I was intrigued by the reference to the Spey -engined Mirage proposed by BAC in the light of the TSR-2 debacle, referred to in G-ORDY’s excellent link to the ITV archive films. Could somebody point me in the direction of details on this proposal as it would seem fairly ironic as the Mirage was crib off the Fairey FD-2 wasn’t it?. I’m not normally a military fan as I am more in tune with civvie stuff but this one seems interesting.
By: ozjag - 6th January 2009 at 23:43
JDK,
Could this be the aircraft in question? On close look it says SNECMA ATAR on the fuselage under the fin so I’m guessing not. The picture is on top of an old chocolate tin.
Paul
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th January 2009 at 20:34
Spey-powered Mirage
Cor, can you imagine that, a Spey 202-powered Mirage. That would have kicked some a**.
Thrust better than unity, with canards that would have been even better – (shades of the later Rafale?)
Anon.
By: alertken - 6th January 2009 at 13:03
Mirage III: F.D.2
PMN1 on the Secret Projects forum made a thread on ER.103, which quoted D.Wood, Project Cancelled, that in 1960 v.104G: “Dassault, Fairey and Rolls Royce offered a collaborative version…wings were to be built by Dassault, the fuselage by Fairey and RR would provide a re-heated Spey”. Same thread, pinchroller demolishes the Cazaux calumny, of AMD “copying” F.D.2. Timing doesn’t fit.
By: alertken - 6th January 2009 at 12:19
There were 2 Brit flurries of concordiality with Mirage IV: in 1960 Avro schemed a Blue Steel fit; after AFVG was spreadeagled by Dassault, 29 June,1967, some funding by MoD was released for UKVG, but any order would be improbably expensive. HSAL pitched AFVG avionics in a Buccaneer 2*++, so BAC offered Spey 202/Mirage IV. Lapsed as 1968 unfolded, and FRG invited us to join NKF discussions, nicely replacing France in (to be) Tornado.
By: JDK - 6th January 2009 at 11:26
Dunno about the Spey, but an Avon version was built.
A French Mirage IIIA, known as ‘City of Hobart’, was fitted with an RB146 Avon 67 turbojet and flew on 13 February 1961. This was known as a Mirage IIIO, but did not receive a RAAF serial number as, although this modification delivered superior performance, its cost was prohibitive and this project was discontinued.
http://www.raaf.gov.au/raafmuseum/research/aircraft/series3/A3.htm
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January 6, 2009 at 11:07 am