Dassault Mirage IIIB
Dassault Aviation · France · first flew 1959 · fighter
The Mirage IIIB is the tandem two-seat operational trainer derivative of the Mirage III interceptor, fitted with a lengthened fuselage to accommodate the instructor but lacking the Cyrano radar and cannon armament of the single-seater.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Two-seat tandem delta with fuselage clearly stretched ~1 m beyond single-seat IIIC |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-seat tandem delta with fuselage clearly stretched ~1 m beyond single-seat IIIC
- Blunter, shorter radome with no Cyrano radar bulge — nose cone distinctly stubbier
- Both DEFA 30 mm cannon removed; belly profile clean under nose
The most reliable identifier is the noticeably longer fuselage compared with the IIIC: the cockpit is further forward relative to the wing root. The blunt, radome-less nose is immediately different from the pointed Cyrano-equipped nose of single-seaters. Two separate canopies are clearly visible in profile.
Specifications
- The Dassault Mirage IIIB has a length of 15.65 m (51 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.22 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2100 km/h (1305 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown on 21 October 1959, the IIIB entered service with the French Armée de l'Air to convert pilots onto the demanding high-energy delta. The forward fuselage was stretched approximately one metre; Cyrano I radar and both DEFA cannon were deleted. Twenty-six were built for France, with further examples for export customers.
Variants
Mirage IIIBE (two-seat with IIIE-type avionics), IIIBZ (South Africa), IIID (Australia — see separate entry). All share the same lengthened two-seat fuselage.
Where you'll see it
French Armée de l'Air used the IIIB extensively for type conversion through the 1960s–80s; export operators including South Africa, Switzerland and Pakistan flew similar two-seat variants.
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