Dassault Mirage-G
(France)
Notes: In October 1965, Dassault began work on an enlarged, twin-seat strike variant of the Mirage-F1 that was to feature swing-wings. The prototype Mirage-G first flew on 18 November 1967. The variable-geometry wings could swing between 23 and 70 degrees sweep. The first prototype crashed after about 400 hours of tests, but by this time a second and third prototype were ready. The third prototype was a single-seat model for a proposed air superiority fighter version.
Although successful, the tests convinced the French AF that the advantages of VG were not worth the added expense and the Mirage-G was cancelled in 1974. Dassault proposed a privately funded offshoot, the Mirage-G8, for export sales. This would have had fixed wings at 55deg sweep and simplified electronics. It found no customers and was dropped.
Max speed (wings fully-swept):
Mach 2.1
Weapons:
Undetermined
Sensors:
Cyrano-IV surface search radar, laser rangefinder
Crew:
2
Dimensions:
L 55’1 WS (unswept): 42’8” H 17’7”
Powerplant:
x2 SNECMA Atar 9K-50 afterburning turbojets