UoUo
04-29-2005, 02:45 PM
Development
The Mirage's origins were in lessons learned from the Korean War. The nations of the West were impressed by the small size, simple structure and heavy armament of the MiG-15, and the need for developing a 'light fighter' was felt. The French Defence Ministry was quite aware of current trends in military aviation, and in 1952 it published a tender for the production of a small interceptor that could - among other things - climb to 18,000 feet in six minutes.
'Marcel Dassault Ltd.' offered a plane it called Mirage I, with delta-shaped wings. This was not an uncommon feature; delta-winged planes had been manufactured in Britain and the US in the 40's and 50's, with the purpose of attaining higher speeds.
A prototype of the Mirage took off on its first flight on June 25th 1955. The test flights of the Mirage I and its two competitors - the Durandal and Trident - made clear the shortcomings inherent in light fighters, and the French abandoned the idea. It was clear that such a small plane could not carry the necessary electronics, serious weaponry and sufficient fuel - but Dassault continued to work on the Mirage project at its own, private expense, though l'Armee de l'Air had not formally requested the development to be done.
The Mirage III-001 carried out its maiden flight on November 17th 1956, and two months later proved its ability to reach 1.8 Mach in horizontal flight. L'Armee de l'Air was duly impressed and ordered 10 pre-series models, that were marked IIIA. These planes were fitted with an Atar 9 engine, to which another rocket engine could be added. On October 24th 1958 the Mirage reached Mach 2 - the first time a European plane had done so.
Following the successful experiments with the IIIA, l'Armee de l'Air decided to make the Mirages operational, and in August 1958, 95 planes of the IIIC (interception and air superiority) model were ordered. The first of these carried out its debut flight in October of 1960, and the first planes were introduced into the Armee de l'Air in 1961.
The IAF acquires a new plane: the Mirage
Heyl Ha'avir had been following the Mirage II's development process with great interest. The plane's manufacturers, motivated purely by business interests, encouraged the Israeli interest in the plane and invited them to take a look. In 1959, the Commander of the IAF, Ezer Weizmann, went to France with Lt. Col. Moti Hod and test pilot Danny Shapira. They watched one of the first Mirages fly, and Shapira was given a chance to test-fly the plane. He climbed to 11,600 meters, and accelerated to Mach 2 (becoming the 12th pilot in the world to do so in a Mirage). In view of French recommendations and the IAF's impressions of the plane, Israel decided to buy Mirages in 1959, as an appropriate response to the Soviets' supply of planes to Egypt and Syria.
The IAF Commander wanted to purchase 100 Mirage III's, which he thought were suited not just for interception, but also for penetration attacks. However, due to the high expenditure involved (about $200 million), the request met heated opposition in the IDF General Staff. Following internal debate within the Israeli defense community, it was decided to purchase only 24 Mirages. This decision was revised after the appointment of Tzvi Gur as IDF Chief of Staff (January 1961), and in the end 72 Mirages were purchased. Additionally, 4 double-seated Mirages of model B were purchased.
The Mirages were deployed in three squadrons: the First Combat Squadron in Hatzor, a second squadron in Ramat David, and the third at Tel Nof. During the Mirages' initial absorption period, the pilots practiced air-to-air fire, attack of enemy air bases and air-to-ground fire. Gradually and carefully they began to carry out mock air battles. The pilots' general impression was that the plane was well-suited for air combat, but that flying it involved some daunting restrictions. Operational action of the Mirage was limited in its initial years, but plenty of action was waiting for it, just around the bend.
First kills
The first time a Mirage shot down a MiG-21 was on July 14th 1966. Following incessant provocations by Syria in the struggle for control of the Jordan River's sources, it was decided that Heyl Ha'avir would launch a retaliatory strike against the canal that Syria was digging for the purpose of diverting the Jordan's waters. In the afternoon hours, two quartets went into action. A third quartet patrolled the skies above the area of action and to its east. When the mission was over the interception planes returned to Israel, and circled over Tzfat (Safed).
