Apr. 1 again:confused:

Like his other article, there is no link posted.

So one has to assume so.

Did the SAAF ever use pgms off the F.1AZ?

Not sure about bombs actually, but certainly the AS-30 missile.

Good questions, and why I always am very sceptical of manufacturers claims in general.

Ferrari will always say they’re better than Lamborghini.

cough… F-20 !

Pity that aircraft didnt go ahead, just poor marketing and a changing world (at the time). Still think it could be revived… surely the current operators of the F-5 would be ready to replace them soon?

I’m unsure of the production facilities to revive the F-20 would still be in place, 27 years after that was cancelled.

The last F-5 rolled off the production line a year later, 26 years ago.

I suspect there are true replacements out there in the JF-17 and Gripen, both of which are in production. I’d include the Ching Kuo, but it is out of production too, and comes with political difficulties. The Tejas also carries the same spirit, but has it’s own set of problems.

The US produces a “light” fighter, the F-16, but it weighs in at a weight approaching 9 tons empty these days.
Nevertheless, it is operated by a swathe of nations, and is probably the US spiritual modern day F-5.
It’s replacement, whos name I dare not mention, is having a whole set of issues of its own, not the least of which is an expanding waistline, with an empty weight approaching 14 tons…..

The whole thing, to me, shows just how political the Jag purchase was from the French side. Im wondering how much the plan to fly Jag.M of their carriers weighed in the final descision of the French to go ahead with Jag.

The Jaguar M proved to be unsuitable for carrier use, due to its engines, if I remember correctly.

I always thought, as discussed on a thread here a while ago, that the Mirage F1, suitably redone, would have made a far better carrier aircraft than the Jaguar.

Indeed..not a true “British” design

It was also first rolled out at Toulouse, and the first prototype in the air was 001, which was the French built one, again at Toulouse.

A magnificent achievement by both countries, nevertheless.

i said aircraft of the same role and era. unfortunately no role/era comparable in late 60s early 70s from the British side.

I know… I was doing the teasing for once.:dev2: