Mirage IIIRS/IIIEBR/5BA/50C ‘Canards’

The Mirage III jet fighter was developed by the French Avions Marcel Dassault company and its prototype flew in 1956. The first major production model was the Mirage IIIC, while the IIIE was an upgraded variant flying in April 1961.

A number of Mirage IIIEs were built for export, being purchased by Argentina (IIIEA), Brazil (IIIEBR), Lebanon (IIIEL), Pakistan (IIIEP), South Africa (IIIEZ), Spain (IIIEE) and Venezuela (IIIEV). Mirage IIIR was a reconnaissance aircraft, with radar replaced by a camera nose. It was based on the IIIE but with simpler avionics. These aeroplanes were supplied to the French Air Force (IIIR/RD) and others were exported to Switzerland (one Mirage IIIRS delivered + 17 licence-built by F+W in 1968-69). The Mirage 5 was the next major variant, first flying in May 1967, destined for clear-weather attack role. It was equipped with less sophisticated avionics, more fuel storage and featured a longer nose. In Belgium, 63 a/c were licence-built in the period 1970-73 by SABCA as the 5BA. The Mirage 50 was further improvement of the Mirage 5, fitted with an uprated engine and new avionics. To improve take-off performance and overall maneuverability, fixed canards were installed above and behind the air intakes. These foreplanes were fitted/retrofitted to number of single- and two-seat Mirages.

The Mirage IIIE/R/5/50 was a single-seat, all-metal monoplane featuring a tailless delta configuration utilised as a multirole/strike aircraft. Compared to the previous IIIC, it had an extended fuselage for avionics and additional fuel and straight tailfin leading edge. It was powered by a SNECMA Atar 09C or 09K-50 turbojet. It carried two DEFA cannons in the lower fuselage under the air intakes and was fitted with five external stores pylons (one under the fuselage and two under each wing).