A few minutes later, orders were given to fly east and south, deep into Syrian airspace, since four MiG-21's had been sighted flying in from the east at low altitude and heading towards the Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee). One of the Mirages approached a MiG, and opened fire from long range. Its cannon jammed in the second burst of firing, and it had no choice but to hand over its 'prey' to a second Mirage. This Mirage proceeded to approach the MiG and hit it in the right wing, tearing it off and causing the plane to crash. The Syrian pilot abandoned the plane just in time to save himself.
On November 29th 1966 a Mirage was scrambled after a pair of Egyptian MiG-19's penetrated Israel's airspace. The Mirage located the invaders near Nitzana, and began riding the tail of one of them. A Matra 530 rocket (Hebrew nickname - 'Yahalom', or 'diamond') homed in on the plane and destroyed it. The second plane was also shot down - this time by the Mirages' cannon. This was a first in the skies of the Middle East: never before had a plane been brought down by an air-to-air missile.
The Six Day War
At the outbreak of the Six Day War, on June 5th 1967, the IAF had 65 serviceable Mirages at its disposal, which formed about one-third of Israel's total air power. In addition, the IAF's order of battle included about 140 Ouragans, Mysteres, Super Mysteres and Vautours. In the first wave of attack, which took off on the morning of June 5th, quartets of mirages were sent to attack Egyptian air bases in West Cairo, Bir Tamada, Bani Suef, Faid, Hilwan, Abu Suer and Inshas. Each Mirage carried two 500 kg. bombs, full ammunition for the internal cannon and full fuel tanks. After dropping the bombs, the Mirages returned for additional strafing runs, using their 30 mm. cannon to shoot at enemy planes parked on the runway. All of the IAF's Mirages participated in this sortie, with the exception of 12 that remained behind to defend Israel's skies.
In the second wave of attack, the Mirages punished the airbases at Abu Suer, Bilbeis, Gardaka and Cairo West. Cpt. Yair Neuman's plane was hit, and he had no choice but to bail out in Egyptian territory. He made it safely to the ground near the village of Zkoyek, but a mob of angry Egyptian fellahin pounced on him and killed him.
In the third wave of attack, which was launched around noontime, the Mirages were sent to hit targets in Jordan, Egypt and Syria. One flight was diverted from a mission in Egypt and sent to strike Amman's airport.
Two Mirages were hit during the attacks on Syrian targets. Lt. Meir Shahar's plane was hit over Damascus and he was killed. Maj. Amihai Shmueli's plane was also hit and he was injured, but he managed to make it back to Israel and parachuted at Golani Junction. During the attack, Mirages participated in dogfights with enemy planes, bringing down MiG's, 'Ilyushin' II-14's and Hunters. All in all, the Mirages shot down 48 enemy planes in aerial combat in the war.
The War of Attrition
The Mirage III models continued to bear the brunt of air superiority and interception missions in the years that followed the 6 Day War. They carried out a large proportion of the 97 dogfights of the War of Attrition and the 117 dogfights in the Yom Kippur War, shooting down dozens of enemy planes.
One of the best known dogfights of the War of Attrition was the encounter with MiG-21's flown by Soviet pilots. On the afternoon hours of June 30th 1970, Israeli Phantoms attacked an Egyptian radar installation at Suhuna, near the Gulf of Suez, with other Phantoms and Mirages providing air cover. Soon enough, 6 quartets of Egyptian MiG-21's, flown by Soviet pilots, were scrambled against the Israelis. In a matter of seconds, the scene was that of a massive air brawl, which resulted in 5 MiG's being shot down - 3 by Mirages and 2 by Phantoms.
The 'Technolog'
In 1969, plane number 88 was handed over to the Israeli Air Industry, for a trial retrofitting of a J79 motor. The maiden flight of this experimental plane - dubbed the 'Technolog' ('Technologist') - was carried out in September of 1970. Its importance lies in paving the way for the development of the Kfir.
