flew 1960 · fighter
The Mirage IIIC is the first major production single-seat interceptor variant of the Mirage III family, entering French Air Force service as the reference configuration for all subsequent Mirage III sub-types.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Short SEPR 844 rocket-pack recess in the lower rear fuselage, absent on export variants |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Sharply pointed Cyrano I radar nose — the defining profile of Mirage III single-seaters
- Twin DEFA 30 mm cannon blisters visible below and forward of the intakes
- Short SEPR 844 rocket-pack recess in the lower rear fuselage, absent on export variants
The pointed Cyrano radar nose distinguishes all Mirage III single-seat interceptors from the ground-attack Mirage 5's flat-sided conical nose. The IIIC is slightly shorter than the IIIE (no extended dorsal hump). SEPR rocket housing at the tail base is a IIIC/IIICJ-specific detail absent on later variants.
Specifications
- The Dassault Mirage IIIC has a length of 14.73 m (48 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.22 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2350 km/h (1460 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Following the Mirage IIIA pre-production batch, the IIIC was ordered for the Armée de l'Air with the Cyrano I fire-control radar and provision for a SEPR 844 liquid-fuel rocket booster to accelerate interception climbs. First deliveries occurred in 1961; 95 were built for France, with Israel taking a further 72 as the Mirage IIICJ — the aircraft that achieved fame in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Variants
Mirage IIICJ (Israel), IIICS (Switzerland with Cyrano II). The IIIC is the baseline from which all single-seat Mirage III variants derive.
Where you'll see it
French Armée de l'Air through to the 1980s; the Israeli IIICJ was the most combat-tested version, achieving exceptional air-to-air kill ratios in 1967 and 1973.
Related aircraft
- Dassault Mirage IIIB
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- Dassault Falcon 20
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- Hawker Siddeley P.1127
- Lockheed F-104G Starfighter
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