Dassault Mirage G
Mirage G.8
On 13 October 1965, Avions Marcel Dassault received a contract to design and build one prototype of a two-seat variable-geometry fighter, the Mirage G, embarking on a low-budget swing-wing prototype. In May 1967 the company pulled out of a two-year partnership with the British Aircraft Corporation aimed at producing a joint Anglo-French swing-wing combat aircraft - the so-called AFVG. Political difficulties had arisen over the design leadership, which the French had originally agreed to give the British in exchange for their partnership in the Jaguar supersonic strike/trainer.
Powered by a single SNECMA (Pratt & Whitney) TF-306E turbofan rated at 9300kg with afterburning and owing much to the design of the Mirage F2, wing sweepback could be varied between 23 degrees and 70 degrees.
The Mirage G was first flown on 18 November 1967, maximum sweep being achieved in flight within a week of the commencement of trials and a speed of M=2.1 being attained within two months. Trials were to continue until 13 January 1971, when the Mirage G was lost in an accident, 400 hours of flying having been accumulated in 316 flights.
In 1968 two additional prototypes had been ordered, these being powered by two 7200kg SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojets. After a succession of designation changes, these emerged as Mirage G8s, the two-seat first prototype flying on 8 May 1971, and the single-seat second prototype following on 13 July 1972.
The Mirage G8 was envisaged as a multi-role fighter and was fitted with Cyrano IV multi-purpose radar, a low-altitude nav/ attack system, a laser rangefinder, Doppler radar and a bombing computer.
The Armee de l'Air concluded that the disadvantages of variable-geometry outweighed its advantages, and after study of a fixed-geometry version with 55 degrees of sweepback (Mirage F8), further development was discontinued.
Mirage G
Engine: 1 x SNECMA (Pratt & Whitney) TF-306E turbofan, 9300kg
Wing sweep: 23-70 degrees
Seats: 1
Mirage G8
Engines: 2 x SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojets, 7200kg / 15,875 lb
Wing span: 42 ft 8 in (13 m).
Length: 55 ft 1 in (16.8 m).
Height: 17 ft 6.5 in (5.35 m).
Wing area: 37.0 sq.m / 398.26 sq ft
Max TO wt: 44,092 lb (20,000 kg).
Max level speed: M2.5.
Seats: 1-2