The Yom Kippur War
With the outbreak of the Yom Kippur war, on October 6th 1973, 19 of 40 serviceable Mirages were deployed in the First Jet Squadron, this time solely on air-to-air assignments. A famous kill was scored by a Mirage against an air-to-ground missile launched against Tel Aviv by an Egyptian "Tupolev" TU-16 bomber. The Mirage scrambled to shoot down the missile (which resembled an airplane in shape), fired its cannon at the missile and brought it down over the Mediterranean.
Operation 'Peace for the Galilee'
In the 'Peace for the Galilee' campaign the planes served as a reserve for the defence of Israeli skies, but did not play an active part in the fighting over Lebanon. At that time, the Mirages were being phased out of service in the IAF.
In Action
The IAF acquires a new plane: the Mirage
Heyl Ha'avir had been following the Mirage II's development process with great interest. The plane's manufacturers, motivated purely by business interests, encouraged the Israeli interest in the plane and invited them to take a look. In 1959, the Commander of the IAF, Ezer Weizmann, went to France with Lt. Col. Moti Hod and test pilot Danny Shapira. They watched one of the first Mirages fly, and Shapira was given a chance to test-fly the plane. He climbed to 11,600 meters, and accelerated to Mach 2 (becoming the 12th pilot in the world to do so in a Mirage). In view of French recommendations and the IAF's impressions of the plane, Israel decided to buy Mirages in 1959, as an appropriate response to the Soviets' supply of planes to Egypt and Syria.
The IAF Commander wanted to purchase 100 Mirage III's, which he thought were suited not just for interception, but also for penetration attacks. However, due to the high expenditure involved (about $200 million), the request met heated opposition in the IDF General Staff. Following internal debate within the Israeli defense community, it was decided to purchase only 24 Mirages. This decision was revised after the appointment of Tzvi Gur as IDF Chief of Staff (January 1961), and in the end 72 Mirages were purchased. Additionally, 4 double-seated Mirages of model B were purchased.
The Mirages were deployed in three squadrons: the First Combat Squadron in Hatzor, a second squadron in Ramat David, and the third at Tel Nof. During the Mirages' initial absorption period, the pilots practiced air-to-air fire, attack of enemy air bases and air-to-ground fire. Gradually and carefully they began to carry out mock air battles. The pilots' general impression was that the plane was well-suited for air combat, but that flying it involved some daunting restrictions. Operational action of the Mirage was limited in its initial years, but plenty of action was waiting for it, just around the bend
First kills
The first time a Mirage shot down a MiG-21 was on July 14th 1966. Following incessant provocations by Syria in the struggle for control of the Jordan River's sources, it was decided that Heyl Ha'avir would launch a retaliatory strike against the canal that Syria was digging for the purpose of diverting the Jordan's waters. In the afternoon hours, two quartets went into action. A third quartet patrolled the skies above the area of action and to its east. When the mission was over the interception planes returned to Israel, and circled over Tzfat (Safed).
A few minutes later, orders were given to fly east and south, deep into Syrian airspace, since four MiG-21's had been sighted flying in from the east at low altitude and heading towards the Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee). One of the Mirages approached a MiG, and opened fire from long range. Its cannon jammed in the second burst of firing, and it had no choice but to hand over its 'prey' to a second Mirage. This Mirage proceeded to approach the MiG and hit it in the right wing, tearing it off and causing the plane to crash. The Syrian pilot abandoned the plane just in time to save himself.
On November 29th 1966 a Mirage was scrambled after a pair of Egyptian MiG-19's penetrated Israel's airspace. The Mirage located the invaders near Nitzana, and began riding the tail of one of them. A Matra 530 rocket (Hebrew nickname - 'Yahalom', or 'diamond') homed in on the plane and destroyed it. The second plane was also shot down - this time by the Mirages' cannon. This was a first in the skies of the Middle East: never before had a plane been brought down by an air-to-air missile.
The Six Day War
At the outbreak of the Six Day War, on June 5th 1967, the IAF had 65 serviceable Mirages at its disposal, which formed about one-third of Israel's total air power. In addition, the IAF's order of battle included about 140 Ouragans, Mysteres, Super Mysteres and Vautours. In the first wave of attack, which took off on the morning of June 5th, quartets of mirages were sent to attack Egyptian air bases in West Cairo, Bir Tamada, Bani Suef, Faid, Hilwan, Abu Suer and Inshas. Each Mirage carried two 500 kg. bombs, full ammunition for the internal cannon and full fuel tanks. After dropping the bombs, the Mirages returned for additional strafing runs, using their 30 mm. cannon to shoot at enemy planes parked on the runway. All of the IAF's Mirages participated in this sortie, with the exception of 12 that remained behind to defend Israel's skies.
In the second wave of attack, the Mirages punished the airbases at Abu Suer, Bilbeis, Gardaka and Cairo West. Cpt. Yair Neuman's plane was hit, and he had no choice but to bail out in Egyptian territory. He made it safely to the ground near the village of Zkoyek, but a mob of angry Egyptian fellahin pounced on him and killed him.
In the third wave of attack, which was launched around noontime, the Mirages were sent to hit targets in Jordan, Egypt and Syria. One flight was diverted from a mission in Egypt and sent to strike Amman's airport.
Two Mirages were hit during the attacks on Syrian targets. Lt. Meir Shahar's plane was hit over Damascus and he was killed. Maj. Amihai Shmueli's plane was also hit and he was injured, but he managed to make it back to Israel and parachuted at Golani Junction. During the attack, Mirages participated in dogfights with enemy planes, bringing down MiG's, 'Ilyushin' II-14's and Hunters. All in all, the Mirages shot down 48 enemy planes in aerial combat in the war.
The War of Attrition
The Mirage III models continued to bear the brunt of air superiority and interception missions in the years that followed the 6 Day War. They carried out a large proportion of the 97 dogfights of the War of Attrition and the 117 dogfights in the Yom Kippur War, shooting down dozens of enemy planes.
One of the best known dogfights of the War of Attrition was the encounter with MiG-21's flown by Soviet pilots. On the afternoon hours of June 30th 1970, Israeli Phantoms attacked an Egyptian radar installation at Suhuna, near the Gulf of Suez, with other Phantoms and Mirages providing air cover. Soon enough, 6 quartets of Egyptian MiG-21's, flown by Soviet pilots, were scrambled against the Israelis. In a matter of seconds, the scene was that of a massive air brawl, which resulted in 5 MiG's being shot down - 3 by Mirages and 2 by Phantoms
The 'Technolog'
In 1969, plane number 88 was handed over to the Israeli Air Industry, for a trial retrofitting of a J79 motor. The maiden flight of this experimental plane - dubbed the 'Technolog' ('Technologist') - was carried out in September of 1970. Its importance lies in paving the way for the development of the Kfir.
The Yom Kippur War
With the outbreak of the Yom Kippur war, on October 6th 1973, 19 of 40 serviceable Mirages were deployed in the First Jet Squadron, this time solely on air-to-air assignments. A famous kill was scored by a Mirage against an air-to-ground missile launched against Tel Aviv by an Egyptian "Tupolev" TU-16 bomber. The Mirage scrambled to shoot down the missile (which resembled an airplane in shape), fired its cannon at the missile and brought it down over the Mediterranean.
Operation 'Peace for the Galilee'
In the 'Peace for the Galilee' campaign the planes served as a reserve for the defence of Israeli skies, but did not play an active part in the fighting over Lebanon. At that time, the Mirages were being phased out of service in the IAF.
Identity
Primary Role: Interception and attack plane
Origin: France
Dimensions: Wingspan: 8.22 m, Length: 14.77 m, Height: 4.25 m
Capabilities: Maximum speed: 2, 350 kph, Range: 1, 600 km
Weight: Empty: 5,915 kg, Armed: 11,800 kg
Power Plant: SNECMA Atar 9 jet engine with afterburner, with a thrust of 6,000 kg
Weapon: 2 DEFA 30 mm. cannon with 125 rounds each (not mounted when the plane is carrying booster rockets), external pods for detachable fuel tanks, missiles or bombs totalling 1,350 kg
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Israel Aircraft Industries 'Kfir' ('Young Lion')
Israeli upgrade for the Mirage.
