Dassault Mirage IIIV
In 1962, Dassault modified a Mirage III, a delta wing Mach 2 fighter jet, to serve as a V/STOL test aircraft prototype for the larger Mirage IIIV aircraft. This prototype was called the Dassault Balzac V. It was fitted with a Bristol Siddeley Orpheus turbojet for horizontal flight and eight separate Rolls-Royce RB.108 lift engines mounted in two rows of four in the middle of the fuselage.
In 1964, during its 125th test flight, the Balzac V crashed during a low altitude hover. It was repaired, but the Balzac V crashed again one year later under similar circumstances. The Balzac V was not repaired a second time since the first of two Mirage IIIV prototype aircraft — numbers 01 and 02 — had been modified and were ready for flight testing. Dassault conducted flight tests of the Mirage IIIV 01 and 02 from 1965 to 1966.
Mirage IIIV 01, equipped with a TF-104B turbofan, made its first hover flight at Melun Villaroche Aerodrome on Feb. 12, 1965, piloted by René Bigand. The aircraft’s first transition from stationary to horizontal flight occurred on March 24, 1966, with Jean-Marie Saget as pilot. It was discovered during this flight that the lateral flight characteristics and stability of the aircraft during transition from hover to forward flight were worse than the prototype aircraft Balzac.
Mirage IIIV 02 fitted with a Snecma TF-306 turbofan and with new air intakes over the eight lift jets, made its first flight on June 22, 1966, piloted by Jean-Marie Saget. Eleven flights latter, on Sept. 12, 1966, Mirage IIIV 02 reached Mach 2.03 in level flight. The Mirage IIIV 02 is the only VTOL aircraft in the world to have achieved Mach 2. On Nov. 28, 1966, at Istres, Mirage IIIV 02 was accidentally destroyed during crabbing flight tests, and the program was quickly ended. The surviving Mirage IIIV 01 is displayed at the National Air and Space Museum at Paris–Le Bourget Airport.
Prepared by Peter N. Noell.
Dassault Aviation photos
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