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Mirage F2
Role	Attack/fighterType of aircraft
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.

Design and development

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.

The fuselage and engine from the F2 formed the basis of a variable-geometry variant, the Mirage G.

Aircraft on display

The Mirage F2 is now preserved with DGA Techniques Aeronautiques in Toulouse Balma.

Specifications (Mirage F2 with TF30)

Data from the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft.

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 17.60 m (57 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 10.50 m (34 ft 5 in)
• Height: 5.80 m (19 ft 0 in)
• Empty weight: 9,500 kg (20,944 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 18,000 kg (39,683 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney TF30 turbofan, 89 kN (20,000 lbf) thrust

Performance

• Maximum speed: 2,333 km/h (1,450 mph, 1,260 kn)
• Maximum speed: Mach 2.2
• Service ceiling: 20,000 m (66,000 ft)

See also

Related development

• Dassault Mirage III
• Dassault Mirage F1
• Dassault Mirage G

Notes

1. ^ Orbis 1985, p. 1333

Bibliography

• Buttler, Tony (2015). X-Planes of Europe. Vol. II: Military Prototype Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946–1974. Manchester, UK: Hikoki Publications. ISBN 978-1-90210-948-0.
• Carbonel, Jean-Christophe (2016). French Secret Projects. Vol. 1: Post War Fighters. Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing. ISBN 978-1-91080-900-6.
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.

• Dassault aircraft
• 1960s French fighter aircraft
• Single-engined jet aircraft
• Aircraft first flown in 1966
• Shoulder-wing aircraft
• Third-generation jet fighters
• Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear