| Title: | Mirage III , le mirage IIIE dans l’armée de l’Air (vol 2) |
| Author: |
Bernard Chenel - Eric Moreau - Patrick Audouin |
| Publisher |
DTU |
| Price |
88 euros (approx.107 US dollars) |
| Reviewer: | Jean Paul Poisseroux |
|
Notes: |
448 pages, cardbound,1241 pictures(622 b/w),61 diagrams,3 pages of 5 views drawings,18 hi quality color profile(+4 upper/under side in alu and camo versions).French text with bilangual (English) caption pictures. |
After the famous
film “3 men and a coffin”, now that’s “3 men and an aircraft”, with the
second volume (of 3) devoted to the extraordinary delta fighter from
Dassault, the MIRAGE fighter. This historical and pictorial saga now deal
with the second generation fighter type, the Mirage III E (for Electronic
with the Doppler radar system) after a first tome dedicated to the C
version and its training mod ,Mirage IIIB/BE. This mass book with more
than 1200 pictures is a long term project for Bernard Chenel and his
co-authors, specialist of the French Air Force in their respective jobs.
Cleverly ,as the main text is written in French, all the pictures,
diagrams, profiles…are also translated in English, for non French
speaking readers. This is the most complete study up to these day on the
184 mirage which have done their duty during 30 years over the French sky
,in 4 operational Wings, Test center and constructor flying department.
The “bible” is divided in the following 9 chronological chapters.
Chapter 1 : The genesis(13 pages), you’ll see there why and how Dassault get a successor to its first supersonic fighter C version, for Defense requirements.
Chapter2 : Series aircraft description (23 pages), where are concentrate most of the technical drawings from the manual: cockpit, gears, fuselage cross section, radar, loads….and gunsight ,very useful for the modelers.
Chapters 3,4 : Experimentation and first operational missions (48 pages). You will discover the first flights with the “all aluminium” Mirage of the 13 Escadre de Chasse, bearing certainly the most beautiful paint on the rudder fin (2 tone blue arrows, figuring night and day mission role).
Chapters 5 to 9 : 30 years in service (291 pages). That’s the “back bone” of the study ,year by year until the aircraft retirement. You ‘ll find details everywhere, in flight ,on ground (and sometimes “in” the ground) and with pilots and mechanics around the tarmac .The French base atmosphere is really there and the aircraft in different configurations; training, gunnery range, a/g practice, nuclear alert…The Mirage was in activity in 4 different Wings, divided themselves in squadrons, including the famous Lafayette ,following the WWI traditions. The reader that would like to find easily infos on one particular wing will look on the side of the book, as all the pages have color printed border ,that looks like “folder” this manner; grey for test squadron, blue for 13rd Wing, yellow for 3rd Wing, red for 4 th Wing and green for 2nd Wing. Very useful too, for modellers and spotters are charts with
Chapters 3,4 : Experimentation and first operational missions (48 pages).
You will discover the first flights with the "all aluminium" Mirage of
the 13 Escadre de Chasse, bearing certainly the most beautiful paint on
the rudder fin (2 tone blue arrows, figuring night and day mission role).
Chapters 5 to 9 : 30 years in service (291 pages). That's the "back bone"
of the study ,year by year until the aircraft retirement. You 'll find
details everywhere, in flight ,on ground (and sometimes "in" the ground)
with pilots and mechanics around the tarmac .The French base atmosphere
is really with the aircrafts in different configurations; training,
gunnery range, a/g practice, nuclear alert, squadron exchanges, take off
/landing accidents, crashes, in summary the daily routine ,as known on
most world air force.
The Mirage was active in 4 different Wing, divided themselves in squadrons, including the famous Lafayette ,issued of the WWI traditions. The reader that would like to find easily infos on one particular wing will spot on the side of the book, as all the pages have color printed right border ,that looks like "folder" this manner; grey for test squadron, blue for 13rd Wing, yellow for 3rd Wing, red for 4 th Wing and green for 2nd Wing. Very useful too, for modellers and spotters , charts with international code letters (i.e AF..) associated with constructor figures are included. After this big part ,come the 1/72 5 views sharp drawings references about this version ,including a page devoted to loads ,from fuel tanks to rockets ,all the assortment that the bird was able to deliver, aside a 3D exploded view .Logically as in the previous volume, 18 high quality profile will trouble your mental and really force you to model at least 2 models, one in natural finish and one in Nato green/grey camo. (a dilemma to choose!). To end this complete walkaround story ,all of the 184 mirage IIIE are showed in manufacture, chronological figures with a picture (b/w or color when possible), plus the successive code identification and squadron affectation until retirement of destruction. At this date only one Mirage still fly on the test center (until 2005),a mixture E frame with a R(recon nose),the others are stocked or guard AB entrance or museums. In conclusion this benediction in depth research must be warmly salute ,a magnificent tribute to an exceptional bird that flown around the world from Africa to Australia. Mirage fans, modellers and historians can’t let this monster book aside. And we really wait for the other volume ,the recon and ground attack. Hotly recommended.
J P POISSEROUX
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