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The Mirage's origins were in lessons learned from the Korean War. The nations of the West were impressed by the small size, simple structure and heavy armament of the MiG-15, and the need for developing a 'light fighter' was felt. The French Defence Ministry was quite aware of current trends in military aviation, and in 1952 it published a tender for the production of a small interceptor that could - among other things - climb to 18,000 feet in six minutes.
'Marcel Dassault Ltd.' offered a plane it called Mirage I, with delta-shaped wings. This was not an uncommon feature; delta-winged planes had been manufactured in Britain and the US in the 40's and 50's, with the purpose of attaining higher speeds.
A prototype of the Mirage took off on its first flight on June 25th 1955. The test flights of the Mirage I and its two competitors - the Durandal and Trident - made clear the shortcomings inherent in light fighters, and the French abandoned the idea. It was clear that such a small plane could not carry the necessary electronics, serious weaponry and sufficient fuel - but Dassault continued to work on the Mirage project at its own, private expense, though l'Armee de l'Air had not formally requested the development to be done.
The Mirage III-001 carried out its maiden flight on November 17th 1956, and two months later proved its ability to reach 1.8 Mach in horizontal flight. L'Armee de l'Air was duly impressed and ordered 10 pre-series models, that were marked IIIA. These planes were fitted with an Atar 9 engine, to which another rocket engine could be added. On October 24th 1958 the Mirage reached Mach 2 - the first time a European plane had done so.
Following the successful experiments with the IIIA, l'Armee de l'Air decided to make the Mirages operational, and in August 1958, 95 planes of the IIIC (interception and air superiority) model were ordered. The first of these carried out its debut flight in October of 1960, and the first planes were introduced into the Armee de l'Air in 1961.
The IAF acquires a new plane: the Mirage
Heyl Ha'avir had been following the Mirage II's development process with great interest. The plane's manufacturers, motivated purely by business interests, encouraged the Israeli interest in the plane and invited them to take a look. In 1959, the Commander of the IAF, Ezer Weizmann, went to France with Lt. Col. Moti Hod and test pilot Danny Shapira. They watched one of the first Mirages fly, and Shapira was given a chance to test-fly the plane. He climbed to 11,600 meters, and accelerated to Mach 2 (becoming the 12th pilot in the world to do so in a Mirage). In view of French recommendations and the IAF's impressions of the plane, Israel decided to buy Mirages in 1959, as an appropriate response to the Soviets' supply of planes to Egypt and Syria.
The IAF Commander wanted to purchase 100 Mirage III's, which he thought were suited not just for interception, but also for penetration attacks. However, due to the high expenditure involved (about $200 million), the request met heated opposition in the IDF General Staff. Following internal debate within the Israeli defense community, it was decided to purchase only 24 Mirages. This decision was revised after the appointment of Tzvi Gur as IDF Chief of Staff (January 1961), and in the end 72 Mirages were purchased. Additionally, 4 double-seated Mirages of model B were purchased.
The Mirages were deployed in three squadrons: the First Combat Squadron in Hatzor, a second squadron in Ramat David, and the third at Tel Nof. During the Mirages' initial absorption period, the pilots practiced air-to-air fire, attack of enemy air bases and air-to-ground fire. Gradually and carefully they began to carry out mock air battles. The pilots' general impression was that the plane was well-suited for air combat, but that flying it involved some daunting restrictions. Operational action of the Mirage was limited in its initial years, but plenty of action was waiting for it, just around the bend.
First kills
The first time a Mirage shot down a MiG-21 was on July 14th 1966. Following incessant provocations by Syria in the struggle for control of the Jordan River's sources, it was decided that Heyl Ha'avir would launch a retaliatory strike against the canal that Syria was digging for the purpose of diverting the Jordan's waters. In the afternoon hours, two quartets went into action. A third quartet patrolled the skies above the area of action and to its east. When the mission was over the interception planes returned to Israel, and circled over Tzfat (Safed).
A few minutes later, orders were given to fly east and south, deep into Syrian airspace, since four MiG-21's had been sighted flying in from the east at low altitude and heading towards the Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee). One of the Mirages approached a MiG, and opened fire from long range. Its cannon jammed in the second burst of firing, and it had no choice but to hand over its 'prey' to a second Mirage. This Mirage proceeded to approach the MiG and hit it in the right wing, tearing it off and causing the plane to crash. The Syrian pilot abandoned the plane just in time to save himself.
On November 29th 1966 a Mirage was scrambled after a pair of Egyptian MiG-19's penetrated Israel's airspace. The Mirage located the invaders near Nitzana, and began riding the tail of one of them. A Matra 530 rocket (Hebrew nickname - 'Yahalom', or 'diamond') homed in on the plane and destroyed it. The second plane was also shot down - this time by the Mirages' cannon. This was a first in the skies of the Middle East: never before had a plane been brought down by an air-to-air missile.
The Six Day War
At the outbreak of the Six Day War, on June 5th 1967, the IAF had 65 serviceable Mirages at its disposal, which formed about one-third of Israel's total air power. In addition, the IAF's order of battle included about 140 Ouragans, Mysteres, Super Mysteres and Vautours. In the first wave of attack, which took off on the morning of June 5th, quartets of mirages were sent to attack Egyptian air bases in West Cairo, Bir Tamada, Bani Suef, Faid, Hilwan, Abu Suer and Inshas. Each Mirage carried two 500 kg. bombs, full ammunition for the internal cannon and full fuel tanks. After dropping the bombs, the Mirages returned for additional strafing runs, using their 30 mm. cannon to shoot at enemy planes parked on the runway. All of the IAF's Mirages participated in this sortie, with the exception of 12 that remained behind to defend Israel's skies.
In the second wave of attack, the Mirages punished the airbases at Abu Suer, Bilbeis, Gardaka and Cairo West. Cpt. Yair Neuman's plane was hit, and he had no choice but to bail out in Egyptian territory. He made it safely to the ground near the village of Zkoyek, but a mob of angry Egyptian fellahin pounced on him and killed him.
In the third wave of attack, which was launched around noontime, the Mirages were sent to hit targets in Jordan, Egypt and Syria. One flight was diverted from a mission in Egypt and sent to strike Amman's airport.
Two Mirages were hit during the attacks on Syrian targets. Lt. Meir Shahar's plane was hit over Damascus and he was killed. Maj. Amihai Shmueli's plane was also hit and he was injured, but he managed to make it back to Israel and parachuted at Golani Junction. During the attack, Mirages participated in dogfights with enemy planes, bringing down MiG's, 'Ilyushin' II-14's and Hunters. All in all, the Mirages shot down 48 enemy planes in aerial combat in the war.
The War of Attrition
The Mirage III models continued to bear the brunt of air superiority and interception missions in the years that followed the 6 Day War. They carried out a large proportion of the 97 dogfights of the War of Attrition and the 117 dogfights in the Yom Kippur War, shooting down dozens of enemy planes.
One of the best known dogfights of the War of Attrition was the encounter with MiG-21's flown by Soviet pilots. On the afternoon hours of June 30th 1970, Israeli Phantoms attacked an Egyptian radar installation at Suhuna, near the Gulf of Suez, with other Phantoms and Mirages providing air cover. Soon enough, 6 quartets of Egyptian MiG-21's, flown by Soviet pilots, were scrambled against the Israelis. In a matter of seconds, the scene was that of a massive air brawl, which resulted in 5 MiG's being shot down - 3 by Mirages and 2 by Phantoms.
The 'Technolog'
In 1969, plane number 88 was handed over to the Israeli Air Industry, for a trial retrofitting of a J79 motor. The maiden flight of this experimental plane - dubbed the 'Technolog' ('Technologist') - was carried out in September of 1970. Its importance lies in paving the way for the development of the Kfir.
