| Mirage F2 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Attack/fighter |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Dassault Aviation |
| First flight | 12 June 1966 |
| Status | Cancelled |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Dassault Mirage III |
| Developed into | Dassault Mirage G |
The Dassault Mirage F2 was a French prototype two-seat ground attack/fighter aircraft, which was designed to serve as a test bed for the SNECMA TF306 turbofan engine. The F2 also influenced the subsequent Dassault Mirage G, a variable geometry design.
Dassault were tasked in the early 1960s to design a low-altitude intruder that did not have the high approach speeds associated with the delta wing of the Mirage III. Unlike the Mirage III, the F2 had a high-mounted swept wing and horizontal tail surfaces. The prototype powered by a Pratt & Whitney TF30 turbofan first flew on 12 June 1966. It was re-engined with the SNECMA TF306 for the second flight on 29 December 1966.
Two parallel developments were a single-seat Mirage F3 interceptor and a scaled-down and simpler Mirage F1. Eventually the French Air Force chose to develop the French-engined F1, and the F2 did not enter production.[1]
The fuselage and engine from the F2 formed the basis of a variable-geometry variant, the Mirage G.[1]
The Mirage F2 is now preserved with DGA Techniques Aeronautiques in Toulouse Balma.[citation needed]
Data from the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft.[1]
General characteristics
Performance
