Elevons

[Mach3DS]

Guys you're making me itch to fly the Mirage3!!! Stop it! Lol. I wish someone would do this one Tacpacked.

 

[Bjoern]

Just load up Restauravia's Mirage 3B. No need for weapons on that one.


- E:
Went for a lap around the field in the Mirage 3B. Flying Restauravia's masterpiece is always a delight! Hard to believe it's freeware.

 

[Victory103]

Am glad I asked the question. The knowledge displayed here is fascinating, and enlightening.
And I could listen to those stories of yours Pat all day!

Agree, although I have read a few posts in the past based on rumors or "I heard this story...". In general, I tend to believe most here will post factual information about a subject aircraft given the varied backgrounds of SOH members. Great "rest of the story" details from Pat and that information may never make it to print, besides there are typically more maintainers around than pilots.

@Pat, the "large electronic screen in the upper center" should look very familiar if you have been around MS flight sims.

 

[PhantomTweak]

@Pat, the "large electronic screen in the upper center" should look very familiar if you have been around MS flight sims.

Son-uv-a-gun. I went back and took a look. You're right. I could be wrong, but to me, it looks strangely like the GPS-500. Nice to know I pay attention, isn't it?

I noticed a detail on the shot of the left side-panel. Namely, the throttle is in idle. Notice there's some more room to move behind it's current position. Looking at the main panel, the engine isn't running, so the throttle is supposed to be all the way back, in the fuel cut-off position. Someone needs to reach in, lift the throttle's inner (towords the pilot) end up a little bit, say about 3/4 of an inch, called "breaking" it, and then pull it all the way back into cut-off. Part of the Plane Captain's Turn-Around inspection. Makes sure the fuel doesn't "flood" the engine when electrics are applied, and all the cockpit breakers are pushed in, but before the pilot is ready to start, or the air is flowing. The circuit breakers, right rear side-panel, with the "collars" around the top, are supposed to pulled when the pilot shuts the plane down. THAT is part of the E-Tech Turn-Around inspection. The different shops had different responsibilities, and one couldn't do the other's work. Like if a PC found a breaker in that should be pulled, he'd have to call an E-Tech to come pull it for him. In this case, whoever found the throttle forward like that would have to call a PC to come pull it back into cut-off.

I tell ya, we had a lot of "wet starts". Nothing like watching a huge ball of flame rolling down the flight-line behind the plane! Usually, if they got a wet start, a heavy mist of fuel would come pouring out of the tail pipe. The PC would signal the pilot to pull the throttle back into cut-off, and they would keep the air flowing to ventilate the engine for a while. Once in a while though, the engine would make the fuel mist, but before the pilot could cut off the fuel, it would "light off", and this huge ball of flame would roll out of the tail pipe. Scared the HECK out of the E-Tech positioned under the bird to pull the external electrics after the start-up. One, really big plug and heavy cable, plugged into a receptacle in the bottom of the fuselage, inside a little door, for aerodynamics. Once the pilot had internal power from the generators on-line and stable, they would give the usual signal, the three fingers up into the other palm then pulled downward, the PC would signal the E-Tech, and the E-Tech would pull the external power breaker, and then the plug, and close the door. Then get out from under the plane ASAP. It's leaving very soon!
When we'd get a wet start, though, it would scare the poor E-tech to death, when the engine lit off. BIG boom. Happened to me once. I swear, took 10 years off my life. I fell over backwards, like I'd been shot. Once things settled, and the plane was gone, the PC for that plane, a girl I "dated" a few times, laughed her tail off at me. Cruel, I tell you, cruel.
I'd learned a number of swear words in Hebrew by then, and used then liberally. I didn't see the humor of the situation at the time, oddly enough. The Israeli's were laughing harder than her, especially once I started swearing in Hebrew. They thought it was hilarious. Everybody except me, I think...
the J-79's had their quirks, but over-all were good engines. Sturdy, and powerful. In a relatively small, light aircraft, like the Kfir, it was a huge benefit. Real good thrust-weight ratio. Not 1-1, but still real good.

Have fun all! I'm going flying
Hope *I* don't get a wet-start!
Pat☺

 

[fsafranek]

Another non-military GPS in a Mirage. This is a ProNav GPS-100 attached to the top right on the cowling.
ProNav was another brand name for Garmin. This is in the cockpit of a Mirage 5F back in May 1992.

The French carried similar units in the Mirage F1CT/CR cockpit in the same position but mounted on a level shelf (have some pics of that somewhere).