The Yom Kippur War
With the outbreak of the Yom Kippur war, on October 6th 1973, 19 of 40 serviceable Mirages were deployed in the First Jet Squadron, this time solely on air-to-air assignments. A famous kill was scored by a Mirage against an air-to-ground missile launched against Tel Aviv by an Egyptian "Tupolev" TU-16 bomber. The Mirage scrambled to shoot down the missile (which resembled an airplane in shape), fired its cannon at the missile and brought it down over the Mediterranean.
Operation 'Peace for the Galilee'
In the 'Peace for the Galilee' campaign the planes served as a reserve for the defence of Israeli skies, but did not play an active part in the fighting over Lebanon. At that time, the Mirages were being phased out of service in the IAF.
In Action
The IAF acquires a new plane: the Mirage
Heyl Ha'avir had been following the Mirage II's development process with great interest. The plane's manufacturers, motivated purely by business interests, encouraged the Israeli interest in the plane and invited them to take a look. In 1959, the Commander of the IAF, Ezer Weizmann, went to France with Lt. Col. Moti Hod and test pilot Danny Shapira. They watched one of the first Mirages fly, and Shapira was given a chance to test-fly the plane. He climbed to 11,600 meters, and accelerated to Mach 2 (becoming the 12th pilot in the world to do so in a Mirage). In view of French recommendations and the IAF's impressions of the plane, Israel decided to buy Mirages in 1959, as an appropriate response to the Soviets' supply of planes to Egypt and Syria.
The IAF Commander wanted to purchase 100 Mirage III's, which he thought were suited not just for interception, but also for penetration attacks. However, due to the high expenditure involved (about $200 million), the request met heated opposition in the IDF General Staff. Following internal debate within the Israeli defense community, it was decided to purchase only 24 Mirages. This decision was revised after the appointment of Tzvi Gur as IDF Chief of Staff (January 1961), and in the end 72 Mirages were purchased. Additionally, 4 double-seated Mirages of model B were purchased.
The Mirages were deployed in three squadrons: the First Combat Squadron in Hatzor, a second squadron in Ramat David, and the third at Tel Nof. During the Mirages' initial absorption period, the pilots practiced air-to-air fire, attack of enemy air bases and air-to-ground fire. Gradually and carefully they began to carry out mock air battles. The pilots' general impression was that the plane was well-suited for air combat, but that flying it involved some daunting restrictions. Operational action of the Mirage was limited in its initial years, but plenty of action was waiting for it, just around the bend
First kills
The first time a Mirage shot down a MiG-21 was on July 14th 1966. Following incessant provocations by Syria in the struggle for control of the Jordan River's sources, it was decided that Heyl Ha'avir would launch a retaliatory strike against the canal that Syria was digging for the purpose of diverting the Jordan's waters. In the afternoon hours, two quartets went into action. A third quartet patrolled the skies above the area of action and to its east. When the mission was over the interception planes returned to Israel, and circled over Tzfat (Safed).
A few minutes later, orders were given to fly east and south, deep into Syrian airspace, since four MiG-21's had been sighted flying in from the east at low altitude and heading towards the Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee). One of the Mirages approached a MiG, and opened fire from long range. Its cannon jammed in the second burst of firing, and it had no choice but to hand over its 'prey' to a second Mirage. This Mirage proceeded to approach the MiG and hit it in the right wing, tearing it off and causing the plane to crash. The Syrian pilot abandoned the plane just in time to save himself.
On November 29th 1966 a Mirage was scrambled after a pair of Egyptian MiG-19's penetrated Israel's airspace. The Mirage located the invaders near Nitzana, and began riding the tail of one of them. A Matra 530 rocket (Hebrew nickname - 'Yahalom', or 'diamond') homed in on the plane and destroyed it. The second plane was also shot down - this time by the Mirages' cannon. This was a first in the skies of the Middle East: never before had a plane been brought down by an air-to-air missile.
The Six Day War
At the outbreak of the Six Day War, on June 5th 1967, the IAF had 65 serviceable Mirages at its disposal, which formed about one-third of Israel's total air power. In addition, the IAF's order of battle included about 140 Ouragans, Mysteres, Super Mysteres and Vautours. In the first wave of attack, which took off on the morning of June 5th, quartets of mirages were sent to attack Egyptian air bases in West Cairo, Bir Tamada, Bani Suef, Faid, Hilwan, Abu Suer and Inshas. Each Mirage carried two 500 kg. bombs, full ammunition for the internal cannon and full fuel tanks. After dropping the bombs, the Mirages returned for additional strafing runs, using their 30 mm. cannon to shoot at enemy planes parked on the runway. All of the IAF's Mirages participated in this sortie, with the exception of 12 that remained behind to defend Israel's skies.
In the second wave of attack, the Mirages punished the airbases at Abu Suer, Bilbeis, Gardaka and Cairo West. Cpt. Yair Neuman's plane was hit, and he had no choice but to bail out in Egyptian territory. He made it safely to the ground near the village of Zkoyek, but a mob of angry Egyptian fellahin pounced on him and killed him.
In the third wave of attack, which was launched around noontime, the Mirages were sent to hit targets in Jordan, Egypt and Syria. One flight was diverted from a mission in Egypt and sent to strike Amman's airport.
Two Mirages were hit during the attacks on Syrian targets. Lt. Meir Shahar's plane was hit over Damascus and he was killed. Maj. Amihai Shmueli's plane was also hit and he was injured, but he managed to make it back to Israel and parachuted at Golani Junction. During the attack, Mirages participated in dogfights with enemy planes, bringing down MiG's, 'Ilyushin' II-14's and Hunters. All in all, the Mirages shot down 48 enemy planes in aerial combat in the war.
The War of Attrition
The Mirage III models continued to bear the brunt of air superiority and interception missions in the years that followed the 6 Day War. They carried out a large proportion of the 97 dogfights of the War of Attrition and the 117 dogfights in the Yom Kippur War, shooting down dozens of enemy planes.
One of the best known dogfights of the War of Attrition was the encounter with MiG-21's flown by Soviet pilots. On the afternoon hours of June 30th 1970, Israeli Phantoms attacked an Egyptian radar installation at Suhuna, near the Gulf of Suez, with other Phantoms and Mirages providing air cover. Soon enough, 6 quartets of Egyptian MiG-21's, flown by Soviet pilots, were scrambled against the Israelis. In a matter of seconds, the scene was that of a massive air brawl, which resulted in 5 MiG's being shot down - 3 by Mirages and 2 by Phantoms
The 'Technolog'
In 1969, plane number 88 was handed over to the Israeli Air Industry, for a trial retrofitting of a J79 motor. The maiden flight of this experimental plane - dubbed the 'Technolog' ('Technologist') - was carried out in September of 1970. Its importance lies in paving the way for the development of the Kfir.
The Yom Kippur War
With the outbreak of the Yom Kippur war, on October 6th 1973, 19 of 40 serviceable Mirages were deployed in the First Jet Squadron, this time solely on air-to-air assignments. A famous kill was scored by a Mirage against an air-to-ground missile launched against Tel Aviv by an Egyptian "Tupolev" TU-16 bomber. The Mirage scrambled to shoot down the missile (which resembled an airplane in shape), fired its cannon at the missile and brought it down over the Mediterranean.
Operation 'Peace for the Galilee'
In the 'Peace for the Galilee' campaign the planes served as a reserve for the defence of Israeli skies, but did not play an active part in the fighting over Lebanon. At that time, the Mirages were being phased out of service in the IAF.
Identity
Primary Role: Interception and attack plane
Origin: France
Dimensions: Wingspan: 8.22 m, Length: 14.77 m, Height: 4.25 m
Capabilities: Maximum speed: 2, 350 kph, Range: 1, 600 km
Weight: Empty: 5,915 kg, Armed: 11,800 kg
Power Plant: SNECMA Atar 9 jet engine with afterburner, with a thrust of 6,000 kg
Weapon: 2 DEFA 30 mm. cannon with 125 rounds each (not mounted when the plane is carrying booster rockets), external pods for detachable fuel tanks, missiles or bombs totalling 1,350 kg
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Israel Aircraft Industries 'Kfir' ('Young Lion')
Israeli upgrade for the Mirage.
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